From Boardroom to Frontline: The power of teamwork
This month, the Trust’s Board spent time reflecting on a number of key priorities influencing how we work together and ensure safe, effective and timely care. What continues to stand out to me, in every meeting and every service visit, is the commitment colleagues bring to improving care. Whether responding to challenges or preparing for future change, your resilience, insight and sense of purpose shape the progress we make together.
This edition of From Boardroom to Frontline highlights the areas we have been focusing on and the work already happening across the Trust to drive improvement.
Staff perspective: How Lambeth SPA team tackled waiting times to improve patient outcomes
One of the most uplifting discussions at the Board concerned the work of the Lambeth Single Point of Access (SPA) multidisciplinary team. Reducing waiting lists was a key issue raised in the recent CQC inspection, and the team has responded with real determination.
They have shown what can be achieved when colleagues take shared responsibility for a challenge. By developing new and more efficient ways of working, and by keeping service users at the centre of every decision, they have already helped to significantly reduce waiting and treatment times. I would like to thank the team for their energy, leadership and practical solutions.
Responding to the CQC Well-Led review
The Board has spent significant time reflecting on the findings from the CQC’s Well Led review. This has been a period of honest learning and constructive discussion about how we can strengthen leadership and culture across the Trust, and we are now developing a Well Led action plan in close collaboration with teams across SLaM.
Your experiences and ideas are essential to shaping this plan, and we will continue to listen carefully as it develops. We have responded to the CQC’s feedback with clarity, transparency and a strong sense of shared purpose.
Making the Trust fit for the future
Another area of focus this month has been looking at SLaM’s longer-term financial and operational sustainability and it is looking like we will hit our year-end target.
We are now shaping a three year financial plan to support long term stability and ensure our resources are aligned with future needs.
Our commitment to anti racism
The Board also reviewed progress on the Anti Racism Action Plan, which has now been fully embedded into the Trust’s strategic and operational work. We are proud to be an anti racist organisation, but we know this requires ongoing attention rather than a single moment of achievement.
We will continue to oversee progress closely and ensure that equity, learning and accountability remain central to how we lead and how we support our teams.
Strengthening Freedom to Speak Up
We also reflected on the strengthened arrangements for Freedom to Speak Up, now delivered by The Guardian Service. This provides colleagues with an independent and confidential route to raise concerns.
Creating an environment where staff feel heard and supported is essential to being a well led organisation.
Welcoming Our New CEO
This month, we announced the appointment of Paul Calaminus as our substantive CEO. On behalf of the Board, I warmly welcome Paul and look forward to working with him as we take the Trust into its next chapter.
I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Ade Odunlade, for his compassionate leadership as Interim CEO. His commitment to high quality patient care and support for our staff has been invaluable.
Looking Ahead Together
Across all of this work, one theme is clear. We make progress when we act in partnership and when we listen carefully to those delivering care on the ground. This has been a constant message in my conversations and visits since joining SLaM, and it continues to guide how the Board approaches its responsibilities.
Thank you for everything you do. Your dedication and clarity of purpose shape the Trust’s direction and strengthen the care we provide to our communities. I am confident that, through this shared effort, we will continue to build a Trust that learns, improves and delivers excellent care.
