The rich array of backdrops ranging from the open plan office with the wrap-around windows, or the home office flanked by a wall of blue lockers (you know the one) or the classic blur option which only serves to deflect attention as colleagues try to work out what your home looks like and what books you read. The wry smiles that accompany that all too familiar “you’re on mute” moment; the time spent waiting for everyone to join, and the occasional and unexpected appearance of a family member or an inquisitive pet. Well, according to recent research, it appears that maybe we don’t love them quite as much after all. The virtual meetings – not the pets or the family.

There have been a number of times over the years when something has happened that has sparked a new way of thinking. Some might call it a game changer,  turning things on their heads, giving rise to a new dawn in a specific arena that means things just won’t be the same ever again. They tend to be accompanied by a huge desirability and a demand for a product and / or service that customers may not know about, or even realise that they need. 

Since the formation of the NHS, we’ve seen three substantial periods of political change. In 1951, the Conservatives began what turned out to be 13 years in office. Following that, Labour took control for five years, before power switched back to the Conservatives, before then going back to Labour.

When we hear the word “quality” in the context of health and social care, it’s not uncommon for those three little words spring to mind. No, not those. I’m talking about CQC, or Care Inspectorate Scotland, or Healthcare Inspectorate Wales. And that would be a fair assumption to make, given the importance of our friendly and necessary regulators

I was at an airport last week, and as I waited for the plane to accelerate down the runway, I knew that at a specific point, the pilots would reach their V1 position: the point at which they commit to take off. It’s too late to back down and stop or abort at that stage,and so the journey begins as the plane leaves the ground, heading off towards its destination.

When I think of training and social care, I think of the progress the sector has made over the years from a regulatory, operational and person-centred perspective, but I wonder if the sector applies the same approach to succession planning?

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.