Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff - 19 August 2024

Message for All NHS Orkney Staff 

Hi All

Today is my first day back after a week of leave, which has been an opportunity to switch off, spend quality time with Carrie and have more time than usual to think and reflect.

This week I want to share some of the reflections I have had in recent days during my down time and some updates I want everyone to be aware of, recognising we are well into Quarter Two (July-Sept) and are therefore very close to approaching the mid-point of the year (2024/25) which always presents an opportunity to take stock.

I firstly want to say that I know how hard everyone is working. I see examples every day of how committed you are to looking after our community and providing excellent care and I am very proud of you all. We have so many incredible people who work here and it’s our job (and my job) to ensure we nurture and grow talent, invest in you and invest in succession planning in a way we have not done so previously. We have plans in place in each of these areas which we want to share with you in the next few months recognising something different is now needed.

I also know from the conversations I have with many of you that lots of basic things still seem impossible and really don’t need to be. I want to acknowledge this because we have to find ways to remove these unnecessary obstacles and default to: ‘how do we find a way’ instead of starting with: ‘no’ or finding excuses for ‘why not’ or ‘why we are different’ (which is sometimes relevant but not always when it comes to change). I am really clear that we must continue to do better when it comes to putting people first and connecting in a meaningful way with you and our community and to listening and acting on patient and staff feedback throughout the year.

This coming Thursday is our Health Board meeting (Thursday 22 August). I want to remind you that, like our Senior Leadership Team, anyone can attend our public Board meeting. It’s a great development opportunity. If you want to join one of our Board meetings, these are bi-monthly and Julie Colquhoun can send the details to you along with the papers.

So, some updates from me re: areas of focus in this next few months that will be discussed at our Board meeting this week that I want you to be aware of:

1. We have received the draft de-escalation criteria for NHS Boards and the tailored criteria for NHS Orkney (we were escalated to level 3 of the NHS Scotland Support and Intervention Framework for our financial performance in November 2023) which we will discuss at this Thursday’s Board meeting. More details to follow
2. Linked to (1) – we are giving careful thought to what arrangements we need to have in place to sustain our recent improvements when it comes to financial grip and control, including when our external support exits the organisation later in 2024/25 so we can stand on our own two feet– and following discussions at Senior Leadership Team we are taking a number of proposals to our Board meeting this week for consideration and discussion including plans for our in-house Improvement Team and Quality Improvement Methodology so we have a way at NHS Orkney of ‘doing change’  and ‘leading change’ so we get consistency
3. From October 2024, we are proposing to move to exception reporting for our Integrated Performance Report (IPR) – which will see Board Committees scrutinising each chapter of the IPR in their bi-monthly meetings (People/workforce – Staff Governance Committee, Quality, Safety and Experience and Population Health and Prevention – Joint Clinical and Care Governance Committee, Finance and operational performance (community and acute) and risk and audit matters via our Audit and Risk Committee)
4. We will also from October 2024 introduce Performance Review meetings for all clinical and corporate teams to ensure service leads are held to account for delivery, and in equal measure supported to improve where necessary. I will personally Chair these meetings such is their importance – more information to follow
5. In the next few weeks, I hope to be able to update you all on our Interim Director of Finance and substantive Director of Finance arrangements – both are work in progress, with recruitment processes underway, and both of which are hugely important to NHS Orkney moving forward positively

You all know I love a good quote, so this week I leave you with this one, which I feel is relevant and poignant:

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything” (George Bernard Shaw)

We can do this, and we must keep believing we can.

Have a great week and see you all soon.

Best wishes

Laura Skaife-Knight

Chief Executive