An NHS boss says he believes "working collaboratively" will deliver benefits for patients, following the launch of a review into services in Suffolk and Essex.

Ed Garrett, chief executive of NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board, said he hoped the sustainability review would identify which areas of its acute and community services were falling short and which were performing well.

The review will also explore how the East Suffolk and North Essex and the West Suffolk NHS foundation trusts can better work together.

"We're going to work to understand which services these trusts can collaborate more on and how they can be more efficient and productive together," Mr Garrett said.

"As with other areas of the country, the system is operating in extremely challenging times including operational, financial and workforce challenges.

"So it's really important we do this and it's important we not only find solutions but also go beyond them and answer them."

Mr Garrett added: "Some of the changes we can make in the immediate term, and some will be changes we can make in the longer-term.

"The review will give us a range of different options but we know working collaboratively delivers better outcomes.

"I think some of this is about building on and evolving the arrangements we have already got as well as looking for some new ideas we might not have thought of yet."

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