In this episode of the podcast, released in recognition of Armed Forces Day, Group Chief Information Officer Sarah Buchan sits down with Dom, Sharon, and Thomas - members of staff networks from NCH&C and CCS. Together, they discuss the launch of the new Armed Forces Aware network and the vital role staff networks play in fostering inclusion, building community, and supporting colleagues with shared experiences.

Later in the episode, Vicky speaks with Dr. Caroline Kavanagh, Group Medical Director, during the opening of the Willow Therapy Unit. Dr. Kavanagh reflects on her first year in the role, sharing insights into her journey and vision for the future.

Finally, we spotlight innovation in community physiotherapy. Tom Bamford is joined by Kevin Trueman, MSK Business Manager, to explore MSK Community Assessment Days - a new approach that has helped over 600 patients across Norfolk and Waveney in the past year. Tune in to hear how the initiative has evolved and what’s been learned so far.

This time on the Handover: 

• We caught up with Helen and Katy whose lives were turned upside down when Katy contracted flu last year. This winter the UK saw a significant increase in flu cases across, with the number of people in hospital in England with flu four times higher than at this point last year. At the same time, uptake of the flu vaccine nationally has been lower than in previous years. Laura talked to Helen and Katy about why getting vaccinated is so important, even if you think you are fit and healthy.

• Tom meets Anita Pisani, currently Deputy CEO and Director of Workforce at Cambridgeshire Community Services, and from 1 April 2025 Group Deputy CEO and Chief People Officer for our new group.

In this special audio interview, Tom meets Anita Pisani, currently Deputy CEO and Director of Workforce at Cambridgeshire Community Services, and from 1 April 2025 Group Deputy CEO and Chief People Officer for our new group.

In this special short episode of The Handover we’re handing over a few quick updates to see you through to the New Year. You can find out more about all the stories featured in this episode here. 

This time on the Handover: 

• We say thanks to our Urgent Community Response team for their participation in a national TV news story. Watch the Channel 5 news piece here: Our Urgent Community Response team is keeping patients safe at home over the festive season - YouTube.

You can find out more about the roles available in this team here.

• Fine artist Carl Rowe talks about his installation at the Willow Therapy Unit
• Carols at Norwich Community Hospital and a Christmas message from our Chief Exec, Matthew Winn

In this episode, host Lydia, our Communications and Marketing Assistant, takes us through key campaigns and projects from October and November. 

• We join Nick and Chioma during Freedom to Speak Up Month as they discuss the importance of NHS staff having a voice that counts, and share how they celebrate and support staff across the organisation.
• Rowena and Philip from our Wheelchair Assessment Service team, and Kimberley from the Service Improvement Team, provide updates about the service improvement project.
• In honour of Community Health and Care Day, colleagues share why they love working in community health and care, highlighting the dedication and passion behind the work they do every day.

Colleagues Ash from CCS, and Sam from NCH&C, talk to our Chief Exec, Matthew Winn, about any further questions they have following the recent announcement that CCS and NCH&C will be creating an NHS Group together.

In this episode we catch up on the key projects at NCH&C:

• Project Manager, Jayne Rose, takes us on a tour of the Willow Therapy Unit as the state-of-the-art centre nears completion
• CEO Matthew Winn is interviewed by colleagues Sam Hobdell from NCH&C, and Ash Sumbhoolaul from Cambridgeshire Community Trust (CCS) about our two trusts forming a group
• Kate Pontin, Operational Director of Transformation and Delivery, updates us about the progress made so far on the Better for All community nursing and therapy design programme
• We join Community Physio, Katy Turner, on her patient visits in Norwich to find out more about the importance of treating people in their homes

A tour of Birch Unit, North Walsham's legacy, and NHS uniform conversations 
In this episode, we catch up with the following colleagues: 

• Carolyn Fowler, Director of Nursing and Quality, and Rob Mack, Director of Community Health and Social Care Operations, have a tour of the Birch Unit with Unit Lead, Luciano Pitasi.
• Melissa Taylor, Communications & Marketing Manager, pays a special visit to North Walsham War Memorial Hospital in celebration of the site's centenary. 
• Colleagues share their opinions on the new national NHS uniform at the first uniform drop in session in Norwich. 

