Diversity of thought is key to unlocking innovation and improvement
Blog article
In this new blog, our Chief Executive Natasha Swinscoe picks out her highlights from our new business plan and impact review, exploring what we’ve achieved in the West of England and what lies in store for our Network. But perhaps more importantly, Natasha considers how we go about delivering this work, and highlights the continued…
Read more
Kay Haughton: “A career in nursing has been one of the best decisions I have ever made”
Blog article
In celebration of International Nurses Day 2021, we have collated a blog series showcasing the amazing nurses that we are privileged to have as part of our team. Here, Kay Haughton, Director of Transformation, reflects on her career as a nurse… June 81 was the date I started my nurse training at Charing Cross Hospital…
Read more
Alex Leach: “For me a nurse is not what you do, it’s what you are”
Blog article
In celebration of International Nurses Day 2021, we have collated a blog series showcasing the amazing nurses that we are privileged to have as part of our team. Here, Alex Leach, Deputy Director of Innovation and Growth, reflects on her career as a nurse… I tell people several times a week “I’m a nurse” but…
Read more
Hannah Little: “Many roads into nursing, many paths once you are there”
Blog article
In celebration of International Nurses Day 2021, we have collated a blog series showcasing the amazing nurses that we are privileged to have as part of our team. Here, Hannah Little, Patient Safety Improvement Lead, reflects on her journey into nursing… I grew up with stories about my granny beaming with pride when she donned…
Read more
The search for solutions to make a positive measureable impact on the social and health care workforce
Blog article
The domiciliary care workforce is under huge pressure – and with staff turnover and sickness levels so high, there is a clear need for support in this sector. In this blog, Roger McDermott, Senior Programme Manager at the West of England AHSN, shares his insights into the issues and needs – and explains the importance…
Read more
2020 – The year of learning through adversity
Blog article
Natasha Swinscoe, Chief Executive of the West of England AHSN, looks back on the last 12 months. As I reflect on the year that was 2020, two quotes spring to mind, from very different sources. Firstly there are Michelle Obama’s motivational words: “You should never view your challenges as a disadvantage. Instead, it’s important for…
Read more
“So… what do they do?” A view from a new starter
Blog article
Emma Ryan started with the West of England AHSN Communications team in September, and wrote this blog a couple of weeks into her new role. In the Summer of COVID-19, I sat at home, 2 months into furlough with the likelihood of looming redundancies in the hospitality business I worked in and had grown to…
Read more
Reflections on hosting virtual interactive workshops
Blog article
In this Q&A our West of England Academy Project Managers Kate Phillips and Vardeep Deogan share their reflections on the delivery of the Academy’s recent Quality Improvement (QI) Summer Series. They led 10 hours of online interactive workshops and delivery of QI theory by 12 different facilitators to around 60 delegates per session from across…
Read more
Innovating for economic growth
Blog article
Steve West, Chair, West of England AHSN and Vice-Chancellor, University of the West of England and Chair, West of England Local Enterprise Partnership on the challenges and opportunities for health, care and the economy, and how the AHSN can help to meet them. Who would have imagined six months ago that we would be in…
Read more
COVID-19: a common purpose
Blog article
In the first of our series looking at how healthcare is changing to manage COVID-19, our Chief Executive Natasha Swinscoe considers the factors that helped those on the front-line respond quickly and effectively. There has already been a lot written on the lessons learned from dealing with the pandemic. Many have commented on the positive…
Read more