This briefing aims to support trusts in building relationships with local stakeholders, including local MPs, by providing a national policy overview of key issues.
We will update this every quarter, each time focusing on three high priority topics within the national conversation. In this edition we focus on:

• the national picture with regard to Q3 finances
• the results of our recent survey into pressures on mental health services
• the need to secure a sustainable social care system.

We hope this will complement trust communications on local developments with groups such as staff, patients and service users, the voluntary sector, MPs and councillors.
We hope that trusts can supplement this material with their own examples, or use this as a basis for their own briefing in support of their engagement with local stakeholders.