Dedicated to keeping conversations flowing at NCH&C, we’re excited to unveil the all new trust podcast: The Handover.

The Handover is all about having conversations with staff. We want it to be two way in that staff are handing over information to us, and we can do the same to staff via an easily accessible platform. Our last podcast was incredibly popular with colleagues and we hope the new format of The Handover will be as useful and engaging.

The 25-minute podcast episodes aim to be useful and interesting. Something staff like to listen to and take something from. 

If you have ideas about what we should cover in The Handover, or you’d like us to come out and interview your team about your work, get in touch.

In the first episode of The Handover, we feature:

• An insightful visit to Norwich Community Hospital, North Walsham, Kelling, and NNUH to discover what it’s really like working in admin within the NHS, exploring both the rewarding and challenging aspects of the job.
• Carolyn Fowler, Director of Nursing and Quality, and Rob Mack, Director of Community Health and Social Care Operations, sharing important updates for our frontline colleagues.
• A special trip to Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse with Melissa Taylor, Communications and Marketing Manager, and Laura McCarthy, Digital Communications Officer, accompanied by NCH&C nurses, to experience the new exhibition “Making the Rounds – Stories of Workhouse Nurses Told in Textiles” in celebration of International Nurses’ Day.

Tune in for these stories and more as we dive into the heart of our community and the people who make it all happen. Don’t miss it!

 Returning to practice is an option for individuals who are trained clinicians but may have left the professional body registration for various reasons. Depending on how long they’ve been away, they have to do a certain number of hours to regain their registration. Jessica Belmonte has recently completed her return to practice hours, and talks with Clinical Educator Zoe Carroll about how she has found the process and her reasons for wanting to come back to clinical practice.  

Career Development Facilitator Carrie Stroud and Clinical Educator Zoe Carroll talk about the  the work experience opportunities we have at the trust, why work experience is so valuable to Community Healthcare, and a new work experience scheme we have recently set up that helps to promote specific Allied Health Profession roles. 

Service Lead Andrew Karrouze talks about Virtual Ward - an exciting new ‘step-up’ or ‘hospital at home’ service to prevent avoidable hospital admissions.

NCH&C's vision is to provide seamless health and social care that creates healthier futures for everyone across Norfolk and Waveney. 

Our strategy for 2023-27 reflects our ambition to work closely with partners while ensuring the care we deliver meets the highest standards and embraces the use of technology.

In this episode, CEO Stephen Collman reflects on how the strategy took shape and what he learned from hosting a series of feedback sessions with staff across the trust.

Julian began his journey with the NHS when he was just 17 years old. He’s now 74 and still loves his job as a Podiatrist. In this special episode to mark 75 years of the NHS, Julian reflects on his career and the changes he has seen since starting his Chiropody training in 1966.

5 July 2023 marks 75 years of the National Health Service.

Treating over a million people a day in England, the NHS touches all our lives. When it was founded in 1948, the NHS was the first universal health system to be available to all, free at the point of delivery. Today, nine in 10 people agree that healthcare should be free of charge, more than four in five agree that care should be available to everyone, and that the NHS makes them most proud to be British.

**TRIGGER WARNING: In this episode we discuss suicide and self harm** 

NCH&C Autism and Mental health nurse Rob Barker speaks openly and honestly about living and working as an Autistic person, and the severe struggles he has faced with his mental health over the years. 

In this episode, Community Learning Disabilities Nurse Andrea Burrows talks about the preceptorship programme for newly qualified nurses with NCH&C, and how she received a later in life diagnosis of ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia whilst completing her course. 

Amie Swithenbank, Head of Children & Young People Services and Matthew Reading from Norfolk County Council discuss Flourish and how important this initiative is to the children and young people of Norfolk and Waveney.

Flourish

Launched last year, Flourish is a Children and Young Peoples Partnership Strategy with the aim of enabling all children and young people in Norfolk to thrive. It has been developed for children and young people by children and young people and has been inspired by the things young people have told us are most important to them.

NCH&C has developed a Flourish Pledge, formulated in consultation with Norfolk County Council and using feedback from NCH&C’s Children’s Services team leaders. The quality improvement agenda and operational priorities for Children’s Services have also informed the pledge. We will be required to demonstrate progress against our pledge in the coming year.

