If we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu – it’s time to work differently. Mark Carney’s recent speech at Davos serves to prompt further thought about collaborative working. He talked about the “strength of our value and value of our strength”. Neighbourhood health teams have demonstrable value and the potential power of working together across organisational boundaries is a strength. Change is on the cards and to survive and thrive its time for primary care networks to become the heart of neighbourhoods and make sure they, along with other stakeholders, are represented at the table.
If we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu – it’s time to work differently.
Mark Carney’s recent speech at Davos serves to prompt further thought about collaborative working. He talked about the “strength of our value and value of our strength”. Neighbourhood health teams have demonstrable value and the potential power of working together across organisational boundaries is a strength.
Following the release of the Primary Care Network Directed Enhanced Service with the local variation flexibility its time for primary care networks to make sure they are at the table as neighbourhoods develop. Kent and Medway have already agreed a local variation with other areas likely to quickly follow suit.
To build confidence and plan next steps come together with other neighbourhood participants in our action learning sets, or development programmes. Leaders will need to inspire and motivate, leading without authority, so that both strength and value are maximised to deliver the best services for the local community and improve population health.
Finally, Carney says “if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu”. It may not be the global table, but it’s worth savouring the thought in terms of neighbourhood working and realising that we need to consider this is bigger. To be at the metaphorical ‘big table’ is important to represent patients and service users so that we can voice concerns, be part of decision making and influence locally. This will take a new confidence to get involved – to push for the meeting invitation, be fully present, be heard and be part of what develops.
PCC is supporting leaders through a variety of leadership development courses, for example our one for neighbourhood leaders. What makes us different is that we work with a coaching approach which means we encourage participants to think and talk and work things out themselves and together – to ‘do with, not to’. We ask challenging questions to provoke self-reflection with the aim of testing out ideas and importantly planning action. Participants leave our programmes with a plan for how they will apply the learning, fine-tune behaviours to make the desired changes and get things done.
Action learning sets are a popular way to get some of this thinking started and explore these new behaviours and crucially work out how to make immediate changes.
Coming together with others from across the country allows a mix of perspectives and sharing ideas and learning.
PCC’s leadership support is different because it’s designed to feel bespoke so that each participant can take away what they need in real time. We create a safe space in which groups build trust, share and learn from one another.
Attending our sessions gives you the opportunity to share your own experience, professionally and personally from your role and career and to learn from others to further develop your confidence and your leadership. Please get in touch to find out more helen.ellis@pcc.nhs.uk or view our range of workshops.
