importance of and the key first step for doctors to play an active part in challenging and engaging to shape the future . From an early position where he felt that “ management ” was someone else ’ s responsibility , Sir Bruce eventually realised , “ If I really cared about how well patients were treated then I had a moral and professional responsibility to understand the system in which I practised .” He emphasised that “ Young , enthusiastic clinicians can add significant insight into our biggest healthcare challenges , but unless you know how to channel this enthusiasm and how the system works , nothing will happen .” He ends by encouraging doctors “ to empower yourself and your colleagues to get to know how the NHS works and really make it your own .”
Though Sir Bruce has since stepped down from his role and representing NHS England when he made these statements , his words have relevance to clinicians of every discipline in all four corners of the UK - and indeed beyond . Spoken in 2014 , the relevance of his observation is timeless .
Ideally , everyone shares this “ moral and professional responsibility ”. Senior doctors and leaders should bear these words in mind when considering the development of their junior colleagues . At Oxford Medical Training we emphasise the need to see beyond scientific , technical and clinical expertise – the need to support development in all aspects of practice . This is a regular topic of discussion during our various Teach the Teacher , Communication , Interview preparation , Medical Leadership and Management Courses .
Understanding who ’ s who ; who does what , where , how , when and why takes both time and deliberate effort . The encouraging support of a senior colleague who is skilled at passing on knowledge and enthusiasm is invaluable . It can be a vital enabler for clinicians playing their essential part in shaping the future of the NHS . You may or may not be or have access to such a person . Could you fulfil this role for others in the future ?
In this book we will explore the history , structures and finance of the NHS , along with its many challenges . Although we update it on annual basis , ensuring the most up-to-date content is problematic – if not impossible . For example , a report published on the day we received the 2017-18 version back from our printers meant that the new edition was , in some respects , out of date before any reader turned a page . Major events around the
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