Scott, whose predecessor Nick Hulme announced his retirement in October 2025, said staffing levels were now “in a good place”.
“We’ve got 13,000 staff and generally we’ve got a very low vacancy rate, but there’s certain very specialist areas where we find it hard to recruit.
“We’ve got to think about more creative ways to attract people but also train people locally.”
Last winter, the rise in flu and other winter viruses after Christmas saw increased demand for services at Ipswich Hospital.
Scott, however, believed it was “in a better place” this year due to the “amount of beds” it had and the “demands on it”.
“There’s no doubt there’s pressure on our emergency services, but we’re opening more beds and making sure there’s more doctors on at the weekends and overnight.
“We’re pushing really hard to make sure that we’ve got the right pathway back to home or a care home and for patients who are ready to be discharged.”