Teams from across East Coast Community Healthcare (ECCH) have been hailed by Waveney MP Peter Aldous during a special visit.

With the social enterprise celebrating its 10th year of providing community-based NHS and social care in Waveney and Norfolk, Mr Aldous praised staff during the recent visit to mark the anniversary.

Mr Aldous thanked teams for their efforts throughout the coronavirus crisis and discussed the future of healthcare in our communities.

After meeting staff from the Waveney Primary Care Home (PCH) team - one of four multidisciplinary teams including nurses, therapists and social care staff who support GP practices in the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area - Mr Aldous was impressed with the way the teams work in partnership with primary care, acute trusts, social care and the voluntary sector.

He said that ECCH is “breaking down the silos in healthcare” to deliver high quality patient care for our communities.

Having re-opened Beccles Hospital in 2017 after a major refurbishment, Mr Aldous was given an updated tour of the facilities on Minsmere Ward by unit manager for intermediate care Lisa Ruthven, and Jeramy Philpott, nurse consultant in palliative care for St Elizabeth Hospice.

The unit currently provides in-patient facilities for those who need medical care or therapy, but do not require acute care in a general hospital.

ECCH’s multidisciplinary teams also provide intense rehabilitation on the ward.

The ward has six palliative care beds with specialist consultant support from St Elizabeth Hospice, forming part of a wider joint initiative between ECCH and the charity which has seen more than 1,950 people with life-limiting illnesses in Great Yarmouth and Waveney receive free specialist palliative care since April 2019.

ECCH’s chief executive Ian Hutchison, said: “It was great to have the opportunity to show Peter how much we have done to ensure our teams are fully integrated with our colleagues across the healthcare system in order that patients only have to tell their story once and can receive joined up care in their own homes as much as possible.

"It was also a great morale boost for our teams, as we mark 10 years of providing care, to have him visit and show such an interest in the work we are doing to build healthier communities.”