And just like that, it is October! This year seems to be flying by and in particular this week seems to have gone by in a flash. My diary is getting fuller and I have been going from meeting to meeting, so perhaps this is why! I have continued my fact finding mission in said meetings, hearing more about what is happening across the STP footprint. There really is a lot of good work already going on and great ideas being generated – but it strikes me that communication with staff is always the bit that lags behind. Perhaps I am one step ahead as finished products do get communicated to a degree; but it makes me proud being a health professional and also a resident of this county, knowing that people are endeavouring to change the ways in which we work and enable our population. If projects were promoted during the design/ planning phase, who knows what extra value people may bring to support the idea?!
Idea 7: Arrange a meeting with the communications team to help me plan how to proceed forwards in promoting the programme.
I got the opportunity to meet our strategic co-production group this week – what an excellent group of people. The workshop had a mixture of people with lived experience and professionals from a variety of areas; we were put to work on a task to help shape a piece of work going through the STP at present. Having been through the 100 day challenge, I have had a glimpse of working alongside those with lived experience but I really valued the experience to work with a greater number of people. Everyone was given the opportunity to express their views on an even platform and it really felt as though progress was being made with this particular piece of work. I really hope the co-production group is embedded in the future to help shape a range of decisions in health and social care, as a frontline professional decisions can often feel hurried and impersonal and the co-production group would help to reduce this.
Idea 8: Is there an opportunity for the co-production group to support my role in workforce development? Whether this is in the content or facilitation of delivery of training.
On Wednesday I attended a regional social prescribing event. I really wanted to attend this event to understand more about the movement that is social prescribing and how the community sector is evolving to meet the shift from ‘medical prescriptions’ to social prescribing. This is something I‘ll admit I am cautious of in terms of work force development– are the resources and diversity of said resources out there as either a continuum of or potential alternative to statutory services?
At the event, I realised I have been really fortunate in my physiotherapy practice to be able to send referrals to our community navigator service when I have jointly identified a need with my patients that goes beyond my intervention/ skills. Discussion and debate took place as to the role of ‘link workers’ and governance around those who will be providing community based services on the ground. There was talk of social prescribing being everyone’s responsibility and not just link workers – whilst I agree it most definitely is, I know that I could have given a disservice to my patients by only informing them of services I am aware of in the community, as opposed to referring them to one of the community navigators who I am sure, would have given them enriched information and numerous options and opportunities. I am thankful that this is an established service within the area I have been working, but realised beyond the referral process I know little about how the service is delivered.
Idea 9: Spend time understanding the community navigator role from a service provision point of view but also request to shadow workers.
Key thoughts this week…
- Strategic co-production is incredibly powerful
- Before I go and talk to the workforce I need to understand in my mind exactly how the process of delivering personalised care may look from start to finish around professional roles. Although in reality this will be and should be different for each individual receiving the care, I find practical examples can really help to bring to life the idea.
Idea 10: Start collating snippets from my physiotherapy experience where personalised care has made a real impact to patients, ready to share as part of the workforce development training.
Achievements this week…
- Meeting our local strategic co-production group and seeing the impact of this group in action!
- Making further contacts and arranging meetings to help me understand social prescribing in greater detail
- Championing work that is already taking place in my STP in line with the personalised care programme at regional events
- I have completed my last Mary Seacole workshop day… only 2x assignments left to complete now.
Next week I plan to…
- Consider how training for the workforce may look – what elements need to be included? Who can help with the delivery of training? What foundations can we already build upon?
- Head in to London for a workshop with Nesta to evaluate the experience of a 100 day challenge with regards to implementation of change – I’m really looking forward to this!
- Collate data from questionnaire responses sent to community therapists
- Plan one of my Mary Seacole assignments – the purpose of the assignment is to discuss a change you have implemented in the workplace.. my new job role now fits perfectly!
Personalised Care Mission 