Those working to improve health and care spend too much time talking about the structure, finances and governance of the NHS, and not enough time talking about organizational culture. This year’s Summit aims to redress this balance.
The problem is that the word “culture” is very vague. When I speak to clinicians and managers at my local NHS emergency trust, where I am a non-executive, I use more colloquial language. “What do you and your colleagues think about how things are done around here?” ask. The responses are enlightening.
words that come back
Some speak of high levels of dedication and mutual support, a focus on helping colleagues do their best, and an emphasis on collaboration. Some people talk about how positive, innovative, and entrepreneurial their team is. Some describe co-workers’ motivation and goal direction.
And they all talk about how their long-established values and pride in their work and organization are far secondary to the more hierarchical culture of the broader NHS. They are more focused on monitoring and controlling than enabling, and more focused on checking what experts are doing than trusting them to do the right thing. It explains the culture that is being taught.
Some of the people I spoke to were disillusioned and angry about the disconnect between the working environment they were trying to foster on the ground and the political and political environment in which they operated. There are some too.
But most people understand why we are where we are. They will be able to understand the environment in which politicians and NHS leaders find themselves and the imperatives that drive them. They understand the need for services to be more responsive to patient needs and expectations, for professionals to be more accountable and transparent, and for greater efficiency. They know that goals and financial incentives can be powerful drivers of change, but they are also keenly aware of the unintended consequences of performance management measures and know how to take advantage of them. Masu.
There is no perfect culture for the NHS to aspire to, but there needs to be a more thoughtful balance between a controlling culture and a collaborative, creative and competitive culture.
So my challenge to those attending the summit is: What steps do we need to take to create cultural change?
An exciting and busy program is planned
I am confident that the program over the next few days, with its combination of keynotes, panel sessions, and downtime, will help us think about this question. It begins with her new CEO, Thea Stein, challenging the rhetoric of “productivity.” Thea takes over from Nigel Edwards six months before her and says that under her leadership, the Nuffield Trust will produce robust arguments and solutions based on the best possible research, evidence and analysis. We have worked tirelessly to fulfill our mission.
Following Mr Thea’s session, we were delighted to welcome Victoria Atkins MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to set out the Government’s vision for addressing the challenges facing the NHS and care system.
The first panel session will explore the role of AI in transforming patient care and management systems. This was followed by a keynote address by Professor Sir Chris Whitty, one of the most inspiring and courageous medical leaders I have ever had the pleasure of working with, who explored emerging disease patterns in older people. I will consider this. His two panel sessions following Day 1 will explore how to address health care inequalities and new approaches to managing clinical risk in health care.
Day two begins with a breakfast session about how technology is changing the clinician-patient relationship. The first panel session will explore the importance of trust, particularly in managing complexity and uncertainty. And last but not least, our final panel session turns to the workforce and explores changing job expectations and their impact on recruitment and retention. Especially for the next generation of healthcare workers.
It’s going to be a busy few days, but I hope you’ll have enough time for casual conversation.
thank you
The Nuffield Trust Board and staff would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to contribute to the 2024 Summit. The scale of the challenges facing health and care systems in the UK and most other countries is unprecedented, and the sense of crisis is real. But we have strong foundations on which to build a better health and care system, particularly the incredible dedication and professionalism of our workforce, and high levels of public support for the NHS.
Whether you attend in person or follow the livestream on our website, we hope you enjoy the summit and feel renewed energy to lead change.
The Nuffield Trust Summit will be held this Thursday and Friday (7th-8th March).you can Register to watch Live streamed session.More information about the event can be found here here.