East of England

The East of England (EoE) SPF was set up by employers, trade unions and NHS Employers’ Midlands and East engagement team.
 

Priorities for 2025/26

• System and regional partnership working during challenging times (organisational change, workforce reductions, employee relations) - this applies to all forum activities throughout the year.
• NHS future plans and their impact on the workforce (infrastructure changes, 10-year health plan, new hospitals programme).
• Violence and sexual harassment reduction.
• Retention and staff experience (improving dispute resolutions).
• Equality, diversity and inclusion (inclusive recruitment, disability adjustments and the NHS as an anchor institution in local communities) - this applies to all forum activities throughout the year. 
   

Achievements for 2024/25

• On 3 December 2024, the Midlands and East of England SPFs held their annual partnership conference, attended by more than 70 delegates. The event focused on partnership working to address health inequalities and promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Delegates focused on regional priorities and discussed their specific challenges and opportunities, including pay gaps, antiracism and neurodiversity.
• We submitted an East of England SPF response to the consultation on the 10-year health plan.
• We continued to maintain meaningful engagement with NHS Employers and NHS England colleagues on core priority focus areas, including the New Hospitals Programme, the Long Term Workforce Plan and the NHS People Promise.
• We shared best practice in reducing violence and sexual misconduct at work.
• We discussed the civil unrest and riots in the summer of 2024 and ways to support staff.
• We continued to explore what good partnership working looks like at an integrated care system level.
• We continued to work in partnership and discuss regional work on job evaluation. 
   

Meet the team

• Trade union co-chair - Caroline Hennessy, Regional Head of Health, UNISON.
• Management joint co-chair - Liz Cooke, Director of HR and Organisational Development, Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust.
• Management joint co-chair - Oonagh Monkhouse, Director of Workforce and Organisational Development, Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
   

Terms of reference

Read the East of England SPF terms of reference - published April 2025.