Have your say on a draft five-year blueprint for health and care services across Suffolk and north east Essex

People in Suffolk and north east Essex are being asked to share their views on the draft Joint Forward Plan 2023-2028, which sets out how the local health and care system will deliver services that meet the needs of the population of around one million.

The plan is being created in partnership with the many different organisations that commission and deliver services, including hospitals, mental health and ambulance trusts, primary care, pharmacies and dentists and the community and voluntary sectors – all of whom have an integral role in meeting the plan’s aims as well as those already set out in the area’s Integrated Care Strategy, health and wellbeing strategies and the national NHS Long Term Plan.

The Joint Forward Plan has six main themes (known as our Live Well Domains):

• Start Well – Giving children and young people the best start in life
• Feel Well – Supporting people’s mental wellbeing
• Be Well – Empowering adults to make healthy lifestyle choices
• Stay Well – Supporting adults in accessing the right services for their needs
• Age Well – Supporting people to live safely and independently as they grow older
• Die Well – Giving those nearing the end of their life choices around their care

Our six Live Well Domains and the outcomes there within are underpinned by a focus upon reducing health inequalities for our local population.

People are being asked to take some time to read either the theme(s) most pertinent to them and their family, or the whole plan, and give their views on whether they believe the plan is the right one or tell us how it could be made better.

Feedback can be given online by 22 February 2023 or at the upcoming face-to-face events being held during week commencing 13 February in Bury St Edmunds, Colchester and Ipswich.  To book your space at one of our events, and to provide your feedback, please visit Joint Forward Plan | Lets Talk SNEE. 

The feedback given will be used to develop a final version of the plan which will be published by the end of June 2023 and used as a blueprint for the provision of services across the area.

Richard Watson, Director of Strategy and Transformation, NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board, said: “The creation of this Joint Forward Plan is an opportunity for organisations locally to come together and share their commitment to work together for the benefit of our population.

“We need people to support us too, and by giving us their feedback, this will help ensure the vision of a long, happy and healthy life for everyone is achievable.

“Every one of us, at some point in our lives, will use health and care services and we all have a role in ensuring they are effective and efficient.”