I have said before that I get lots of feedback on the blog and thank you to everyone who takes the time to say they have read it and enjoyed it when I am out and about.
As part of this, more recently, a few colleagues have shared that it’s getting long. I cannot disagree – but there is so much going on and I am always trying to capture what I have been doing, as well as the wider challenges facing the Trust. I like to share feedback too where I have received it and I know colleagues appreciate this.
On the other hand, I am conscious of how much everyone has on and needs to do just day to day and how overwhelming this can feel and I understand and appreciate the extra time and effort it takes to read my update, usually on a Friday afternoon.
What I can say is that I am always listening and will always respond, so I will do my best to keep the blog as focused, relevant and brief as I can.
The listening bit has never been more important in my opinion than it is now and on Tuesday, during our weekly online colleague update Teams Brief, I asked the Executive Team to encourage people to share their feelings around morale.
Our aim in opening a conversation was simple –- to hear views on morale, understand how it really is for people at such a challenging time and just check in to make sure we’re OK and working as a team. I will admit to feeling a little apprehensive about how the conversation would go and this – like the question of morale itself I suspect – will be different for different colleagues in different teams.
For me it felt like people were able to be open and honest about the issues concerning them, but there was a clear understanding that we’re doing things for a reason, we have an overall aim and we’re making progress, together. Some things we simply can’t answer at the moment as some changes are joint decisions or decisions for others in the wider health and care system, but I hope being honest and saying that was helpful.
I liked one comment provided by a member of the Trust’s chaplaincy team which reflected why we needed the session.
It said: “Managing expectations, anxieties and uncertainty is a real challenge and people respond in a multitude of ways, so it is incredibly difficult. A well known quote says: ‘Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking. One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say. The real art of good conversation is the skill of hearing as well as of being heard’. Thanks to everyone in the ELHT family who are attempting this and for all who are showing resilience and openness as it happens. It is never easy!”
I was glad our aim in opening a conversation about something as difficult as morale and how to improve it in challenging times was recognised as a challenge in itself. As myself and colleagues said on the call, we’re all part of the solution and how people are feeling at work is everyone’s business.
For me, something we can all, always do is recognise someone’s value and contribution overtly – and say thank you.
This is the backbone of various recognition schemes which operate in the Trust, including Employee of the Month and the Star Awards (which are currently open for nominations and have resulted in around 200 entries in the first couple of weeks).
I presented June’s Employee of the Month on Wednesday and I have shared many times that this is something I look forward to doing for so many reasons.
The winner was Kerry Meikleham a Healthcare Assistant working on the Acute Medical Unit (AMU) at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital. She was nominated by newly qualified nurse and colleague Niamh Smith who said: “I've been working on AMU for six months now and since starting Kerry has been supportive, approachable and has helped me overcome challenges as the ward can be very busy with high acuity patients.
“I have recently received a nomination for a Star Award and couldn’t have achieved what I have without her. Kerry has supported me on many shifts, shared her skills and knowledge and helped to support our patients. She always finds time to update their relatives which is important when they are so acutely unwell.
“Kerry goes above and beyond. She really does deserve to be recognised for all of the hard work she does. Her care and compassion is admirable and lovely to see.”
When I dropped into see Kerry, thank her and share her certificate as Employee of the Month she was so surprised and, I think, even a little bit embarrassed about the perceived fuss that this recognition brought. This is the mark of a truly brilliant and authentic colleague for me. The kind that say ‘Me?’ in shock and quickly follow it with ‘But I’m just doing my job?’
Thank you Kerry and Niamh – and everyone on AMU – for everything you are doing for people and their families.
It would be remiss of me here not to mention another colleague from the team who retired yesterday after a long and distinguished 47-year career at ELHT. You may remember the matron Lesley Gaw was recognised in the Star Awards too in the Lifetime Achievement category. It was a well deserved and hugely popular choice.
It was great to see Lesley whilst visiting AMU on her penultimate day of so many shifts she has put in for the Trust.
Thank you for everything you have done for ELHT over almost five decades which is quite incredible – you’ve made a massive contribution to the organisation, colleagues and patients alike during that time and are admired and loved by all. Congratulations on reaching a huge milestone – you take everyone’s good wishes with you for a long and happy retirement that is so well deserved and earned.
Lastly, I’m going to finish on some feedback from a man who had experienced emergency care before being admitted by the urology team recently, which seems relevant to help triangulate care from a patient perspective too.
He wrote to thank me for the care he had in the spring and said: “I was brought in on blue lights by paramedics in complete agony and an excellent nurse at A&E treated me within 20 minutes. I was moved to a cubicle where I received superb care, antibiotics and, after 4 hrs on a trolley, I was admitted to ward C22 and later moved to B14 which was outstanding, other than a downside of trying to manage my pain levels effectively.
“I could see that B14 is a shining example of how a ward should operate including that vital blend of ‘head and heart’. It was a team effort but the leadership of Sam Cannon stands out a mile. So many nurses were helpful too including Peter Phiri, Carol Haggart, Tency Anthony, Asim Sohil, Courtney Dobson and Ellie Barnes. There were more but I do not have all the names. When my condition improved a little I also enjoyed being a patient for medical students taking histories. It’s fantastic that people are going the extra mile each day. Thank you for all that you do.”
Mindful of providing another long read, I will call it there this week but couldn’t think of a better way to end than with a seamless testimony of brilliant care across the Trust.
Thank you to each and every member of the ELHT team. You are just fantastic and I love it when people recognise that and take the time to say so too.
If you are working this weekend please try and get some downtime with your own family and friends. If you are off, enjoy the sunshine promised for the next few days. You deserve it.
Martin