Leadership blog April 2025

Our Chief Exec Dr Sara Munro’s leadership blog for April 2025.

 

Hello,

Since my last leadership blog in February 2025, there has been a raft of national announcements.

Legislation will be changed that will result in NHS England (NHSE) no longer existing as an organisation, with functions absorbed into the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC). This was announced shortly after NHSE and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) were asked to work on a reduction in core costs of 50% over the next 9–12 months.

These changes will be unsettling for many of our colleagues and service users. They mark the end of an era for the NHS, and there will no doubt be disruption during the transition.

We need to be mindful of the impact these announcements will have on colleagues in partner organisations – and we must live our values in our normal business with them.

My focus now, alongside my Executive team and leaders across the health and care system, is as it has always been: to prioritise care for service users, ensure the Trust remains a great place to work, and be a good partner to work with.

Close partnership working

Over the past few months, the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has been reviewing its leadership and organisational arrangements to strengthen and support our collective approach to the planning and delivery of health services.

As a result, NHS providers in Leeds are pursuing the development of a formal ‘provider partnership’. The purpose of such a partnership will be to improve the health of the population through the delivery of our agreed shared priorities, to simplify and join up care, and establish a neighbourhood health service.

A 6 month review will be led by Prof Phil Wood, Chief Executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. As part of this, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust (LCH) will pause the recruitment of a permanent Chief Executive following Selina Douglas’s departure, and I will take on the interim role from May.

While change can bring uncertainty, there is no impact on day-to-day work, and people who use our services will continue to receive the excellent care they expect. I look forward to working with colleagues at LCH and contributing to this important system-wide work.

Planning ahead

We continue to operate in a challenging context but, in the short term, there is no significant change to what is expected of us as a Trust as a result of local changes and these national announcements. We’re being asked to maintain improvements in core performance, deliver efficiency savings to balance our books, and improve how we evidence the impact and outcomes of our services.

We must continue to deliver on national priorities: reducing out of area placements, shortening inpatient ward stays, and improving access to perinatal services in line with trajectories set by NHS England.

We also need to get the balance right between recovery and reform. The imminent publication of The Change NHS 10-year plan offers an opportunity to do just that – we look forward to its publication in May.

Celebrating our success

Despite the challenges, there is much to celebrate. I want to thank our leadership teams for their ongoing determination and resilience, ensuring we finish the financial year in a better position than we started it.

At month 11, the Trust reported a £0.9m surplus against the year-to-date surplus budget of £0.4m—a £0.5m favourable variance. This is great news—well done to everyone who contributed.

Recent standout moments include:

• Our perinatal unit being rated as Good by the CQC, with rich feedback from families.
• Improvements at Red Kite View, including a new substantive and experienced Head of Operations and successful recruitment of a consultant psychiatrist.

We’re developing a plan for the year ahead to “live within our financial means,” recognising that extra funding cannot be expected without reform and transformation. Our focus on productivity and efficiency will remain a priority.

Responding to challenges in our care services

Last month, I mentioned that our Inpatient Flow Programme had a slight blip in out of area placements. We’re taking action to recover from this, but colleagues are working hard to flex limited resources and only admit people out of area when absolutely necessary.

Other key focus areas include:

• Meeting assessment standards within 4 and 24 hours in our Crisis Resolution Intensive Support Service (CRISS)
• Faster assessments in A&E by our Acute Liaison Psychiatry Service
• Quicker starts to assessments in Community Learning Disability Teams.

Meanwhile, the collective action by GPs continues to affect service users. Encouragingly, the BMA has tentatively agreed with the Government to pause this action. If resumed, 49 out of 80 practices could again be affected, disrupting blood tests and prescriptions. Colleagues are working hard and adapting flexibly and we hope to see a positive outcome to the negotiations.

Following the suspension of non-urgent referrals last October, our ADHD service continues to prioritise urgent cases. The Care Navigator scheme from Leeds GP Confederation has provided vital alternative support, and we hope funding is extended for another year.

