Operational Lead Review

Item: Operational Lead at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Rating: 5
Author: Anonymous

at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Degree Apprenticeship

Business Operations

Ipswich

Review Submitted: March 2025

Overall Rating

5 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

5/5 - Overview of Role

5/5 - Skills Development

5/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

5/5

Providing clinical operational leadership to a service of 700 staff delivering nursing and therapy healthcare to a population of 300,000. This includes managing our operations centre, providing situational awareness reports and monitoring services against KPI's.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

5/5

The programme is well structured, with knowledgeable expert tutors, with an excellent support network both from MMU and ESNEFT.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

5/5

I've developed both new skills and existing skills in, self awareness, coaching others, strategic and operational thinking.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

5/5

The programme is exceptionally well organised and structured, with weekly sessions split across both virtual learning environments and face to face sessions. All the resources you need are accessible online, and MMU support you with accessing them.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

5/5

The ESNEFT Talent for Care team have been a great source of support with the apprenticeship. Resources are also available at the ESNEFT library, and pastoral support is available through several wellbeing services.

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

5/5

MMU are a great source of support with the apprenticeship. The module leads ensure you have access to all the resources you need online. Although the apprentice is distance learning you have access to all the same support you would on campus.

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

5/5

Although I'm only in the second module it has already started to shape how I perform at work. Its made me a more emotionally intelligent manager and lead, as well as provided tools to encourage teams or individuals to develop or progress through coaching and negotiation.

Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

5/5

The ESNEFT intranet contains information on social clubs, in addition to circulars produced by the communications team. ESNEFT encourage staff to develop through professional networking events, provided either my ESNEFT or the ICB.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust to a friend?

Yes

Why?

Although Health and Social Care is a difficult environment to work overall, ESNEFT is a large organisation with a diverse range of staff and volunteers. Departments often collaborate on projects, providing an amazing opportunity to learn and develop through networking.