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Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 25 June

June 25, 2021

At TeamTalk this week I described our emerging new strategic objectives and made a clear statement about the purpose of the organisation which we need you to understand and buy in to. This month’s edition of Heartbeat features the new objectives, vision and purpose so I’d be really grateful if you could take five minutes to review the centrespread.

Our well-recognised vision, to “be the best integrated care organisation in the NHS” resonates with many of us and we want to retain that. Our purpose is to improve the life chances and health outcomes of our population.

In considering new strategic objectives, the Board chose only three, which we have termed “the three Ps”.

  1. Patients – To be good or outstanding in everything we do. This goes to the heart of what we should be doing as a minimum. We are rated as “Requires Improvement” by the CQC for a reason.  We require improvement. There are pockets of excellence and good quality of care in our organisation but this is not consistent in all areas.
  2. People – To cultivate and sustain happy productive and engaged staff. If the last year has taught us anything it has taught us that the NHS has taken its staff for granted for too long. The incredible pandemic response from you all needs acknowledgement and our people need meaningful investment and support in health and wellbeing services, professional development, inclusive leadership and good values which we hold each other to account on.
  3. Population – To work seamlessly with our partnership to improve lives. We service some of the most ethnically diverse and most economically deprived parts of the country. Health life expectancy in the areas we serve is actually reducing. This is scandalous in the 7th richest nation on earth and we must play our part, in partnership with others, to mitigate these issues.

The TeamTalk feedback topic this month is asking all teams whether these strategic objectives get your support. Can you align your work to one or all of these and if not, why not? We are keen to hear from you so make sure, during your next team time, you take the opportunity to discuss them and contribute your views.

In other news, just to prove that I do occasionally get out from the constant cycles of Webex meetings, this week I caught up with the Apprenticeship Team where we talked about “the three Ps”. Apprenticeships and widening participation are a great example of a programme that supports all of our three strategic objectives.

Did you know there is no upper age limit to an apprenticeship? I didn’t know that until this week.  An apprenticeship is open to all people over the age of 16 to 65 or over.  Apprenticeships are designed to enable people to improve their skills and progress in their career and range from Level 2 Intermediate to Level 7 Masters.

If you are considering an apprenticeship you may not be aware that as a member of staff your wage will not change to apprenticeship wage whilst undertaking an apprenticeship training programme.  If you join an apprenticeship programme you will be granted 20% off the job training/protected study time and your course fees will be funded by the Trust’s apprenticeship levy monies.  There is no cost to the individual or the department.

You may also be considering recruitment of an apprentice into your team. The national NHS People Plan urges engaging with our local population and community, supporting them into employment, education and training which is why the Apprenticeship Team are working closely with the Trust recruitment team to scope all Band 2-4 vacancies to assess suitability for the “Apprentice First” consideration.

The People Plan also has a thread around supporting talent management and growing our future workforce. Our Trust offers in-house training on Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeship programmes and can support you to join higher level apprenticeship programmes with local Providers and Universities.

Do consider whether an apprenticeship could be for you or your team. To find out more contact the team on swbhapprenticeship@nhs.net or find out more here.

Congratulations to Pauline Mohan, Theatre Manager who is our Star of the Week. Pauline was nominated by a colleague for her support during a difficult period when the individual was struggling with a new job. Pauline demonstrated compassion and support and was always available as someone to talk to during hard times. Thank you, Pauline.

Richard Beeken
Interim Chief Executive