NHS Highland’s new interim chief executive attended his first board meeting yesterday with a bullish message about the future of the organisation.
Paul Hawkins, who has been chief executive of NHS Fife for the past five years, was appointed by the Scottish Government to his new post.
Previous incumbent Iain Stewart has been moved to NHS Orkney to replace current chief executive Gerry O’Brien on his forthcoming retirement.
A number of other chief executives in NHS Scotland were also moved around in what health secretary Jeane Freeman said were moves to “build capacity, increase support and strengthen leadership across Scotland”.
Mr Hawkins, who took up his post this week, said he was confident he could make a difference, and cited tackling the culture and financial challenges of the organisation as priorities.
He said: “I can make a difference. There are lots of people making a difference now.
“Culture is not something you can give to people. It’s something you’ve got to show as an individual in how you operate, how you behave and how the board behaves in terms of managing the leadership role.
“It’s about bringing it all together, working with directors and staff.
“Starting to feel how your organisation feels when you’re making change is really important, so you have to co-produce it with them.
“Some people won’t like what you want to do, but it’s how we do it that’s important, and how we listen to people and take on board their view.
“It doesn’t mean we’ll always go with their views, but we will listen.”
Mr Hawkins said community working was an important way of moving forward for the future.
He said: “It’s about looking at what communities can do for themselves, and what we can do for them.
“It’s how we can put local services as near to people as we can, and start to change how the public sector starts to look at some of the opportunities it can have between the council, NHS, police and fire, the bigger picture of service to the Highlands.”
He said turning round the board’s financial position- a £13.9m deficit of which £11.4m will be met by brokerage with the Scottish Government- would involve building on the ‘fantastic work’ of programme management systems in place.
He said: “There is no board in Scotland that’s actually delivered to the level we have predictions on going forward. I think there’s a fantastic platform here to build on.
“Patients and staff are at the centre of how we make our decisions.
“There are lots of developments here which are really impressive and I’ll obviously build on those and move forward.”
Bosses admit progress slow in bullying healing process at NHS Highland
NHS Highland bosses yesterday admitted bullying was still going on in the organisation and that what they’ve dubbed ‘the healing process’ isn’t going fast enough for some victims.
Fiona Hogg, director of human resources, presented a comprehensive plan of action to set up the healing process to the NHSH board yesterday with progress made to date.
She said: “Bullying is continuing in an organisation of 10,500 people working in incredibly challenging circumstances.
“We have a long term range of issues within the organisation and no matter how hard and fast we try, these things will not change overnight.
“Any organisation will have people reporting inappropriate behaviour, but the important thing for us is that anyone who is in that situation is able to report it and get the support they need.”
Ms Hogg, who took up her role six months ago, said she wanted to be part of the solution and was under no illusion how much needs to be done and how difficult it would be.
She said: “I think we’re starting to make some good progress but it’s a huge task.
“We’re at a bit of a cross roads now, with great plans for the future and to address the issues of the past.
“We just need a bit more resource and the chairman and new ceo are committed to trying to take this forward for us so we can start to deliver on the next phase.”
She said new Ceo Paul Hawkins was ‘committed and keen’ to help the organisation on the next stage of the process.
From the bullying whistleblowers group Dr Iain Kennedy said: “We are optimistic that along with Professor Boyd Robertson that this new leadership duo will bring about the board accountability, independent psychological support, and kind and compassionate route to financial settlement that has been sadly lacking to date.”