Aphorisms… sayings, maxims. I love ’em.
The Dutches used to say:
In the face of ignorance; ‘None so blind as won’t see’.
Infidelity; ‘If one’s not enough, ten’s not too many…’
Gluttony; ‘Eyes bigger than yer belly.’
In management speak, I’ve three favourites:
- Leaders create the time and space for good people to do great things.
- People love change, when they feel they are in charge.
- If you inspect it, it’ll be right when you see it. If you share it’ll be right forever.
But…
… so-called leaders still suffocate people. Change is still ‘done to people’ and we still kid ourselves inspection works better than sharing.
NHSE/I Board, quickly descending into, NHSEngland/Indifference, are spectators as workforce problems get worse, waiting lists grow and public satisfaction goes down the pan.
NHSE/I won’t ‘solve’ the workforce crisis, neither will they ‘solve’ waiting lists. They’ve left it to late. Now, they’ve only two levers to pull. Bungs and beatings.
Bungs are bribes and incentives. Beatings; guidance, threats and targets. Both, useless.
All the money in the world won’t buy a workforce and all the threats NHSE/Inquisition can come up with, won’t reduce the time yer-granny waits for a new hip, or lays on the kitchen floor.
What will?
Innovation, inspiration, ideas, trying things out, having a go, encouragement and leadership.
Help is not on the way. It won’t come, riding over the horizon. There is no NHSE/Inspiration, no miracle.
Do not look to NHSE/I’m-more-interested-in-texting-during-a-Board-meeting-than-engaging… to resolve any of your problems. All they’ll do, is what they always do; issue threats to give you money or take it away.
There are much better, positive things, that can be done locally, in the communities, where you are.
It is possible for a Trust to shape itself as the local employer of choice. The apprenticeship scheme is overflowing with money.
It is possible to connect with schools, have open days and taster sessions.
It is possible to open its doors, give free meeting rooms for voluntary clubs and affinity groups.
It is possible to up-skill the people you have. Get them working at the top of their registration.
It is possible to reshape services that are responsive and fast.
Every once in a while there is a confluence of events, a group of people, an alignment of the stars when it all comes together.
Transforming the sweat-shop of healthcare, into a sweet-spot.
There is a place that said; we can’t sort-out everything but what we can fix, we will.
A place that said; we will, create the time and space for good people to do great things.
A place that said; we will put people in charge and let them change things
A place that said; we will, share our ideas.
If New Orleans is the home of jazz, Paris the home of haute-couture and Melton Mowbray the home of the pork pie…
… Petersfield Community Hospital, part of the Southern Health Foundation Trust, is the home of the advanced practice team.
Their nurse consultant, Jules Kerr, was supported by his management, given autonomy and a few quid, to train nurses and paramedics, to enhance their skills.
The upshot has been;
- a wider range of clinical support, providing sub-acute care, end of life care
- an upgraded minor injuries unit to become an urgent treatment centre… reducing A&E attendances,
- a rapid assessment unit; consultant lead, linking to diagnostics and all local services.
Now, it’s the ‘heartbeat of the hospital’.
Their maxim is; ‘Assets not deficits’.
Another part of the Trust, in partnership with South Coast Ambulance, has a new, fully equipped, ‘frailty car’, with a paramedic and frailty specialist.
They respond to Category 3/4 calls; to assess, diagnose and treat patients in their own homes.
They carry a range of aids and adaptations and in eleven months saw 600 people and in 510 cases, avoided an admission.
I know about all this because the Trusts shared their ideas here and here at the Academy of Fabulous Stuff.
One Trust and fundamentally, one idea; up-skilling. They got on with it and made a difference.
There are about 200 Trusts, if they all had a frailty car, might that be 111,690 admissions avoided?Here’s another little saying; ‘the small things are the big things’.
News and Comment from Roy Lilley
Contact Roy – please use this e-address roy.lilley@nhsmanagers.net
Reproduced at thetrainingnet.com by kind permission of Roy Lilley.
