As a patient and carer, I value small acts of kindness not specified in job descriptions. As a doctor I’m curious about the appetite for positive risk taking among fellow clinicians. I also feel the frustration of clunky systems and processes which get in the way. As a CEO, I want small acts of kindness to take centre stage and frustrations to be minimised. I therefore promise to be a very active, involved and engaged patient!

In her second blog post, Dr Navina Evans Chief Executive of ELFT, discusses the impact of legacy and how we can make more of the opportunities it offers.

I was recently listening to the radio while driving on the motorway in the rain. I find these are conditions when something I hear can be really touching and painful. There was a report was about Epilim (Sodium Valproate)a drug which saves lives but also can have a devastating impact on the unborn child when taken by pregnant women. 
These facts were hidden from women for a long time, the true extent of which was only just emerging. 
It was very uncomfortable for me to know that I to belong to a paternalistic system where caring and lack of care can be so closely linked. 

Introducing a new blog series 'Learning, sharing, improving. Always…' by ELFT CEO, Dr Navina Evans.  Dr Navina Evans is one of the first female, ethnic minority chief executives in the NHS. She led East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) to become ‘Trust of the Year’ in 2016/17 and to be rated ‘Outstanding’ by the CQC. Navina’s interests include inclusive leadership, improving the way healthcare is delivered and learning from sources beyond healthcare

This blog series looks at a day in the life of different staff around the Trust. Every month we showcase a different staff member giving an account of an average day in their service.  Stay tuned as we explore the range of roles, professions and services across the Trust from child speech and language therapy, sickle cell service, palliative care and inpatient mental health treatment.