This report outlines and explores my learning and personal reflections of how I have developed as a leader as a result of the Leadership Scholarship, Florence Nightingale Foundation 2014-16. I want to thank my sponsor Health Education Kent, Surrey and Sussex. I want to thank my employing organisation, East Sussex Health Care NHS Trust for supporting me in this Leadership Scholarship. In particular, Alice Webster, Director of Nursing to whom I directly and professionally report to, and I would also like to thank my colleague Angela Colosi. Both Alice and Angela have supported me by enabling me to attend the Scholarship sessions and visits, and in return have been open and supportive of the learning I have bought back to the organisation over the past 12 months.
This is a reflective report: It includes analysis of my personal and career leadership development, a detailed description and analysis of my patient improvement project and personal reflections and learning throughout the scholarship year and for future my development.
During the course of the scholarship I participated in a 4 day residential leadership programme ‘Leading change through organisational renewal (LCOR).’ Co consulting learning day with my fellow scholars; a facilitated day developingpolitical intelligence at Westminster; three days at the Royal Academy of Dramatic arts (RADA) ‘communications skills for leadership’. I underwent an assessment centre with Sue Machell and have had the opportunity of a mentor Liz Childs throughout the scholarship programme, both of which I found supportive and insightful especially in the first 6 months of the programme. I was also very fortunate to visit Cuba as part of a public health study tour and a 2 day study trip to Northern Ireland visiting integrated health and social care services. At the time of writing this report, I am over the half-way point of the Kings Fund Athena Executive leadership course for women. It was clear through my assessment centre that the most valuable learning for me would be in relation to my own confidence, self belief and personal impact as a leader, RADA and the Athena course have been my highlights. What has also struck throughout my scholarship year is the importance, when in a leadership role, to have care and compassion in everything we do. Being professional and fair, listening and speaking with conviction backed up with evidence and experience. I’ve learnt throughout the Scholarship whether it be at LCOR, RADA, Athena and my conversations with fellow scholars as a leader, you perform best when you play to your strengths and have the resilience and energy to make what we do sustainable.
As part of the Scholarship programme, I have led a patient care improvement project. This project was developed around the interest I have had over the past 2 years in the relationship between staff wellbeing and patient experience. Realising quite early on, that the project needed to have a clear focus, to achieve this myself and the staff engagement team through a number of ‘Listening in action’ events got staff talking about what would support them in their wellbeing at work. Staff being supported to take breaks during their working day so they are rested, hydrated nourished and have an opportunity to step away from the operational delivery of services is key to staff wellbeing.
From this theme we rolled out a Trust wide campaign called ‘take a break’. Although in the week we were not going to solve the challenge of staff being able to take breaks what we did was start the conversations, got engagement from Executives and senior leaders, a further understanding about the relationship between staff wellbeing and patient experience and clear recommendations for the Organisation moving forward.
In terms of my career development in February 2016, I was successful in my application for the post of Deputy Director of Nursing at Sussex Community Foundation NHS Trust. I am in no doubt that through the experiences I have had, the people I have met and the confidence and learning the scholarship has given me, has been instrumental in me achieving this position.
I feel incredibly privileged to have had all these experiences throughout my scholarship. I would like to take this opportunity to say an enormous thank you to Liz Robb and the Florence Nightingale Scholarship Foundation in believing in me and giving me this wonderful opportunity that I will treasure throughout my career.