Chief Executive Fortnightly Blog to NHS Orkney Staff - 10 February 2025

Message for All NHSO Staff 

Hi All

I wanted to share some updates with you about how we are responding to the recent external review I commissioned into cultural development, governance and senior leadership and the resulting report that we shared with you a few weeks ago.

As an Executive Team we have met on a number of occasions in recent weeks to reflect on the report, notably what we will each do differently and collectively to respond to the feedback we have received. We have also met as a Health Board to have open and honest conversations about what we need to change – and later this week our Senior Leadership Team and Board will come together to discuss the Report and how we will respond and what we will prioritise organisationally, so that we see this as nothing other than an opportunity to improve and learn.

One of the highest priorities in the year to come will be developing and taking forward an organisation-wide approach to leadership development and culture, with new behavioural standards front and centre of this work along with a programme and commitment to how we’ll be investing in our leaders across NHS Orkney. More to follow on this.

In the coming weeks we will share as an Executive Team how we will be responding to the Report. In the meantime, I wanted to share with you – for transparency – what I will be changing and stopping myself and what I will continue to do/do more of in direct response to the feedback I’ve received personally, so I can be the best leader I can be having thought deeply about the personal feedback I have received from you and others directly.

With regard to what I’ll be changing/stopping:

• Pace – striking a balance between moving the organisation forward whilst moving at a pace that ‘takes Team Orkney with us’
• Engagement in decision-making - making it clear when I need to make a call as CEO and when wider engagement with staff will take place
• Distributed leadership – empowering staff across the organisation to lead change
• Clarity re: role separation CEO and Board Chair - Meghan and I will restate to our SLT and Board the role of Board Chair and CEO so the distinct nature of our roles and responsibilities are clearer
• More work-life balance – having more downtime and rest so I can be at my best more often
• More action, and less words – focusing on what we’re changing in response to patient and staff feedback, and less talking about it (more evidence of what’s different)
• Balanced narrative – celebrating our progress, milestones whilst not shying away from the areas we need to make improvements and do better
• Respecting the past - I recognise that I may have caused some upset in some of my messages to date, when I have used words such as ‘being immature organisation’ – of course not wishing to do so. I will be even more thoughtful in the language I use and do nothing other than respect the past
• Learning from the past - it is important that we learn from our mistakes if we are to become a continuously improving organisation. We have reflected on what we did in response to the DHI report (a previous culture review) to understand what actions were taken at the time and to avoid repeating mistakes. This is an example of learning from the past
• Not trying to solve/do everything – setting realistic and deliverable priorities – we will be really deliberate about this when we set our Year 2 priorities for our Corporate Strategy – by focusing on doing less things better and being suitably ambitious but realistic in what can be achieved in any one year

With regard to what I’m going to continue doing – so I lead from the front (again, in response to your feedback):

• Visible and compassionate leadership – and leading with hope and optimism
• Challenging poor behaviours
• Listening to and responding to your feedback (and closing the loop)
• Appreciating and recognising you and the great work you do every single day for our patients and community
• Open, honest and regular communications
• Leading the strategic direction of the organisation
• Being intentional re: people’s roles and my expectations and holding to account

I hope you have a great week everyone.

Best wishes

Laura Skaife-Knight

CEO