"What better time to begin my role as the new Director of Population Health with the publication of ELFT’s first Annual Population Health Report!
I feel so inspired to join a Trust that is dedicated to taking action to improve the population health of our communities alongside quality of care and staff experience.
This recognises our commitment to helping make the areas ELFT serves fairer places to live and work, and support people in these areas thrive.
This report is thanks to the energy and support of its Advisory Group plus the many teams and place based partnerships that have shared and tested out new ways of supporting population health over the past year.
It also captures the work that has taken place to become the first Marmot NHS trust in the country and how we are using our role as an Anchor institution for improving health and wellbeing outcomes for everyone.
Sir Michael Marmot, a leader on addressing health equity, encourages 'think big, start small'.
This speaks to some of the stories of our work in the Annual Population Health report that are high in ambition but initially testing ideas in a local area.
For example, placing financial wellbeing advisors in specialist children and young people services and Bedford’s Working Together Group creating an anti-racism steering group.
We next want to take these stories of practice to other parts of the Trust to help share learning and increase the impact of action to improve population health.
There are six priorities in the plan, with three chosen as the focus for the coming year:
- Local employment
- Income maximisation
- Promoting the physical health of people with severe mental illness
This sets out a commitment to work in partnership with service users and colleagues across the health, social care and voluntary and community sectors in North East London and Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes to take forward opportunity areas highlighted in the report.
I welcome you to reach out to me with your thoughts on the priority areas and ways I can work with you.
Please reach out and share your ideas (or just say hello) at laura.austincroft@nhs.net"