MECCG Digest Issue 8

MECCGDIGEST
KEEPING MECCG EMPLOYEES IN THE KNOW ISSUE 08 19 Oct 2017

Pictured: CCG Clinical Lead Dr Ahmed Mayet collects the CCG's
Self Care Innovation Award from Dr Pete Smith OBE, Co-Chair of
the Self Care Forum, Professor Alf Collins from NHS England and
Dr Austen El-Osta from Imperial College London.

In this issue ... Welcome...

2 Home First – public I make no apologies for my love of Strictly Come
engagement Dancing; I am a Strictly addict! In fact I am positive
programme that SCD is the recipe to Live Well – not only for the
obvious physical benefits which dancing can have on
3 Have your say – our bodies, but also for our mental wellbeing. As the
NHS staff survey season changes and the colds nights creep in, we all
2017 need something to boost our self esteem and I am
certain that the feel-good factor of Strictly is the perfect solution.
4 CCG Mental
Health First The change in the season also coincides perfectly with the official launch of
Aiders the 2017 Stay Well This Winter campaign. This national campaign reaches
out to our most vulnerable by encouraging them to be prepared for winter. It
5 Staff Spotlight - We offers many tips for staying well including reminders for flu jabs. Speaking of
chat to Director of which, I'm so pleased to see many of you taking up the offer of a free jab on
Corporate Services Friday (me too!) and becoming NHS Flu Fighters.
Viv Barnes
Last week also saw the launch of our public engagement programme for
6 Live Well Chef – Home First. Next year we are changing some local services to support more
Potato, Spinach and people to recover at home after a spell in hospital. It is really important that
Chickpea Curry we speak to local people about these changes and hear what matters most
to them about local care. Please encourage your friends and family to have
@MidEssexCCG their say too - more details on page 2.

/CCGMidEssex On a final note, I would like to send my congratulations to Paul Gilham who
has passed his Professional Diploma in Public Relations and to Adam Cronin
/MidEssexCCG who has passed the Mary Secole NHS leadership programme – well done to
you both, I am extremely proud.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Digest. Happy reading.

Caroline The Wizard of New Zealand

We want everyone in mid Essex to Live Well

Home First – Your Future NHS Care
at Home and in the Community

Last Monday (9th October) we launched way of providing rehabilitation and support to help
our engagement programme to talk about people recover after a spell in an acute hospital.
changes that will aim to help more people
recover at home after a spell in hospital. "It works on the principle of people being
discharged from hospital, once they are medically
In 2018, the CCG plans to start a Home fit, to a place that would enable their best
First service that will offer more people the recovery.
opportunity to rehabilitate and recover at home
with support from healthcare professionals like "This place could be home, an enhanced nursing
physiotherapists and nurses. home or a community hospital bed – whatever is
the most appropriate place for that person – there
If the option of going home from hospital is not would not be ‘one plan for all’.
right for patients, other places in the community
can be offered including an enhanced nursing “We also recognise that change can be unsettling
home or community hospital bed. for some and that’s why we’d love to hear from
local people on our plans so we can really shape
At the same time as starting a Home First a service that feels right for mid Essex.”
service, we also want to maximise the use of
theatres at Braintree Community Hospital for Make sure you have your say too and encourage
Orthopaedic surgery and change the way beds family, friends and loved ones to get involved and
are used at the hospital to allow people to recover express their views.
there after surgery.
You can give us your feedback online.
Over the next 10 weeks, we are talking to local Alternatively, a timetable of specific information
communities and groups about the plans and will events has been planned across Maldon,
gather feedback from local people on Home First. Braintree and Chelmsford.

Dr Caroline Dollery explains: “Advances in For more information or to download the
healthcare are creating new opportunities to engagement document.
improve care for people. Home First is a different

We want everyone in mid Essex to Live Well

Virtual During October, the CCG will be taking part in the annual
Dementia national NHS Staff Survey.
Tour
All staff employed by the CCG on 1st September 2017 will be
As part of our commitment asked to fill in an online questionnaire – which you should have
to improve awareness of now had emailed to you. If you have not, please speak to Michelle
dementia and diagnosis Escott in HR. Your feedback is really important to us, so please
rates, the CCG and our ensure you find the time to complete the survey again this year.
neighbours at North East
Essex have arranged an In 2016, 83% of mid Essex staff responded to the survey giving
opportunity for you to take us valuable feedback. The Executive Team worked in conjunction
a ‘Virtual Dementia Tour’. with HR to develop an action plan and a number of actions have
This training for local been rolled out for example, bullying and harassment training and
healthcare professionals and appraisal training.
commissioners offers some
experience of what having The questionnaire asks questions about your job, your work with
dementia can be like. colleagues, the leadership and supervision you receive, health and
safety, and your views on the CCG. The survey is an important
People who have already way of ensuring that the views of staff working in the NHS inform
had the training say it has local improvements and support national assessments of quality
changed their practice and and safety, and delivery of the NHS Constitution.
given them greater insight
into the needs of patients Once complete, your answers will be returned to an external
with dementia. survey contractor who administers the survey, so no one from the
CCG will be able to see individual responses.
Dates:
The survey findings will be reported in a summary report, from
• 26th October 2017 which individuals cannot be identified. Our local results will be
• 30th November 2017 available from December and benchmarked results from all
organisations in England will be made public early next year.
If you would like to take the
‘tour’ please email me-ccg. For advice and support about the survey, please visit the NHS
[email protected] Staff Survey website at www.nhsstaffsurveys.com or speak to one
with your preferred date so of our lovely ladies in HR.
the timeslots can be
allocated.

Staff udpate... Pic: Baby Rosie Mei Prior

This week we would like to say hello to Georgia Fenn who has
joined the CHC administration team.

