Leadership for Personalised Care Newsletter

The 10th cohort of our acclaimed Leadership for Empowered Communities completed the sixth and final day of the course by hearing from a series of inspirational speakers who reflected on their professional and personal experiences in helping to shape health and social care policy.

Helen Sharp, a co-director at the Ideas Alliance, was first up with a compelling message about the central role co-production and collaboration can play in the delivery of public services and outcomes.

“Align your purpose with the purpose of the people,” said Helen, who was a participant in the second cohort of the LECPC.

Dame Philippa Russell, DBE, needed little introduction after her lifetime championing the cause of carers, based on her own lived experience as a parent of a son with learning disabilities and brain damage and with a husband who suffered with Lewy Body dementia.

“We all strive for a gloriously ordinary life,” she said. “Focus on care, not the cost.”

John Evans OBE, a pioneer of the Independent Living movement, spoke of the progress that has been made since the 1980s on the day his battles for disability rights were marked by a film “My Fight for Freedom” -- which was exclusively launched during Co-Production Week 2023.

Anna Severwright and Martin Routledge, co-convenors of Social Care Future, presented their vision for the future and the role their voluntary organisation can play in shaping policy and changing attitudes.

“We are a social movement born out of frustration but powered by hope,” said Anna.

At the conclusion of the session, which was held at the NCVO headquarters in London, participants took it in turn to present certificates to each other to acknowledge the teamwork ethos which plays such an important part in making the LECPC a unique and valued experience.

Susie Dion, a senior project manager within a GP federation in Northampton, gave her own personal reflection: “I’ve learned so much about myself and where my career is going,” she said.

"After 20 years in health this course has re-invigorated my passion and given me real inspiration.”

Case studies from participants in NHS Leadership Programmes have been highlighted by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES), the renowned independent centre for research and evidence-based consultancy.

Prince, Integrated Care Transformation Senior Manager within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, is among those featured after he attended a regional Leadership for Personalised Care programme.

He says, "[The Personalised Care Team] had action learning sets which I got involved in. That’s been really immensely helpful… it was in a small group, and we were able to kind of talk through some of the challenges and hopes that we have for our personalisation journey.’

Impact of the programme

Since attending the course, Prince has worked to develop personalisation and co-production approaches across the whole Frimley ICS and focused on collaboration and empowering residents to make their own decisions on about their health needs and lifestyle.

He has also encouraged his staff to access the free bitesize programmes and masterclasses available on the NHS Leadership Academy website.

To read more……https://www.employment-studies.co.uk/leadership-personalised-care-participant-case-studies/leadership-personalised-care-case-study-prince

And to read the evaluation in full see https://www.leadershipforpersonalisedcare.org.uk/evaluation_evidence.html 

Andy Walker was involved in an accident 16 years ago that left him paralysed from the neck down with a high-level spinal cord injury.  

He now runs an international consultancy organisation and is a motivational speaker for workplaces, universities and schools.  

Julie Stansfield, a co-founder and chief executive of the In Control partnership, reflects on her organisation’s host role in helping to create a community for change in health and social care and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

To mark five years since its inception, #SocialCareFuture is hosting a special two-day event in Manchester city centre from October 19-20^th.

The movement will be launching a fresh campaign to help change the public story of social care as well as an exclusive screening of a new animated film.

Over the two days there will be sessions on storytelling, cultivating people power and building bridges to the future as well as a celebratory evening curry!

It’s a chance to connect and network with other movement movers and shakers as well as having some fun.

Places are limited, but there are some free places for LPC alumni.  Contact socialcarefuture@gmail.com for further details.