My application in 2012 for the Florence Nightingale Leadership Scholarship enabled a journey of self-discovery that I never dreamt was possible.
The NHS places a plethora of demands on its leaders related to the unprecedented challenges of the financial economy and the transformational changes required to sustain efficacy, quality and safety of patient care to name a few. Those served by and working in the public services need leaders with the vision to imagine and make the radical changes required. With this in mind I recognised how developing my leadership required flexibility and adaptability to deal with these challenges and the ability to transform this knowledge and development into a personal, meaningful practical application.
My scholarship journey has provided me with a triangulated approach to this through personal leadership development, career leadership progression and a patient care improvement project that I have lead on. It has assisted to empower change to occur both on a personal and professional level; challenging cultural norms in others and oneself. This reflective report evidences my achievements during my scholarship within the three core elements: personal leadership, career leadership and patient care improvement project.
The launch of my scholarship following the completion of a number of self-assessment questionnaires saw the introduction to an inspirational gentleman Peter Finkelstein from Stanford University, California. Peter led the programme Leading Change and Organisational Renewal (LCOR). The programme introduced me to the theory of using the Nadler-Tushman congruence tool. This I now use in my daily practice and approach to day to day cultural challenges and issues as they arise. This has enabled me to utilise a root cause analysis method to identify gaps and actions required in order to effectively address such occurrences day to day. It assisted me to consider challenges and approach them rationally rather than seeking an immediate solution to a problem. Developing an understanding to enable the gathering of evidence to define what the challenge is rather than decision making on an assumption.
In November 2013 I completed the ‘Fearless Leadership’ programme at Cranfield University School of Management. Leadership in the NHS illustrates the essential need for engagement and empowerment, and the development of effective collaborative relationships; distributed leadership over pace-setting or heroic leadership. One of the key opportunities on this programme was the enabled networks and learning which were ‘non’ NHS. The programme facilitated development alongside other senior managers working within the private sector within an international context.
As part of my scholarship I was also extremely lucky to have joined ‘a pilot’ group at the Royal Academy for Dramatic Arts (RADA) and attended the programme ‘Communication Skills Training’ I feel this course has been one of the most useful programmes I have ever attended in my career. (If I hadn’t of been a nurse I would have liked to have been an actress!) From the moment I entered RADA to the moment we completed the 3 day programme I felt the most exhilarated I had felt in years. The programme impacted on my personal development and creativity, engaged me in an understanding of how my personal impact can truly influence the culture of the organisation and the team that I am leading.
The Westminster Experience gave me an extremely valuable insight into the importance and significance of the health agenda within government and politics. It was a remarkable experience and I found I was able to interact within areas of the health service in which I had limited knowledge. I particularly enjoyed the media interviews and feedback and the cabinet debate. As a consequence of this I developed particularly local networks with local MPs in my area and now meet and network with them regularly.
Within the last 18 months in the organisation I work there has been a natural move to a management of change (MOC) which also lead to the potential for career progression. The MOC for me enabled this career progression resulting in and advance in my career. Being a Florence Nightingale Leadership scholar proved invaluable at interview. I felt confident, able to assert myself and exert enthusiasm to influence the panel.
The area of work that held my interest was within the use of remote technology in order to enable people to be able to make empowered informed decisions and manage their own health care. Whilst also enabling admission avoidance if appropriate due to improved access to health care professionals, empowerment of decision making to patients and improved quality overall. Reducing the number and length of stay (LOS) of unplanned/avoidable hospital admissions has the potential to save the NHS substantial costs while reducing iatrogenic risks.
I was extremely privileged to arrange a visit the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) in Minneapolis. The VA is highly regarded as a pioneer and a leader of health information technology that improves patient-provider relationships, embraces wellness and improves health outcomes.
My visit to the VA took place in December 2013. When visiting the VA I was thrilled to be exposed to several technological systems including an amazing home tele health system that enabled patient’s timely access to health care professionals without even leaving their home. This was extremely important for the VA due to the area covered.
Following discussions in January 2014 with the associate director of transformation Jo Harding in my employing organisation SSOTP and a lead GP Dr Martyn King from the local Clinical Commissioning Group I was very excited that it was agreed to test Health Fabric with 20 patients identified as a multi-disciplinary approach from Aldergate Medical Practice in Tamworth (the base of Dr King).
Health Fabric is an integrated software solution that enables primary, secondary, social care and patients to be actively involved in understanding, planning and decision making to improve or maintain health and wellbeing. Users log in and have access to data to support them when making decisions or to enable efficiencies within the health and social care system.
All patients involved in the initial cohort and agreement of patients suffering with Rheumatoid Arthritis involved were invited to attend a training programme late spring 2014 this demonstrated the tools and techniques to support self-care management. The app synchronises with the GP IT system – EMIS Web and the pilot is trialing this around appointment booking, repeat prescribing and online multi-disciplinary monitoring. GPs, Practice Nurses, Integrated Local Care Teams (district nursing team and social workers), patients and whoever they chose to share/show their information too (e.g. acute consultants) all have access to the information.
I consider my scholarship a continual process, a plethora of connections, interlinking my experience, knowledge and development with professionals, patients, service users, carers, families, politicians, other public sector workers (the list is endless) and organisational systems in which my personal qualities and skills have been developed and used to their best potential whilst developing and understanding many new skills and attributes. I have learnt to be comfortable interacting and exercising leadership skills in a range of different environments and I am able to deliver successfully as a leader in many social fields.