In my latest video diary I congratulate our Endoscopy service, after it was judged as one of the top three in England following a recent JAG (Joint Advisory Group on GI Endoscopy) accreditation visit.

JAG accreditations are renewed annually but full assessments take place every five years. Services usually must make further improvements before being reaccredited, however, assessors felt our Endoscopy service warranted an immediate pass.

It’s a fantastic achievement for the team, who have had to deal with challenges in recent years.  A fire in the Clinical Diagnostic Unit (CDU) at Queen’s Hospital in 2018 put it out of service for a year, followed by the Covid-19 pandemic, causing large waiting lists.

However, thanks to innovative events and extra clinics, we continue to tackle our backlog and ensure patients get the care they need. Well done to all involved.

Nurse Open Day at King George Hospital

We’re proud to employ nurses from all over the world but we are also passionate about employing from within the boroughs we serve.

We will be hosting a Recruitment Open Day for nurses at King George Hospital next month and we want to invite residents, as we look to increase the number of nurses within our Geriatrics and Frailty wards.

The open day is taking place on Saturday 9 July, 10am-4pm, and our Matron and senior nurses will be on hand to answer queries, as well as share details of the development and progression opportunities available within the division.

More details are on our website, so please do spread the word.

I also shared an exciting update last week about our upcoming Careers Festival, which starts on Monday. We will be making sure our staff and communities know all about the endless opportunities across all departments at our Trust.

Introducing ‘NHS North East London’

Next week sees the start of a new chapter for healthcare across north east London (NEL). From 1 July, NEL Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) becomes an Integrated Care Board (ICB) for north east London.

The new organisation will be known as NHS North East London and we will continue working closely with partners to provide the very best care for our diverse communities.

The name of the NEL integrated care system is not changing and will continue to be North East London Health and Care Partnership (NEL HCP).

Best wishes.

Matthew Trainer
Chief Executive