James Fleet, interim director of strategy and transformation, reflects on his first few weeks. 
Three weeks into my new role, and really enjoying it. I have now attended my second weekly executive Team meeting, as well as the Trust Board last week. In preparation for joining the Executive on-call rota, I have also spent time out on the floor, getting to know clinical and support colleagues better. Whilst clearly challenged operationally, I continue to be heartened and impressed by the dedication, professionalism, commitment and capabilities of our diverse workforce.
I am excited about the opportunity to help drive forward the Trust’s strategic agenda, including strengthening our approach, systems and processes for developing and delivering transformation across our service and workforce models, and turning strategy into action! This work has never been as important to the Trust as it is right now, given the many changes and developments within the local and national health and care system.
As Interim Director of Strategy and Transformation, I will be focused and unapologetic about seeking-out opportunities for the Trust to think, behave and operate differently, particularly introducing new ways of working which challenge some of the norms and traditions that exist. The Trust is challenged to recruit and retain high quality clinical capacity, and it is increasingly clear that the Dudley Group, along with other providers must explore different ways of staffing our services, through co-developing new workforce models, including extended and new integrated roles, drawing on learning from other areas, where improved care, delivered more efficiently, has been achieved.
I am committed and passionate about staff engagement and will be working with colleagues from across the Trust, to take forward action to improve the experience of our staff at work as part of making real the Trusts commitment to becoming an employer of choice. Although I’m new to the board I have already taken the opportunity to get my flu vaccine something I’d recommend to any member of staff who hasn’t had theirs yet.
Whilst I recognise that this blog is very much a statement of commitment at this early stage, I look forward to updating in future blogs on some of the successes that I know we will achieve together.