Leadership & culture in healthcare – Details, episodes & analysis

The five podcasts in series 2 has given an insight into national leaders and their organisations. The episode is a summary of the themes coming out of these conversations and Matthew’s thoughts on what are the main challenges for national regularly body’s looking forward. Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.

The office of the National Guardian was set up following the recommendation of Robert Francis in his seminal review work. The National Guardian and the office covers England and is hosted within the Care Quality Commission. It has/continues to develop processes and cultural improvement to support people speak up about care and quality in healthcare organisations. There are over 1000 guardians country wide with nearly every type of organisation possessing a NHS contract having a guardian in their fold or access to joint guardian arrangements.

Feedback from people who have spoken up or who would have wanted to is that there is fear; concern about individual detriment and a sense of futility - what will actually change and therefor what is the point?

A role of the National Guardian is to speak truth to power and shine a light in areas where staff and data say there are problems - such as the recent report into the culture in ambulance providers.

Looking forward Jayne is eager that culture within organisations is viewed as important as finance or performance dynamics. As more sectors embrace the Guardian approach (police/fire) there is an opportunity to embed this speaking up culture throughout the public sector and ensure we avoid the silences that incur in far too many places.

Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.

Having spent 34 years in the NHS, starting in nursing role, moving into clinical leadership and then managerial role, Mairead became the chief executive of Kent community trust 18 months ago.  Although inheriting a stable and well run organisation, there was still much to do and improve.

with a focus on data and staff engagement/involvement, Kent community are making chnages to their culture and the way care is delivered. Listening events, staff forums and a drive for compassion leadership and teams has seen turnover rates improve. 

Mairead Discusses her leadership style, who has inspired her, an approach to continually learn and be challenged to improve.

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

twitter: NHSKentCHFT

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/mairead-mccormick-209a4680

Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.

Graham has an unusually route to becoming a healthcare CEO - via the retail and charity sectors into the NHS becoming a finance director and support of a great to CEO to mentor and encourage him in his career.

 Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust was formed from three mental health organisations - the culture puts kindness, curiosity and inquisitiveness at its core.

Balance is always to test things out and push the boundaries and avoid the orgnaisation stifling invocation. We need to encourage testing a new approaches, that ensure when things go wrong will have low consequences. 

Role modelling by executive teams is crucial and leadership development, backed up by QI methodology is key. 

Being a CEO is highly personal - getting it right for our local residents and patients is the main reason to do the job.

https://www.sabp.nhs.uk

Twitter: graham_wareham

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graham-wareham-b15ba113?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

 

Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.

The new Chair of the Trust challenged the executive to improve the culture and ways of working that properly engaged staff on the back of a succession of poor staff survey results.

The team used the leadership into action methodology; created an internal improvement academy; engaged; listed; acted; be honest when things go wrong and developed a vibrant leadership culture.

Poor behaviour was tackled and a set of shared and owned values implemented.

Hal shares how he developed as a leader and sustains his approach. 

Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.

Pulling from the evidence base and experience of experts, such as Michael West, Anita plots the changes made in Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.  A simple narrative and approach starts with engaging and listening to staff; simplifying how the organisation operates;  reducing tiers of management; simply objective setting process and develop a positive and supportive culture.

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust Is also the Trust that is led by the podcast host, Matthew Winn - hence Anita, as deputy chief executive is talking about the culture and leadership in the organisation. 

https://www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk

Twitter: @pisanianita

LinkedIn: Anita Pisani

Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.

Trust co-produced simple value statements that all could understand and live at work.  This approach started with a new leadership team facing huge financial challenges.  The Solent approach focused on building leadership capability; quality improvement capacity and knowledge; honest conversations about what was going well/not so well; a visible leadership that celebrated great care with staff.

Key components of the Trust wide culture are accountability; engagement with all staff; clear reporting on things that go wrong and ensuing all leaders are accessible and listen.

Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.

The Combined Trust has been the professional home for Buki, over 25 years - as an older age psychiatrist and now chief executive.

The leadership team were fed up with standards below what was acceptable and poor staff survey results, Combined started on a ‘listening project’; listened to their people and made changes.  This has led to an ongoing engagement culture and approach hard wired with specific levers and understanding how great teams work.

Buki explains how they did this, what has changed and gives insight into her leadership approach. 

Twitter: @combinedNHS

www.Combined.nhs.uk

 

Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.

Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust mission is “Together we are making life better for our communities”. Working across the midlands, it provides physical and mental health services to local communities. 

The Trust has invested in quality improvement methodologies and competence focusing in small changes - learnt from the Virginia Mason model. 

Neil has invested much of his time developing a committed, cohesive and established leadership team that devolves responsibility and support to service areas.  The organisation has appointed managing directors for specifics services areas, that lead interesting portfolio of specialist and local services. 

The ethos has been built on using data well, getting the basics right and learning from best practice. 

https://www.mpft.nhs.uk

Twitter: @NeilCarrNPFT

 

 

Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.

The podcast explores the “DCHS” way and how that has set a simple but effective framework for the values, expectations and behaviour within the organisation.

Tracy describes how to create psychological safe teams, but teams that challenge themselves, especially with service user and patient views on hope well they are doing.

The podcast hears from Tracy’s leadership style and personal impact and advice to people embarking on their leadership career.

https://dchs.nhs.uk

Twitter: @TracyAllenDCHS

 

Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.