The Leeds Autism Diagnostic Service has significantly reduced the backlog between first appointments and Clinical Decision Meetings (CDMs)—from over 200 in January to just 17 now. The focus can now shift to reducing initial wait times while maintaining smooth service flow.

Phone access to mental health crisis support has improved with the discontinuation of the 0800 number for the West Yorkshire Mental Health Helpline. The same great service is now available via 111 (select the mental health option). A single, memorable number simplifies access and reduces confusion.

An anti-racist Trust

We are proud that LYPFT has been chosen as a national early implementer site for the Patient Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF)—the first-ever anti-racism framework from NHS England.

Sadly, people needing mental health care, learning disability support, and neurodiversity services continue to face inequalities. Ethnically and culturally diverse groups often face barriers to access and poorer service experiences.

PCREF represents a groundbreaking shift, building on our local progress. It introduces a new level of co-production, placing individuals and communities at the heart of service design and delivery. I’m excited we’re part of this work and encourage everyone to read our action plan.

Teaching Trust application

I’m also excited that we’re working with the University of Leeds to secure Teaching Trust Accreditation for LYPFT. We’re exploring closer collaboration, focusing on multi-professional education, training, and research and development.

This will form the foundation of a formal application to the university, which we will be working towards over the next 18 months. Updates will follow as plans progress.

Listening, learning, and taking action

Thank you to everyone who completed the National Staff Survey. Your voice makes a difference—and we’re acting on what you’ve told us.

While the response rate was slightly lower than last year, 68 more colleagues completed the survey, giving us our highest number of responses ever.

The results paint a mixed picture:

• Slight improvement in the ‘We are safe and healthy’ theme
• Above sector average in flexible working and staff wellbeing
• Declines in ‘Recognised & Rewarded’ and ‘Staff Engagement’
• Below average in ‘Learning’ and ‘Team-working’

The message is clear: we’re sitting around the sector average, but we want to do better. Many teams are already using their results for Intention Planning to turn insight into action.

Please keep speaking up – we’re listening and learning.

Reasons to be proud

Usmaan shares a powerful story on the national stage

Service user and valued collaborator Usmaan Khan spoke at the National Disability Summit, hosted by NHS Employers and attended by MP Alison McGovern, Minister of State for the DWP, on 19 March. He shared his lived experience and highlighted his work with our Patient and Carer Experience Team – a powerful reminder of the importance of partnership and breaking down barriers.

CONNECT documentary video wins silver

A fantastic video about Jake, a service user from our CONNECT Eating Disorder Service, won Silver for Best Documentary Style Video at the Lens Awards – the only public sector finalist, beating major names like Amazon and Zurich Insurance. Huge thanks to Jake for bravely sharing his story and to everyone involved.

Feedback for our Gender Identity Service

We are delighted to have received this amazing feedback for our Gender Identity Service. I’ll let it speak for itself…

“I had my second appointment with Leeds this morning, via video. I was so nervous—it was brought forward unexpectedly. But they eased me in, talking about my life, history, and gender experiences.

I’ve been officially diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria by the NHS. I’ve done this privately before, but this time it feels different—I feel seen, understood, and supported. I can now access things I couldn’t afford privately and follow the NHS pathway.

I’ve waited almost six years to get here. Thank you to Oscar and the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust—I felt so welcome. ❤”

The Team of the month award goes to… Pharmacy Team, the Mount.

The pharmacy team at The Mount has been a pillar of support for the LD respite service at Woodlands Square, adapting seamlessly to major changes in prescribing and medicines management.

Their dedication has been recognised by Dr. Sam Browning, the service’s lead GP, who praised their system as “the safest system of medicines management that I have ever worked with.” Well done Pharmacy Team.

Our Individual of the month is . . . Ian Monteagle, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Bluebell ward, Clifton House 

Ian is a compassionate and dedicated professional who supports both staff and service users with empathy and reliability. Despite challenges, he has driven positive changes on the ward, from cooking sessions to gardening projects. Ian goes above and beyond, often staying late to support ward activities, ensuring a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Well done Ian!