It started with a reminder about Chatham House Rules.The definition is pretty simple:
When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.
I am therefore unclear whether I am even able to confirm that the Editor of the Health Service Journal, in introducing the event, announced that it would be carried out under this system. He went on to say, or perhaps I should say that I was left with the impression that, this clearly also applied to social media interactions.
Which is all a bit of a shame as there were some interesting and stark reflections on the current challenges and likely changes for the future that would have figured here. They still do, but do remember that the only thoughts recorded will be my own!
Highlights of the Week - 5th September 2014 (@jeclo)
Highlights of the Week 1: Appointed a Programme Director to lead our "Local NHS Futures" work - starts in a fortnight
You may recall that a few weeks ago, in fact in the mad rush to complete a set of tasks before heading off on leave, we had thought we had appointed to our Programme Director role, before this fell through just as I was heading off to the airport (it didn't ruin the holiday, but was a huge disappointment).
This week we interviewed three more candidates and were delighted with the quality we were able to choose from. Our new Programme Director (name will follow when there is dry ink on some paperwork!) will suit the programme's needs really well and am looking forward to the drive he will bring when he starts on 15th September.
There is real optimism too about recent progress across all organisations with project briefs and clarifying roles, so hopefully momentum that has ebbed and flowed over the work of the Financially Challenged Health Economy programme is now firmly moving us towards concerted collective effort.
This week we interviewed three more candidates and were delighted with the quality we were able to choose from. Our new Programme Director (name will follow when there is dry ink on some paperwork!) will suit the programme's needs really well and am looking forward to the drive he will bring when he starts on 15th September.
There is real optimism too about recent progress across all organisations with project briefs and clarifying roles, so hopefully momentum that has ebbed and flowed over the work of the Financially Challenged Health Economy programme is now firmly moving us towards concerted collective effort.
Highlights of the Week 2: Working supper with @plymouthcc to look at integration "wicked issues". We collectively resolve to solve.
As we look at our ambitious timeline for the integration of commissioning between NEW Devon CCG and Plymouth City Council, we can see just how much we are setting out to achieve by March 2015. And that is before we look at the project to integrate the delivery of out of hospital health and care services over the same time period.
The evening workshop we held between key councillors, our Board and key Clinical Lead GPs was a really useful checkpoint on progress and to ensure we all understand the scope of the work we are engaged in.
This was the second in the series of events during the integration programme and this time we wanted to start a discussion on some of the "wicked issues". These included, for example, how we would create budgets and share underspends or overspends, how we would vote on issues and jointly create strategic plans and the differing role of politicians and GPs in their own respective organisations.
Nothing with this amount of detail and importance gets solved in one night, but it really did feel like we made significant progress. Mostly this was because there is a clear sense that there will be lots and lots of policies, systems and procedures to work through, but that there was a bigger and more important prize that we will and should keep focussed on.
The evening workshop we held between key councillors, our Board and key Clinical Lead GPs was a really useful checkpoint on progress and to ensure we all understand the scope of the work we are engaged in.
This was the second in the series of events during the integration programme and this time we wanted to start a discussion on some of the "wicked issues". These included, for example, how we would create budgets and share underspends or overspends, how we would vote on issues and jointly create strategic plans and the differing role of politicians and GPs in their own respective organisations.
Nothing with this amount of detail and importance gets solved in one night, but it really did feel like we made significant progress. Mostly this was because there is a clear sense that there will be lots and lots of policies, systems and procedures to work through, but that there was a bigger and more important prize that we will and should keep focussed on.
Highlights of the Week 3: Live with zero workshop 2 - how will this change the stress of emails in the Northern Locality?
Following on from good evaluation of the first of the workshops about choosing the type of inbox you want, rather than just accepting the one you have, this week saw the second workshop at South Molton in Northern Devon.
There are no magic bullets, but I do firmly believe that you can choose to see your email traffic in a different way, accept the ways in which you make the management of your inbox easier or harder and set a realisable ambition for the future.
