MECCG Digest Issue 6

MECCGDIGEST
KEEPING MECCG EMPLOYEES IN THE KNOW ISSUE 06 08 SEPT 2017

Pic: MECCG Communications team with compère and Children's TV legend Andy Crane

Welcome...

I was delighted to join our fabulous Communications and Engagement team last
week at the 2017 UK Public Sector Communications Awards, where they were
finalists for Healthcare and Local Government Team of the Year.

It was a great evening, celebrating the important messages and guidance that a
wide array of public services including police forces, councils and fire brigades
have shared with their communities over the past year.

The NHS had a strong showing among the finalists, but we were one of the few CCGs shortlisted for any
category. I was proud to see national recognition for the contributions Rachel, Paul, James and Jenna
make to the work we all do – helping our residents to Live Well.

Unfortunately we didn’t bring home a gong this time, but we were very pleased to pipped to the post by
Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust crowned Comms Team of the Year for their recent difficult work
dealing with the Westminster and London Bridge terror attacks among other challenges.

Talking of awards – I’m super excited about our community Marvels of Mid Awards taking place at the
end of the month during our Annual General Meeting (AGM). Nominations closed last Friday and I look
forward to sitting down with my fellow judges to read all the entries.

Voting will also open this morning for members of the public to choose their “Live Well Community
Ambassador of the Year” – you can find out more about this overleaf.

On a different note, the number of staff who completed their annual appraisal by the 31 July deadline
is disappointingly low. The appraisal system is your opportunity to have a two-way discussion with your
manager to better understand your role and the part your play in your team and the wider CCG.

Please can you all ensure your appraisal has been completed and signed off by the end of September –
if it isn’t, you may get a visit from one of our lovely ladies in HR.

Caroline The Wizard of New Zealand

We want everyone in mid Essex to Live Well

Who is your Live Housekeeping
Well Community Corner
Ambassador?
Please see the below information
Over the past few weeks the CCG has with regards to some general
been showcasing some of our local heroes as ‘Live Well housekeeping issues.
Ambassadors’.
Kitchen Cutlery – there
Each Ambassador featured on their own poster detailing all their seems to be a shortage of
hard work, which was then promoted online through the CCG’s forks and tea spoons, please
website and social media and by our partner organisations. can all staff return the cutlery to the
kitchen (either washed or put in the
Now we are asking you and members of the public to vote dishwasher) once they are finished.
for who you would like to win the ‘Live Well Community Please can all staff check their desks
Ambassador 2017’ accolade at our annual Marvels of Mid and pedestal drawers for any cutlery
Awards (MOMAs) cermony later this month. which hasn't been returned.

The eight ambassadors are: Stationery – please can all
staff have tidy up and return
• James Taylor – Greenfields Community Housing any unwanted stationery
• Julie Taylor – St Peters Café, Maldon items to the cupboard or to the
• Siân Brand – Connect Well Business Support team.
• David Wilkin – Longfield Medical Centre PPG
• Bob Gear – Prom Park Run, Maldon Parking – when arranging
• Marian Redding – Fern House Surgery Patient Group meetings, please can you
• Michael Turong – volunteer at City of Chelmsford Mencap inform your visitors that there
• Daphne Attridge – Volunteer at Broomfield Hospital are no on-site parking facilities at
Wren House. Also, now the Wren
Everyone we featured makes a big contribution to helping the House car park is busier after the
mid Essex community Live Well. You can read more about each summer holidays, please remember
ambassadors by clicking here or viewing the posters on display to park considerately as per previous
in the first floor kitchen. emails from Business Support.

Voting is open from today and will close at 5pm on Monday 25th Toliets – a reminder for staff
September. You can vote here. to leave toilet facilities as you
would like to find them – there
Who wins? You decide! is a toilet brush available.

Praise and compliments – please keep PALS posted!

Our Patient Advice and Liaison Service team reports to Board about any complaints
we receive and what we’ve done about them. But what they aren’t currently able to
do is share praise we get from our patients and public too.

We all know people are more likely to moan than say thank you. But Steve McEwen
and Gill Woodward, our intrepid PALS crew, reckon there are still some good words
on what we do coming in. They just aren’t hearing about them from other parts of the
CCG.

So if you do receive some positive words on a service we commission, a well-managed remittance or a
CHC package working well, please drop [email protected] a line and let them know.

We want everyone in mid Essex to Live Well

Ready,
steady,
bake!

It doesn’t seem a whole year since the Bristol Stool Chart cake swept to victory in our
World’s Biggest Coffee Morning bake-off. But the seasons have turned and the kettle is
on once again to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The official date for the nationwide event is 29 September – but that falls on a Friday when
fewer people tend to be in Wren House.

