Health policy, advocacy and political leadership in nursing: finding our voice.
There are so many people, who have played such an important part in the year that I have had, who have been with me on this incredible journey and for whom I am eternally thankful.
I would first and foremost wish to acknowledge the Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) and Professor Elizabeth Robb for seeing something in me, believing in me and my aspirations and giving me the chance that I had been waiting for all my nursing career. The Foundation is leading the way in meeting the personal and professional development needs of the nurses of today and of tomorrow. Professor Robb is an innovator and ahead of her time – both inspirational and aspirational. Our profession has much to thank her for. I would also like to acknowledge the support of Sue Machell, who was there during the initial tentative steps with some very wise words. Also to Sue Neville and the team at FNF for making sure we Scholars were doing what we should have been doing, when we should have been doing it!
The Burdett Trust for Nursing must also be acknowledged for sponsoring the Scholarship. The organisation continues to demonstrate its strong commitment to support the nursing contribution to healthcare and empowering nurses to advance the nursing profession.
I would also like to acknowledge The University of Edinburgh and my Head of School, Professor Charlotte Clarke and Head of Subject, Professor Pam Smith for supporting me during my Scholarship. Also to my colleagues within Nursing Studies (particularly Professor ‘Tonks’ Fawcett and Professor Pam Smith) for their continued encouragement and endless patience listening to my constant stories of how amazing the Scholarship was.
My thanks Professor Debbie Carrick-Sen, who after a chance meeting in China, encouraged me to apply for a FNF Leadership Scholarship. Serendipity played a part that day.
Very special thanks go to Sir Keith Pearson who mentored, counselled, guided, supported and encouraged. He has played the most significant part in this journey, engaging me in the political world that encompasses health policy in the UK; negotiating meetings with the most senior leaders in nurse education, practice and policy, as well as those key leaders in UK politics. His passion and support for the nursing profession is inspiring. Never has there been a more altruistic individual. Words can’t thank him enough. India, thank you for co-ordinating so wonderfully my meetings with Sir Keith and always being so helpful and charming. It’s been a pleasure.
It would be remiss of me not to thank Richard, my husband, for taking a back seat during the Scholarship and supporting me to take every opportunity that came my way, even if it meant I was away from home on many occasions. He kept the home fires burning.
Finally, I have to thank my fellow Scholars who have become lifelong friends. We have shared laughter, tears and showed courage. We have established a bond that is timeless.
The FNF Leadership Scholarships sponsored by the Burdett Trust for Nursing focused on three areas central to the programme of leadership development. Throughout the Scholarship and by way of my quarterly reports I was able to undertake a process of personal reflection. This enabled me to understand and consolidate my learning and development in relation to each of these three areas:
Personal leadership development
At the outset of the Scholarship a range of psychometric tests were completed as part of the leadership development assessment. On completion of the diagnostic tools, a detailed assessment feedback session was provided. This guided me in considering my specific leadership development needs. The writing of a Learning Contract was also required. These were particularly helpful in setting the ground work for developing a bespoke programme designed to meet my needs.
The programme consisted of core activities that I undertook with my Scholar cohort: Leading Change through Organisational Renewal (LCOR); Co-consulting Groups; Westminster Experience and The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. These core activities were the building blocks from which the bespoke programme was developed. Through group activities, case studies, role-play I was challenged, supported and provided with an opportunity to develop my skills in relation to: self-reflection, negotiation, influencing and problem-solving. There was also the ability to consider how others experience me when I am with them and how I can adapt and flex my own behaviour to get the best out of others. I was able to further my ability to support others in the future through the development of coaching skills.
The bespoke programme supplemented the core activities. I attended Harvard Business Schools’ Authentic Leadership programme in Boston, United States of America (USA). This was a very personal part of the Scholarship journey, when I found my True North. I came away having acknowledged and faced many fears that were holding me back in my career. I also, more importantly, developed a new perspective on who I am and who I want to be as a leader.
I met with several key individuals within health, government and health policy from across the UK. Initially these meetings were arranged by my mentor, however as my personal leadership attributes grew, I arranged to shadow the then Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for Scotland (Ros Moore) for a 3-month period and arranged a personal meeting with Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport for Scotland, Shona Robison MSP.
Career leadership objective
I used the time afforded by the Scholarship to focus on what my career leadership objective was. The Scholarship as a whole provided me with the opportunity to experience and consider a range of possible career options. As someone whose career and profession had played a large part in defining who I am, I was able to reflect and understand what I wanted from my career and what my vision was for what I wanted to achieve. My mentor, Sir Keith Pearson, played a pivotal role in exploring with me, who I was and how I articulated this to others. Through my meetings with him, the time I spent shadowing the CNO and my time at Harvard, I was able to take the decision to apply for a Clinical Academic Research Fellowship. This would provide me with the opportunity to engage at a clinical level but also would offer me the chance to strengthen my research profile with the ultimate goal of securing a Chair. I am pleased to say that I was successful in obtaining the Fellowship. I am also clear as to where I am going next.
Patient care Improvement project
The patient care improvement project focused on the exploration of how I, as well as the nursing profession as a whole, can use political leadership to shape health policy which impacts positively on patient outcomes. This involved understanding how to navigate the political arena, demonstrating a critical awareness of the political landscape and having the skills, acumen, confidence and presence to inform, shape and lead health care policy.
A key element of this part of my Scholarship was my visit to Washington DC to The American Nurses Association (ANA), Capitol Hill and Senate. I met with key Government Affairs figures in the ANA as well as Senators. It was an opportunity to engage through a different lens with colleagues in the USA. From this I was able to understand how I would take what I had learned forward to the next stage in my personal leadership development and also for the nursing profession itself. I am confident that our voice will be heard and that through creating a critical mass of voices we can and will impact positively on patient care.
Scholarship experience
To say that the overall Scholarship experience has been life-changing would be an understatement. I have undergone a very deep and personal reflective process and translated this into significant personal and professional learning. Now, I am armed with the skills, knowledge, resilience and strategic thinking, to facilitate the vision I have for the role I wish to play in representing nursing and patients in health care policy development. The experience has ensured that I will now be able to navigate the challenges, cross-roads and set-backs that I may face on the road ahead.