Like many of my working weeks, last week was a hectic one. I had a Council of Deans Health Executive meeting, scooted off to London to take part in a NMC Council seminar on future nurse education, had the first Trust Board meeting of 2016, met with the WWL Governors, and presented our School Operational Plan at the University Challenge Day. Last Friday was spent at a University Council Away Day. Friday was also my last working day as Dean of School. Next Monday I start my new role as ICZ Programme Director and Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor, something I am very excited about. My interim Dean replacement has been selected and
announced (the Dean is Dead, Long Live the Dean), leaving dos were enjoyed and
gifts, cards and good wishes exchanged.
I have a new office, which meant packing up my old one ready
for moving. This was something that provided a chance to have a really good
clear out. After packing most of my books into boxes, it was on to the filing
cabinet. Now I had two filling cabinets in my old office, although over the
years these had almost fallen into disuse. One had a draw full of coloured
clogs, and one had a draw that contained 3 bottles of champagne,
a bottle of black whisky, a bottle of white wine and an opened bottle of my favourite
malt whisky, Lagavulin.
However there were more ‘traditional’ finds in the filing
cabinet. The first batch of papers I pulled out were written reports and paperwork
from some of my old PhD students. I started reading these and the years rolled
back. There was one email exchange from a student apologising for her lack of
progress, but she was having to deal with ‘real life issues’ – it was the start
of her journey of living with, and eventually dying from, liver cancer. The memory of her sitting in my office talking to me about
how she was feeling and what lay ahead made me pause and reflect. Over the 9
years of being Dean I have listened to a great number of life stories from my
colleagues. Very often these were about challenging events for people, relationships
and marriages that had broken down, serious and potentially life shortening
illnesses, or frustration and grievances over how changes were being experienced.
But they weren’t all like that!
I have many, many good memories of listening to colleagues full of
excitement, over an idea they wanted to run with, or the telling of a chance of
a new role, promotion or job. I have felt privileged to be able to work with
some very creative, motivated and committed individuals. It’s been wonderful to
see so many people grow and develop, and to mature as professionals and people. I will miss the daily contact of so many
positive people.
I am not so sure I will miss all the overseas travelling I have done
during my time as Dean. However, I've been to places I perhaps would never seen had it
not been for the job I was doing. So whilst I have been fortunate to have travelled all
over the world, trying to fit the travel in as well as doing my day job has
often been exhausting and sometimes not very healthy. I have been treated for 2
DVTs during the 9 years – not a good thing! I’m hoping much of my future
travels will be more around the University campus rather than around the world.
Some of you might have noticed that this weeks blog looks slightly different than usual. This is a result of my ineptitude in using the programme. I was asked if I intended to continue writing a blog each week, and in thinking about this I had a go at changing the presentation style. Little did I know that it would change every posting I have ever made, and now I cant get back to my original design! I am not sure if I will continue blogging or not. It is something I have enjoyed doing and in what has often been very turbulent times, writing the blog has always felt like finding an oasis in the storm – which
for me has been very refreshing. Whilst you will just have to wait until
next Sunday to find out if there will be any more blogs, I would like to say thanks
to all of you who have continued to read my posts each week.
The 9 years in the School have flown past, and it’s sometimes
hard to believe it’s been so long. As the Rolling Stones almost said – It’s [not always been] only Rock ‘N’ Roll, but I’ve liked it…
...liked it?
Yes I have!
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