Let’s be proud of what we do
As we come close once again to year end, it is a logical time for us to review what has happened over the past 12 months and reflect on the possibilities and opportunities of what the New Year holds.
We have, over the last year, in healthcare been faced with many significant challenges, mainly around increasing demand for services and our reducing budgets from which these services have to be provided and delivered. Out of these challenges many opportunities have arisen. We have seen through our HMI Leader’s Award, the ingenuity of health service managers and professionals as they redesigned and reorganised and in some cases re-orientated the services they provided. In a number of cases new initiatives where commenced which greatly enhanced the efficiency of the service we deliver to our patients.
In reviewing the presentations and projects as showcased at our Annual Conference we can rightly be proud of the innovation going on in every area of our services, which have been designed and led by our managers in many cases even in the face of strong resistance and in many cases minimal or no extra resources.
When we look at the negative publicity that the health service and health care managers get, it does little to speak to the truth of what is actually happening in our services on a daily basis, all led and delivered by our staff. So rather than beat up or put upon people we should recognise the contribution that those working in the system make, not only to deliver care but also to reshape it to meet future needs. Systems and processes by themselves deliver nothing, it is the people who make the difference, so when we talk of low morale in the health service, beating up the staff further won’t improve this.
So let’s make 2016 the year when the Health Service gets justifiable praise for all it does well. Let’s print the good news stories and acknowledge the huge contribution that health service workers and managers do make to deliver a high quality service, with limited resources for the vast majority of the time.
Let’s be proud of what we do and who we are, and how we go about our work and continue to challenge and change our health service for the better. Let’s acknowledge and change the negative and focus on the positive. That’s our challenge for 2016.
In closing, I hope each and every member of the Health Service and their families a happy and peaceful Christmas with every good wish for the year ahead.
Derek Greene
President HMI