Read more about Flourish here.

For more information, please contact:  Amie Swithenbank Head of Service – Children’s and Young People Services, Adult respite, and Trust Admin.

To celebrate Pride Month 2023, we spoke to Respiratory Nurse Specialist Ashley Ho, who has recently been appointed co-chair of the NCH&C LGBTQ+ Staff Network, about their lived experience, and what Pride means to them. 

Click here to visit the We Care microsite on our NCH&C website. Here you can see the support and resources we offer in the trust, and also read stories from staff celebrating and championing our inclusive culture. 

'How to be an ally' training at NCH&C 

Within NCH&C, we are proud to offer Allyship training within our teams. This training is a short workshop for individuals or groups via Microsoft Teams or in person (with enough notice). Learn about what ally ship and privilege look like to us – how we can use our privilege to become better allies to our colleagues and stronger advocates for our patients and service users. Themes explored are the 9 protected characteristics, cross cutting issues such as domestic violence, Veteran Aware, Homelessness. Internal staff can contact inclusion@nchc.nhs.uk for more information and to book onto the training. 

In this special episode to mark Carers Week 2023, Miranda spoke to Margaret Sallis, a member of our Norfolk and Waveney community, about her experience of being a carer to her husband. Margaret talks about the challenges caring can bring, and how the introduction of the Carers Identity Passport has made her feel seen and understood.

What is the Carers Identity Passport?
Following feedback received from Carers across Norfolk, local NHS Trusts including NCH&C have been collaborating with carers and local Carer Organisations to co-produce a Carers Identity Passport.  The Carers Identity Passport was launched in November 2022 via Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney and funded through the Norfolk & Waveney ICB, and helps to improve identification, recognition, and support for carers. The initial phase of this project will see the introduction of the passport in Hospitals. Click here to register for a Carers Identity Passport or visit the Carers Voice website. 

In this special episode to mark Carers Week 2023, Miranda spoke to NNUH Staff Nurse Sarah Jervis about her experience of being a carer to her mother. Sarah talks about the challenges caring can bring, and how the introduction of the Carers Identity Passport has made a huge difference to the experience they have had when receiving care in hospital. 

What is the Carers Identity Passport?
Following feedback received from carers across Norfolk, local NHS Trusts including NCH&C have been collaborating with carers and local carer organisations to co-produce a Carers Identity Passport.  The Carers Identity Passport was launched in November 2022 via Carers Voice Norfolk and Waveney and funded through the Norfolk & Waveney ICB, and helps to improve identification, recognition, and support for carers. The initial phase of this project will see the introduction of the passport in Hospitals. Click here to register for a Carers Identity Passport or visit the Carers Voice website. 

15-21 May is Mental Health Awareness Week. Did you know, we have over 100 trained Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) in the trust? Have a listen to trained Mental Health First Aiders Becs Buss and Ian Bell talk about their experience of supporting staff, and what it means to be a MHFA.

There are several opportunities offered by rotations to develop a broad base of experience from working in a changing role with a variety of conditions, patients, and clinicians. 

Clinical Educator Zoe Carroll, Rotational Occupational Therapist Cat Alexander and Rotational Physio Jemma Spencer talk about what it's like to be on rotation, and the benefits it has brought to them both personally and professionally. 

In this episode, Research Nurse Adam Peel tells us what the Community Research Team are working on currently and the importance of Research to the NHS as a whole. 

20th May marks Clinical Trials Day (CTD), an international commemoration of James Lind’s launch of the scurvy clinical trial on 20 May 1747, which would form the foundation for modern clinical research.

Chair of the NCH&C Board Lynda Thomas tells us about her Welsh roots, how proud she is to be working with the trust and her hopes for NCH&C moving forward. 

Lots of us grow up in societies that recognize two genders: female and male. That idea is called a gender binary. But what if you don’t feel like you’re strictly a man or a woman in your heart and mind?

Nonbinary people identify as being a gender that’s not exclusively male or female. You might see yourself as mix of both genders, somewhere in between them, or neither. The way you perceive your gender may not align with traditional views of the biological features you were born with.

In this episode, Career Development Facilitator Harri Smithson talks to us about their journey to live openly as a non-binary person.