Teams from the county’s NHS adult mental health, adult community health, children’s mental health and children’s physical health services gathered at The Rufus Centre in Flitwick on Friday, March 3, for an in-person partnership board workshop.
The aim was to consider further opportunities to connect and discuss shared priorities, building on the foundations in place through Bedfordshire Community Health Services (BCHS), which is provided in partnership by East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) and Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust (CCS).
ELFT provides adult community health services in Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire and children’s and adult mental services across Bedfordshire and Luton.
CCS provides children’s community health services in Bedfordshire and Luton and adult community health services in Luton.
“There is already some fantastic partnership work in place and today is thinking about the next steps and how we can start thinking about a ‘one team’ approach to supporting the communities we serve,” said Sam Carr, Assistant Director Systems and Organisational Development for CCS, who led the in-person workshop.
ELFT Chief Operating Officer Edwin Ndlovu also took part.
“We are now working differently, talking differently and our leadership is different because of everything that has happened over the last few years,” he told colleagues.
“Today’s conversation is to consider those changes and the opportunities they present in growing further connections across the Bedfordshire healthcare system.”
Edwin Ndlovu and Anita Pisani, Deputy Chief Executive for CCS, also both commented they are looking forward to having similar discussions with colleagues from local authorities and Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations (VCSOs) to further strengthen partnership working and services for our local communities.