There's good news today as the Trust has announced an extra day’s annual leave for all staff (pro-rata) as a massive thank-you for all the commitment shown to EPR. 

Cutover Weekend is finally here after two years of full-on planning and training for us all.

Chief Operating Officer, Helen Barker, said:  "At a time when we're faced with some of our toughest operational challenges, our colleagues are still delivering the safest possible care to their patients as well as coping with the preparation, planning and training for EPR. I've seen colleagues far and wide getting behind EPR even when they are at their most stretched. 

"The Board wants to acknowledge that effort. We know that in the coming few weeks there will be times when colleagues may feel under pressure as they get used to using EPR and caring for their patients at the same time, which is why we want to recognise the whole trust-wide effort with the extra annual leave".

How it will work:

• Substantive (permanent) colleagues in post on or before Wednesday 31 May will get an extra day's holiday (pro-rata for part-time staff)
• The leave should be added to your normal entitlement and taken at a mutually agreed time with your manager either in this financial year 17/18 or next 18/19

There's no doubt we're ready and up for it as our photo montage shows.

1 Elizabeth Preston from  HRI's Pharmacy,  pictured second row left,  is one of our 700 EPR friends on standby and ready for action in this the most significant weekend ever for our Trust.

Newly appointed Dispensary Manager and at the Trust for 17 years, is the proud owner of her  EPR T-shirt which our Orange Army of EPR Friends will be wearing throughout cutover weekend.

Liz said: " I can't wait. Bring it on. When my daughter saw me in my T-shirt she said it stands for Elizabeth Preston Rules!  My husband asked me if I was working for easyjet! I am on duty on Sunday and Monday. It will be daunting but in the long-term it will be fantastic for patients and much easier for us to manage our workloads.

"I think the NHS is actually very good at embracing change. We have colleagues here who can remember hand-writing labels for medications so that's how much we can change. "

2 The Melling family are more than ready. Matron Liz Melling and son Joshua Melling,  from outpatients reception at CRH,  are both pictured in  their orange T-shirts. Karen said: " I recognise there maybe apprehension out there this weekend but that is OK. It shows we want to get it right! Everyone is ready now.!

3 The T-shirts have been issued this week and throughout next week. The EPR team will communicate with the Friends individually if they haven't got theirs yet. Jenny Coates and Caroline Waters from 5B are both EPR Friends, second row centre. They have completed their EPR passports and collected their pens and a team teabreak reward.