What is Insourcing?

Insourcing. A phrase that is often bandied about in the same sentence as ‘the privatisation of the NHS’. It’s a service that is often misconstrued and seen negatively. But what actually is insourcing, and how can it help the NHS tackle elective recovery?

Framework agreements for absolute beginners

Put simply, a framework agreement is a list of suppliers who have already demonstrated and acceptable level of capability, experience, competence and value. They’ve done this via an open, competitive tendering process managed by an organisation known as a framework agreement ho...

The productivity paradox – how doing less might be the secret to achieving more

If you work in the NHS, my guess is that you’ve heard a lot of the P-word recently. Not patients – productivity. It’s become a buzzword in Whitehall and Westminster, with organisations across the NHS landscape seeking to unravel the NHS’s productivity puzzle. The puzzle b...

The value of secret diversity

One of the fourteen million things that make me proud of the NHS is its diversity. From the day it launched in 1948, the National Health Service has relied on staff across the world. From the Windrush generation to today’s workforce, represented by over 200 nationalities, the N...

Going through the change

I’ve worked in the NHS for thirty years now, and occasionally get asked “but….why?” in a tone of voice that appears to question my sanity. The answer is quite simple – change.

Onwards and upwards? Or sideways and diagonally?

“Onwards and upwards!” said a colleague of mine the other day, as a meeting ended. If my smile looked awkward, it’s because I was biting my tongue. In many cases, progress – particularly in the NHS – isn’t so much characterised by ‘onwards and upwards’ as ‘sidew...

A personal perspective on the gap between the front line and the back office.

I’m noticing the gap between the NHS front line and back office growing wider every year. Roles are becoming increasingly specialised, and, whilst that can be a good thing, I’m seeing the unintended consequence of a growing lack of awareness around what the clinical and non-c...