I am sure I am not alone in starting this year very conscious of the two conflicting emotions of hope and sadness

2020 has been a really tough year for all of us and I would like to acknowledge the pressures our staff are under and express my gratitude for all they are doing to keep our patients safe and well cared for.

In this report I will reflect on the ongoing impact of Covid-19, on our efforts to restore the services that were affected during the first wave of the disease and on the root and branch transformational work we are undertaking to improve the experience of those who attend our Emergency Departments (ED).

I will be forever grateful to all staff and partners who helped us navigate a way through the first peak of the pandemic.

In the two months since we last met, our Trust, our country and our world have been “changed, changed utterly” in the words of W B Yeats. 

I am pleased to provide my update for March 2020 for the Board’s attention and as you can imagine there has been an increasing focus on ensuring we are as well placed as we can be to deal with the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. 

I am pleased to provide my update for February 2020 for the Board’s attention, my second since my arrival at our Trust. 

I am pleased to provide my update for January 2020 for the Board’s attention which has been written during my first few days at our Trust.