Entries with tag nhs .

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Blair McPherson
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27 May 2022 - 09:54

null What’s the difference? 

 The difference between an NHS manager and a LA/ SSD manager is significant when considering the integration of health and social care and I believe has been under explored when considering the reasons for frustratingly slow progress. So here goes a rather undiplomatic account of over 30 years trying to make it work. As a new manager in Social Services I was quickly exposed to my ... See more
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Blair McPherson
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08 Feb 2018 - 11:47

null When is a crisis a crisis

We won't make a drama out of a crisis runs a well know advert for an insurance company. The media tell us the NHS is in crisis and the evening news provides the pictures. Beds blocked, operations cancelled, ambulances queuing up in hospital the car parks, patients treated in corridors, exhausted doctors and demoralised nurses. It certainly sounds like a crisis. A local authority has... See more
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Blair McPherson
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14 Jul 2017 - 11:02

null "It's easier if you go backwards"

    A recent hospital out patient visit with my 88 year old mother in law raised questions about my driving skills and the design of the new hospital wheel chairs. It also made me question whether the hospital wheel chair is a metaphor for modern health and social care,  not intended to be used this way, evidence of the influence of the private sector mor efficient but not... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
10 Jul 2017 - 10:55

null You bear responsibility but as part of a team

  When crisis and scandal hit a high profile bank (HSBC) the board dismissed some senior managers but despite calls for his resignation not the chair of the board. When asked if he should have taken  responsibility as chair of the board and leader of the organisation he( Doulas Flint ) replied , " You bear responsibility but as part of a team". Does this also apply in local... See more
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Blair McPherson
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29 Jun 2017 - 14:45

null The awkward squad

  "Opinionated"  that's the word my placement supervisor used to describe me when I was a social work student. Is it so bad for a social worker to be opinionated?  According to a recent guidance note from the D of H, ADASS and the chief social worker for adults, social workers provide an essential role in an integrated system by challenging other professionals who's training... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
05 Jun 2017 - 17:54

null Not just Zumba classes and lettuce leaves for the worried

  Budget cuts, redundancies, reorganisation , out sourcing , increased workloads, changes in working practices, increased use of technology, stress is part of the modern public sector work experience we just have to learn to live with it. So toughen up or to put it in HR speak become more "resilient".    Resilience training is the latest organisational response to... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
23 May 2017 - 21:04

null We want you back

The government wants you back. A lot was invested in your training. You gained valuable experience which we could really use now. We have developed a great programme for supporting returnees like yourself. We understand why you left, there were a lot of unpopular changes,  we were experimenting with changing the skill mix, long hours and a cap on pay rises didn't help. The emphases on... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
09 May 2017 - 14:54

null How do I know if my boss is stressed out and what can I do about it

  The thing about stress is those who have it don't recognise it and so don't have any insight into the effect their behaviour has on those around them. If your boss has suddenly and uncharacteristically become difficult to work with, if team meetings are no longer fun, if the prospect of a one to one or even a short car journey together fills you with dread then your manager could... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
04 May 2017 - 18:03

null Metro Mayors

  So now Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool have elected Mayors with some real power and control over some big budgets, probably not as much power or as big a budget as they would want but it's a start.    It's the U.S. Model. Will Birmingham, Manchester or Liverpool be the next Chicago? What have we to look forward to? Chicago's Town Hall politics are notorious.  ... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
21 Apr 2017 - 11:16

null The Language of Mental Health

It was just a short " chatty" piece in the Guardian. A conversation in the play ground. It was not the mundaneness of  the topic that jarred it was the language. The word "depressed" was used when the meaning was feed up, sad or disappointed. There was reference to people "going insane" and " losing their mind" on social media when "worked up" or "over excited" would have been more... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
22 Mar 2017 - 02:51

null The difference between management and leadership

Management, as managers are fond of saying, isn't about being liked but I say leadership is. Human nature is such that if staff don't like you they won't like what you say. If staff don 't like you they will mostly deny you the opportunity to influence their thinking. Leadership is all about influencing thinking.  Management is about getting people to do what needs to be done. Managers... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
14 Mar 2017 - 20:33

null Surrey CC played poker and won

  So the government claims no deal was done with Surrey County Council it just happens that they benefit from the formula for allocating the additional funds more than any other authority. This has provoked outrage from Labour at both the injustice and the government's barefaced lie that a behind the scenes deal hadn't been struck. But hold the hypocrisy the government of the day... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
10 Mar 2017 - 10:53

null International Women's Day

  The Black Panthers, the Vietnam war, Bob Dylan and the woman's liberation movement, this is the New York scene in the Late 60's early 70's. The story is set in the open plan office of a weekly magazine, the editor, deputy editor and all the journalists are white males, all the researchers are female. It soon becomes clear that the women do all the leg work, come up with the most... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
01 Mar 2017 - 11:05

null Confrontational leadership

  A kick up the backside or arm round the shoulder. Delivered at the right time, in the right way both are recognised managerial responses. Some people respond better to one than the other. Managers may be predisposed to confrontational management or supportive management. Supportive management is presented as a good thing, although staff often complain there isn't much of it. Supporting... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
24 Feb 2017 - 13:37

null Where do they send bed blockers?

Delayed hospital discharges or " bed blocking " is hot news. As hospitals desperately try to unblock their beds where do they send patients and what happens to them? I am an ex social worker and former Director of community services so I thought I knew the answer but it's different when it's your own mum.   Every day dozens maybe hundreds of older people lose their balance fall... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
08 Feb 2017 - 15:25

null Granny dumping

  A elderly man found wandering and confused in Hereford bus station has no means of identification on him, his clothes are new bought from a Tesco's he appears to speak English but his speech is difficult to understand , all he can tell the police is his name and that he is not from round here. No one has reported him missing and no one comes forward when his  picture is published... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
18 Jul 2016 - 15:21

null Wouldn't it be nice

  Leaders have vision. Leaders can describe what the future will look like if we only have faith in them. So what, we can all say "wouldn't it be nice if.....?" The difference is they have the power to make it happen or rather, "together we can make it happen". Can we ? "Yes we can" President Obama said repeatedly in one of the most inspiring taking up office speeches. Nice sentiment... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
29 Jun 2016 - 09:49

null Is xenophobia acceptable when racism isn't?

If it's not racism then what is it? We have a phrase for unintended prejudice and illinformed behaviour in organisations its " institutional racism". What is the equivalent for the same behaviour amongst voters? Those who voted "out"say it was because of concerns about immigration and they are defiantly not racist. Do they mean that it's not people's colour or religion they object to but simply... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
12 Feb 2016 - 16:14

null Bad Customers

  I can see it now one of those videos on the Internet by some American business guru entitled , " How to get rid of your bad customers". Serious articles in the Harvert Business review about how   studies of top US companies have revealed that they are good at "disensentivising" bad customers.  Now if by bad customers we mean those who are persistently or deliberately... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
06 Aug 2015 - 09:58

null Turning the Old Bill into social workers

Do you remember The Bill a soap drama with social commentary about the everyday lives of police officers based at Sun Hill nick a London police station. Sarge was fond of telling young new recruits not to get involved in the lives of people and their problems "We're coppers not social workers are job is to nick villains." Ironically social work students at the same time were coming back... See more
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