23 April 2021 – NHS Non-Executive Directors webinar

This week’s session opened in conversation with special guest Leigh Griffin, Non-Executive Director, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust.

Leigh said: “Transformation is one of those words that is overused and abused within the NHS. It is a radical, dramatic, fundamental change in operations. It’s not an improvement or a service redesign but something more fundamental than that.

“Events have highlighted the need for radical change. A lot of transformational change is driven by external change and our response to that is critical. We’re seeing a change in focus of the NHS, from organisations to systems, competition to collaboration, patients to populations, and I think those show the realisation for change is coming together. The response to the pandemic has enabled and driven the transformational changes that are happening. We need to navigate them carefully though to ensure we reach the potential of transformation change that these events give. […]

“The realisation needs to happen that the interests of the people we serve are greater than the organisations we serve. The challenges will be how we readjust. The pandemic has taught us that patients might be better served out of hospital or in other settings. It’s also taught us a lot about weaknesses of the NHS and this process of readjustment needs to take place within the system lens and for the overall good.”

Also overheard during this week’s webinar:

“The real transformation will be the change from the National ‘Sickness’ Service to the National Health Service. Real transformation will take 10 years and involve all partners, including social care. Nothing less will transform the NHS. Everything else is embellishment.”

“People very naturally like routine and working in their comfort zones. Any transformational change must encourage people to think outside their comfort zone and encourage that blue sky thinking. There is a fear around the language of change there needs to be a steer on what transformational change means.”

“It takes a certain type of personality to want change and speak up for change and normally this person is the Director of Strategic Change and they don’t get much support from others in the organisation. We need to get other more high-energy people onto this agenda and show them the benefit of this change.”

These meetings are by invitation and are open to all NHS non-executives directors, chairs and associate non-executive directors of NHS providers. Others may attend by special invitation. For further details, visit our website https://www.good-governance.org.uk/events/.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions about these webinars, please contact: events@good-governance.org.uk