Quality carers

(27/11/08) Giving patients a voice is vital in building a better health service, but that does not mean shutting up trade unions. Because it is important that staff are not left behind in moves to put patients first.

That’s the view of senior NHS managers from around the UK, who gathered in London yesterday to debate the future of the nation’s health services – and where they fit in.

As reforms continue apace, managers are needed more than ever, said Managers in Partnership chief executive Jon Restell, opening the organisation’s second annual conference.

"We are in the people business," he said, stressing that good managers, whether clinically trained or not, work to put patients first, and ensure that staff are not left out of the equation.

Being a good manager takes skill, courage and partnership, he said, explaining how managers work to bring out the best in every member of the healthcare team, "to create a culture that saves lives and prevents harm".

And a good manager "knows the value of listening to people, and takes the time to do it properly," he said.

All the delegates agreed that communication is key in the NHS of the future.

It is important to listen to patients to redesign services that better meet their needs. It is equally important to talk to them, and to communities, to let people know what is going on. And it is vital that staff have a voice too.

If NHS reforms are to succeed, staff must be valued and they must have the skills and support they need to deliver a patient-centred service. Making sure that happens is down to managers.

"We can make a difference," decreed the conference. "Managers make healthcare happen."

MiP is a trade union organisation for healthcare managers, jointly launched by UNISON and the FDA in June 2005.

Managers in Partnership

UNISON in health care

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