And that is what we explored with almost 20 of our staff. Some came away with a bit of a disappointment that the workshop wasn't more of a "how to use outlook" session - there are a few tips on using technology, but that isn't the point of the workshop. But there was a lot of really positive feedback and evidence both that plenty of people had found it food for thought and that they would be looking to change some things in their work.
There are no magic bullets, but I do firmly believe that you can choose to see your email traffic in a different way, accept the ways in which you make the management of your inbox easier or harder and set a realisable ambition for the future.
And that is what we explored with almost 20 of our staff. Some came away with a bit of a disappointment that the workshop wasn't more of a "how to use outlook" session - there are a few tips on using technology, but that isn't the point of the workshop. But there was a lot of really positive feedback and evidence both that plenty of people had found it food for thought and that they would be looking to change some things in their work.
Highlights of the Week 4: We've made the HSJ Top 100 Best Places to Work in the NHS - who knew?A good piece of news to celebrate
The benefits of being at the HSJ Commissioning summit is that you get a copy of the magazine hot off the press. This week there was a supplement that used an independent company to research the best places to working the NHS, based on a set of measures and feedback. I was casually flicking through in the break and realised there was a section on CCGs. Suddenly, there we were in black and white on the list. The surprise was both because I hadn't known this was coming (I don't think anyone did) and because when you live in a challenged health economy you do get used to a different set of expectations about recognition or success.
So in all honesty, I don't really know what it means or what we have done right to end up here, but it is really encouraging, just for once, to be looking at that question when we are in the list, rather than pondering how others have ended up there with our name absent. Let's celebrate a little!
So in all honesty, I don't really know what it means or what we have done right to end up here, but it is really encouraging, just for once, to be looking at that question when we are in the list, rather than pondering how others have ended up there with our name absent. Let's celebrate a little!
Highlights of the Week 5: An evening at the HSJ Commissioning Summit with like-minded souls to reflect on where we really are in the NHS
The sessions I really enjoyed at the HSJ Commissioning Summit included a full and frank debate about the Better Care Fund - where I reflected on both the importance of positive ambition and also the danger of over stating plans, based on a national requirement that then turn sour on delivery; a discussion session on choice and competition - where within the strict confidentiality rules, we were able to discuss with Monitor their role in co-operation and competition; and a session with Stephen Dorrell, who is just an immensely impressive and experienced politician, engaging, intellectual and witty.
And then, like we now discuss with long-term conditions, it is not looking at each one in turn that matters, it is how you consider them all together; it is the totality of how all issues impact that I am really most interested in discussing. And fortunately, that is what most other people are interested in too; enjoyable company in a convivial atmosphere.
And their view....? Well I am clearly not able to comment; what I can say though, is that I feel like there is such a significant challenge for the NHS and public services ahead, that it would be amazing if there weren't major policy battles in the lead up to the next election and that we might start to glimpse these at the party conferences this autumn. If we don't see that, there aren't many who can see how we maintain the whole system sustainably, carrying on doing more of what we are currently doing.
And then, like we now discuss with long-term conditions, it is not looking at each one in turn that matters, it is how you consider them all together; it is the totality of how all issues impact that I am really most interested in discussing. And fortunately, that is what most other people are interested in too; enjoyable company in a convivial atmosphere.
And their view....? Well I am clearly not able to comment; what I can say though, is that I feel like there is such a significant challenge for the NHS and public services ahead, that it would be amazing if there weren't major policy battles in the lead up to the next election and that we might start to glimpse these at the party conferences this autumn. If we don't see that, there aren't many who can see how we maintain the whole system sustainably, carrying on doing more of what we are currently doing.
You can read other blogs related to the work of the Western Locality of NEW Devon CCG
About our workplan: Western Locality Workplan
About our Locality business: Western Locality Business
Jerry Clough is Chief Operating Officer for Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group. He is also Locality Managing Director for the Western Locality of the CCG covering Plymouth and the surrounding areas of South Hams and West Devon.
Previously Jerry has been a Chief Executive and Finance Director in the NHS before spending several years running his own business driving programmes of change and delivering executive coaching and team and Board development.
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