The Human factor.
On the 12th November I went into University College London Hospitals, UCLH, for a hip replacement operation. Little did I know what to expect in real time. I had read the information leaflets, talked to relevant staff, had conversations with people who had been operated on and informed myself on the internet. Feedback and recommendations told me I was in luck this was my closest hospital. The orthopedic team was excellent and the very best.
Experience from pre-op consultation and interaction was good. At the same time with the often negative media reporting, care scandals and NHS portrayed as in constant crisis my cynical self was prepared for frustration and self-reliance as a strategy for survival.
How wrong I was. From the moment I walked into the hospital until this day two months later my experience has been consistently good. Clinical care has been excellent. At every step was I informed in clear language by kind, down to earth and highly professional staff about what was going to happen. Why and what choices I had. Arriving on the ward and later as an outpatient this experience continued and is consistent. Equally important to my own experience was my sense that this was a solid culture being carried out. Between staff and towards patients, their relatives and friends. Of course, I don’t really know what is going on beyond my own direct experience. However, usually when there is a contradiction between message and behaviour you pick that up and become confused, frustrated, suspicious and a disbeliever.
The UCLH welcoming leaflet reads “Our values are … Kindness, Teamwork Improving”. Is it possible for a complex, grand (large), constantly under pressure and challenged organisation to successfully, constructively lead and manage cohesion in a multitalented and diverse staff group? Servicing an equally diverse user group with different expectations and complex needs in an uncertain and constantly changing environment? My experience and answer is yes.
In my view and experience it is about
- Clarity and belief in message and purpose
- Aiming to fulfilling the message in practice
- Making sure it becomes relevant and practical in all different environments
- Measuring practice and ambition, impact and outcome
- Celebrate success, improve from mistakes and learn from each other
Making sure day to day practice and clarity in message and purpose are on the same path towards cohesion, becoming better and more excellent every day.
On every level, in leadership, attitude, professional ambition, competence and execution making sure the message is alive, measured and developed at every stage. As well as in clinical strive and commitment include being at the frontier of best outcomes and research when it comes to recruitment, individual and group development, interaction, commitment, result and financial management.
`It is not the size or type of business and organisation that matters. The talent, ambition and skill for success lie in the human factor. It is that “common sense” simplicity that is often hard to achieve. It demands confident guardianship and leadership with constant focus on purpose and achievement, feedback and improvement.
That is about
It is not just what you say that matters it is how you say it and what you do.
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