I first put them on, as a sign of
solidarity with the Ukrainian people, in the first week of the conflict, and
have worn them ever since. Almost inevitably, when people see them for the
first time they do one of three things: women tend to say they 'like my clogs';
men ask why I’m wearing them; others simply look away, don’t say anything and
don’t make eye contact. I was at an NHS Alliance Leaders event in London, when
I was asked the question, this time, about my clogs.
Now it might have just been me,
but for the most part, there didn’t seem to be much energy in the room. To be
fair, there didn’t seem to be as many people in the room compared to other
similar leaders' events I’ve attended. I could only imagine that, with all the organisational
turmoil across the NHS at present, and an ever-increasing demand for care
having to be met with ever diminishing resources, many leaders and managers might
have difficulty in giving up a day to attend this type of event.
As the day started, the first
speaker noted that, as he was speaking, Yvette Cooper (Secretary of State for
Health and Social Care) was on her feet speaking at the Labour Party Conference
in Liverpool. It’s beginning to become clear, as to what she is focussing on,
and what her priorities might be. Interestingly, it seems the 10 Year Health Plan is
becoming more of a reference point, with her focus very firmly on population
groups. In an approach reminiscent of the original NHS ‘cradle to grave’
ethos, her focus is on maternity care, children and young people, the frail
elderly, people with cancer, and people with mental illness.
In many ways, addressing these groups
is also congruent with the new Prime Minister's commitment to creating a
National Care Service. I was part of a breakout groups asked to discuss this ambition. The group was made up
of three Mental Health Chairs, and just one Acute Chair. There were two outcomes we
all agreed on: the first was a desire to see a modern-day equivalent of the
successful ‘Sure Start’ initiative; and to stop thinking about 'frail elderly
people' as being somehow a homogenous group.
The elderly are (he says with no
tongue-in-cheek intended) an important group in society. Their contribution to the
wider society has gone before them, and in so many different ways. As they
reach their twilight years, their needs are clearly also going to be different. Some
will be frail, but others at the same age, won’t be. Despite not being eligible
for a Covid vaccination when I got this year’s flu jab, due to my age, I’m now
officially in the elderly age group. Whilst some things now feel more difficult
(climbing into a tree to trim the branches with my chainsaw, for example) for
most aspects of my life the only difference is I might be a little slower. In
some situations, that can be a good thing.
For me, 2026 does feel as if it
is rapidly coming to a close. However, there are plenty more things that I want
to do before the year ends. Things that will hopefully make me feel good. And that
is the thing. I hope that, the National Care Service, when
it comes, is underpinned by an unchangeable principle of helping everyone to
live their best life, and live well. It is a principal that should apply to us all, whatever our age.
As for me personally, as the year moves to
its close, I’m beginning to think about my future. Maybe my working life is
also moving closer to an end point – who knows, but watch this space folks.