Making the three shifts business as usual

This final episode in our three-part podcast series highlights mental health innovation in the north east, where Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust has transformed patient access and experience through community-led redesign.  

We conclude the series by returning to NHS Providers chief executive Daniel Elkeles, for his reflections on obstacles to delivering on the 10YHP and how they can be overcome. 

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust 

In this episode, Dr Ranjeet Shah, group medical director at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, outlines a transformational approach to adult mental health care.  

By embedding nurse prescribers, wellbeing practitioners, and physical health outreach into primary care, the trust reduced mental health referrals to secondary services by 20%. Weekly multi-agency huddles and strong voluntary sector partnerships ensure patients receive timely, joined-up support.  

Rooted in patient feedback and simplicity, the model improves access, reduces waiting times, and strengthens system-wide collaboration. This demonstrates how prevention-focused, community-based care can deliver better outcomes and rebuild trust across the mental health pathway.