We would also like to send good luck wishes to Angela Bell
from the Medicines Optimisation team who has now started her
maternity leave.

Good news from Natalie

We are delighted to inform you that Natalie Prior gave birth to a
beautiful baby girl – Rosie Mei Prior – on Thursday 5 October,
weighing 6lbs 13oz. Both mother and baby are doing well.

We want everyone in mid Essex to Live Well

Mental Health First Aiders

October 10th marked ‘World Mental Health Day’ First Aid Programme to provide initial support
– a great opportunity for CCGs to talk about the and signpost colleagues to appropriate help and
services we commission and how they support support if and when required.
local people.
Our Mental Health First Aiders are:
One in four of us will experience problems with
mental health during our lives. For some people,
stress at work, money worries or relationship
troubles can become overwhelming and leave
them in need of help.

This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day Michelle Escott Laura Cheetham
was ‘mental health in the workplace’ so as well
as the normal public promotion of our services,
we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight the
support available to you.

The CCG continues to review how we can support Peter Wyatt Sarah Pemberton
staff to live and stay well and we have already
signed up as a Mindful Employer. A number Further information on MHFAs and a number of
of individuals are now also being trained as resources to support both line managers and staff
workplace Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs). can be found on our new mental health section of
the intranet. Over the next few editions of Digest
Mental Health First Aiders are a point of contact we will also be highlighting more about the MHFAs
for staff if an individual or someone they know is so keep your eyes peeled.
experiencing mental health issues or emotional
distress. If you have any questions or queries on any of the
above or would like to become a trained Mental
Our MHFAs are not therapists or psychiatrists Health First Aider please contact Michelle Escott.
but have been trained through the Mental Health

Could you help the CCG Work Starters and leavers
Well on our social group? checklists

Interested in helping out at CCG socials such A reminder to all staff that there is a starters
as our recent Macmillan Coffee Morning – and and leavers checklist available under the
getting a nice bit of professional development Manager’s Portal on the intranet.
as well? Then why not consider joining our
Work Well Social Group? These checklists highlight the action
managers need to take before a new member
There are places currently available and time of staff begins employment with the CCG and
commitments outside of the events themselves also when a member of staff is due to leave.
are light, with one meeting every month or
two. Plus you have the chance to train as a If you have any suggested amendments to
Workplace Health Champion with Provide, the checklist, please contact Caroline Benzie,
which is a great transferable skill to include in Corporate Business Manager.
your next appraisal.
If you are unable to log in to the intranet
To find out more, just pop into HR for a chat please speak to James in Communications.
with Michelle Escott.

We want everyone in mid Essex to Live Well

Staff Spotlight
Viv Barnes
Director of Corporate Services

This week under the staff spotlight is Director of Corporate Fun Facts
Services Viv Barnes. We took five minutes to chat with Viv to
find out more about her role and what other job in the CCG she Fav film?
would like to do for the day. No single film but I
enjoy the escapism
What is your position and what does it involve? of a good Science
As Director of Corporate Services it is my job, ably assisted by my Fiction movie
team, to support the CCG Board and its committees and help the
CCG to run smoothly. The Communications and Engagement team Fav book?
are also part of my directorate along with the Essex-wide Emergency I Capture the Castle
Planning team. by Dodie Smith – a
lovely old-fashioned
What do you like most about your job story where the
I enjoy the variety and diversity of the job, which means that one underdog eventually
minute I can be discussing the office drains and the next minute wins the day
helping to re-write the CCG’s strategic vision!
Any pets?
What is your proudest moment at MECCG? Libby the cat
The recognition of the hard work and motivation of so many members who helped me
of the Corporate Services team in the awards at our past two Staff with my Live Well
Away Days. ambassador for the
day challenge
If you could switch your job with anyone else within the CCG
for a day, whose job would you want and why?
I’d like to sit on reception, greeting visitors and screening the
incoming phone calls, because I am very nosy and you get to know
everything that’s going on!

If you would like to be featured in the staff spotlight please email
Jenna Chapman

We want everyone in mid Essex to Live Well

Live Well Chef

Jenna Chapman brings you different "Live Well" recipe each fornight

Potato, Spinach and Chickpea Curry

This week I have been joined in the CCG kitchen by Kim Adams (Safeguarding team) who has provided
us with delicious recipe for a rich and flavoursome vegetarian curry, packed with spices and vegetables.

Ingredients:
• 400g White Potatoes
• 1 x Bag Spinach
• 1 x Medium White Onion
• 2-3 cloves Garlic - to taste
• 1 x Tinned Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 x Chickpeas - drained and rinsed
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1tsp Chilli Powder
• 1tsp Oil, Fresh Coriander - handful
• Salt and Pepper

Method:
1. Finely chop the garlic and slice onions
2. Add oil to a large pan, then fry the garlic and onions on a low heat for 5 minutes
3. Turn the heat up and add the potatoes, add the spices and stir to coat the veg, cook for 3-4 minutes

stirring constantly to toast the spice
4. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes, and add 200ml water
5. Simmer on a low heat for 1hr to 1 ½ hours until the potatoes are almost cooked
6. Add the chickpeas to the pan; turn the heat up and cook for a further 20-30 minutes
7. Just before serving, add in the bag of spinach and stir until it starts to wilt
8. Finish with roughly chopped coriander

If you would like to feature one of your own recipes in the next edition of Digest please email at
[email protected].

To keep up to date with all the latest CCG news follow us on
Twitter @MidEssex CCG or search 'NHS Mid Essex CCG' on Facebook.

If you have a story for MECCG Digest please contact James Sharp.

We want everyone in mid Essex to Live Well