Helping the NHS with professional & personal development

Across the UK the NHS utilises the Springboard Women’s Development Training Course during times of restructuring and change, as well as at times of relative calm. Rainy Faisey, Deputy Director of HR with Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust and Jacqui Hinds, Leadership Development Consultant at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust recently spoke about their experiences of working with the Springboard Consultancy and running this programme.

What were the challenges?

Jacqui joined the newly merged Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust In 2006. She explained why they identified a need for personal and professional development at this point:
“During the merger morale seemed low. Posts were identified as ‘at risk’ and some people had to re-apply for their own jobs. Staff were feeling displaced and confused about their careers, goals and aspirations. Personal and professional development was key to smoothing the transition for people within the Trust at this time of change.”

Primary drivers for seeking development within the NHS were identified by Rainey as mergers, staff relocation and organisational restructuring.
She added:
“It’s vital to facilitate staff support and development to make people feel cared for and valued during challenging times. Offering tools to build confidence and develop self-esteem as a support for those facing difficult decisions and seeking work outside the NHS is so important. It helps them to thrive in what can be a tough environment.”

Why The Springboard Consultancy?

Rainy:
“Springboard Programmes are essentially wholistic, addressing both the personal and professional aspects of development, and they had a superb reputation within the NHS.
Other programmes we considered were based on learning a specific skill or ability whereas Springboard was all about making the best of yourself both at work and at home. It was also good value for money – a lot of personal development works on a one-to-one basis and can become very costly; Springboard works for a large number of people whilst maintaining a personal touch.”

Jacqui’s positive personal experience of the programme fuelled her determination to introduce this kind of wholistic development into the NHS.

“Personal and professional development was key to smoothing the transition for people within the Trust at this time of flux.”

“Springboard Programmes are essentially wholistic, and they had a superb reputation within the NHS.”