One thing that has been evident throughout our response to Covid-19 has been the role that collaboration and working together has had in enabling a strong response across every aspect of health, care and community wellbeing.
From delivering massive increases in critical care capacity across our hospitals to delivering food parcels to those unable to leave their homes, getting these responses right has required individuals and organisations to cooperate and work together more closely than ever before.
In Humber, Coast and Vale we entered this crisis was a firm foundation: with strong relationships and a shared sense of purpose, to do the best by our population and support them to live healthy, happy and fulfilled lives.
Last week we received confirmation that our collaborative efforts have been recognised and our Partnership has achieved Integrated Care System (ICS) status, after our application was ratified by NHS England and NHS Improvement.
This is fantastic news and a real testament to the strength of commitment of all of our leaders across our Local Authorities, NHS bodies and other health and care organisations to developing a strong and effective partnership across Humber, Coast and Vale.
It is a signal of the confidence that the national team has in our Partnership and should be a source of great pride for everyone who is a part of the Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership.
Over the past three years as we have been building this integrated care system in Humber, Coast and Vale, we have achieved many things and made a real difference to the quality of peoples’ lives within our region and enabled and supported more joined up approaches to health and care.
Over the course of the year we will continue to share these stories to encourage you by demonstrating how far we have already come.
As an integrated care system, we have the tools and the systems in place to deliver a coordinated response to Covid-19.
We must capitalise on the rapid progress we have made over the past weeks to ensure we can continue to work together effectively as we continue to tackle Covid-19 and its effects on our health and care system and our wider communities.