To make sure as few people miss out as possible, we’ll be holding our coffee morning over
lunchtime the following Monday, 2 October, instead. That timing also gives CCG bakers who’d
like to prepare a cake the weekend to fine-tune their creations.

The bake-off competition is back by popular demand this year (you know how competitive some
of the people working here can be!) but it’s not compulsory to enter. If you’d prefer your cake
just to be eaten rather than judged, please let a member of our Work Well Social Group know.

As the Jeans for Genes national fundraising campaign takes place at around the same time as
the Macmillan coffee morning, we’ll be splitting proceeds from our 2017 fundraiser between the
two charities.

Speaking of funds, donations from last year’s Take a Lunchbreak Week pot luck lunch have
now been put to good use after Braintree Area Food Bank appealed for support when they were
running low on resources.

Our donations translated to nearly 38 kilos of food and we received a nice thank-you message
from the charity over the summer.

Over 13 million Thank you Find out about other staff
people live activities that we and
below the for supporting those in crisis
We are currently giving out twice as neighbouring organisations
poverty line in are involved with in this
the UK much food as we receive in.
Your monetary donation and food month’s Work Well newsletter,
and you have weighing in at 37.62 kg has therefore available on the intranet. And

helped give been very welcome if you would like to join the
Work Well Social Group and
someone a
help to arrange upcoming
food whilst events – a quiz evening and

they are in Christmas lunch – please
speak to Michelle Escott
crisis
or Paul Gilham.

We want everyone in mid Essex to Live Well

Staff Spotlight
Sarah Dixon

Business Support Admin Assistant

This week we took five minutes to chat with Sarah Dixon, to Fun Facts
find our more about her role at the CCG, proudest moment
and whose job she would like to do for the day. Fav film?
Has to be Grease – a
What is your position and what does it involve? childhood favourite.
I am Business Support Administrative Assistant. I mainly help and
support the rest of the Business Support team, and wider staff. Fav book?
Some of the things I do in my role are: When my kiddies
have grown up I can
• Book meeting rooms sit down and read a
• Check and order stationery, milk, catering supplies good book, but for
• Update the Register of Interests the moment I really
• Update the IT Asset Register enjoy reading a good
• Help change computer screens magazine in the sun
• Distribute swipe cards by the pool.
• Cover reception lunchtimes and annual leave etc.
• Provide general admin support Fav food?
I really love Spanish
What do you like most about your job tapas especially Pil Pil
Our Team! I work with a very positive and helpful team, who are prawns with a glass of
always approachable. They are a real pleasure to work with and red wine!
help to make my working day productive and enjoyable. I enjoy
being able to communicate face to face with CCG staff on a daily Any pets?
basis. I also enjoy working with spreadsheets and other computer I have a black cat
packages while being creative with new ideas to help my working called Sooty. He is so
day easier. cute and cuddly, and
loves lots of fuss.
What is your proudest moment at MECCG?
My proudest moment is when I received my MOMA ‘You Make My Any hobbies?
Day Better’ award at the staff away day. I loved reading all of the I love holidays and
positive things that CCG staff wrote about me which really made days out with my
me feel a part of the CCG family. I love working here. family, going for walks
and camping in our
If you could switch your job with anyone else within the CCG caravan. I also take a
for a day, whose job would you want and why? big interest in interior
To be honest I can’t think of anything else as I really enjoy my job, design.
but if I had the chance it would be interesting to go along and help
at one of the Communications events.

If you would like to be featured in the staff spotlight please
email James or Jenna in Communications.

We want everyone in mid Essex to Live Well

Live Well Chef

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

Smoked Mackerel, Lemon and Chilli Fishcake

Eating healthy doesn't always have to mean breaking the bank. These smoked mackerel, lemon and
chilli fish cakes are packed with healthy protein and fatty acids – plus they are just 62p each to make!
Why not give them a try. If you have any left over they will also make for a perfect lunch the next day.
Serve alongside some fresh greens or crispy leaves.
Ingredients
• 500g potatoes (diced)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
• 300g smoked mackerel
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp oil
Method

1. Put the potatoes into a saucepan of boiling water,
then reduce the heat and simmer until tender.

2. Drain and mash with the lemon juice, chilli and parsley. Flake the fish into the mash and mix
well. With floured hands, shape into fishcakes.

3. Put on a plate and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or they can be frozen at this
stage for future use).

4. When chilled, fry in a little oil on a medium heat for seven minutes on each side.

5. Serve with green vegetables and tartare sauce.

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