WEST MIDLANDS REGIONAL MANAGMENT NETWORK (RMN) EVENT

Here is the new IHM CEO, Sue Hodgetts at the regional networking event in Birmingham on the night of 20th July 2006.

Click here to view picture show of whole event and get a real feel of the atmosphere from the evening.

Click on the audiopost below to hear a short interview with a couple of participants.

For those without a sound card the interview transcript is offered below.

[Sound of knowledge sharing at meeting]

[Józefa]
“OK I am just going to start interviewing some of the participants at the first Regional Management Network here in the West Midlands. I am here with Wendy would you tell me what you have thought about this evening?”

[Wendy]
“I really didn’t have any particular expectations so it’s always a pleasant surprise and I certainly would suggest other members of my team to have a valuable learning experience by attending”

[Józefa]
“OK Wendy thank you, I am sorry I can’t see your name badge ….ah Chris… where are you from Chris?”

[Chris]
“I am from the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust”

[Józefa]
“Is this your first networking event here with us?”

[Chris]
“I have been a long time supporter of the IHM I think it is important at a number of levels, for managers to keep themselves up to date, to be able to tap into the network and learn from each other and thirdly in terms of ensuring the skills of the workforce are equipped to meet the demands of the NHS that we find ourselves in today.”

[Józefa]
“Chris that’s fantastic will you come to another event, if we hold one say in about a couple of month’s time?”

[Chris]
“I might do”

[Laughter]

[Józefa]
“What will we need to do to make sure that yourself and perhaps others might come along with you next time?”

[Chris]
“I think specifically targeting certain areas and projects as you’ve done tonight and highlighting whether we can reach the management service improvements issues in patient care if you target that you’ll get a more specific audience coming along to hear about the issues”

[Józefa]
“Would you agree with that Wendy?”

[Wendy]
“Yes, very much so, I think if you focus on areas that will bring in a very specific audience with certain developmental needs and I think that making it more specific will consolidate some extra learning for a particular group of individuals”

[Józefa]
“Thank you both very much indeed”

-end of interview-

A PURE SELF INDULGENCE!

(no sound card? then just read the text below...)

"I hope you don't mind me including one purely personal yet very moving post about a friend of mine who is battling with breast cancer - her name is Anne-Marie Kesselman.

She uses a blog to reflect upon and share her experiences of being a cancer patient and how the healthcare system has supported her in her fight, which I am delighted to say she appears to be winning.

Why place a link to her blog here on a site that is dedicated to support those who manage in health and social care? Well, at times it can be easy to forget WHY changes in organisational systems and processes are being advocated especially if we are involved in and affected by these changes. Tapping into reflective thoughts from patients/users in such an insightful way whilst change is taking place serves as a useful reminder as to the reasons why many of us have chosen to work in or alongside those in the caring professions.

On the right hand side of the page you will find a link to Anne-Marie's blog (called My Friend - The Cancer Patient) and her musings on her illness, the support and care she has received from the NHS mingled with some family news and views. She has stated how therapeutic writing a blog has been for her state of mind and subsequent recovery, and it makes me wonder how beneficial this can also be for those who provide the services to patients just like her?

Thank you very much for allowing me to make such an important posting."

Have something you want posted? Then send me an e-mail to J.Fawcett@ihm.org.uk

NAME CHANGE

We are now called Apogee Reflections as this better represents the overall purpose of this blog and leaves the way for us to develop a discussion forum to run in parallel on the new IHM website later in the autumn.

For some of you this is a very new way to record personal reflections on learning, practice and growth, however in so doing you are sharing ideas with other Network Participants who might appreciate learning what the role of 'managing' within a health and/or social care setting is really like from others that do it.

I hope you enjoy reading and listening to the postings. To make a comment follow these simple instructions:

1. Click on comments at the end of the post you want to respond to and type what you want to say into the blank box.
2. In the identity area click on other
3. Type in your name
4. Complete the word verification by copying the letters that you see (this tells us you are a person and not a computer and prevents unsuitable spam from attaching itself to this site)
5. Confirm your posting by clicking on publish

All comments are moderated and will appear on the blog within 6 hours.

If you wish to provide a full reflective posting on any subject you like that is associated with leadership and management in health/social care, then please send copy to me at j.fawcett@ihm.org.uk