#Hello My Name is Joanne

“Hello, my name is…” Joanne and I’m the new Chief Executive here at FoNS and it’s my second week.

I’m sitting at RCN Congress in Liverpool and immersing myself in discussions about system leadership, culture and professional behaviours. I’m meeting the most inspirational future nurses and celebrating the potential of a true global nursing movement (see #WeAreGlobalNurses for more on this!). I’m also reflecting on my career too ahead of a Q & A I’m doing later today about a mentorship programme I’ve been involved with called #150 Leaders.

I’ve just moved out of the public sector where I was latterly Deputy Chief Nurse at Public Health England. Perhaps not surprising, I’m resetting the lens. I’m trying to use less jargon and more plain English language. I’m refocusing my care and attention from population level, where small things don’t make a dint, to individual and team level where small things make a huge difference. I’m thinking about how someone is or might be feeling. This just isn’t possible when you’re making decisions at population level. Yes, of course you can invite people with lived experience into your world but it doesn’t always work. One person is exactly that. One person with their own special and specific lived experience. That can’t be scaled up!

I was reading and sorting through all the paperwork I’ve accrued over the last 5 or so years and it’s amazing how much of it relates to the Foundation of Nursing Studies (affectionately known as FoNS) and its reason for being here; to improve the care of individuals through developing a strong culture of person-centredness. It is values driven, establishes collaborative relationships and promotes lifelong learning. FoNS does much, much more and I will explore this in more depth as we go along.

So, I’m returning to my roots: Maslow and person-centred care, creating caring cultures and inspiring colleagues to improve their craft and become the very best evidence-based practitioners and leaders. I’m looking forward to cutting through the noise and getting on with it at a level that works, that has a direct influence on people. Whether these people are professionals or those we care for or work on behalf of is immaterial. It needs to be done.

FoNS is in a unique position across the UK. We add value. We genuinely make a difference and this is sustained. Have a look at our website. It’s full of nuggets of gold.

I make no apologies for being deviant, rocking the boat, disrupting things! I will not focus only on the system, the provider, the commissioner’s needs. I will bring it back to the reason we’re here: Our constituents, our communities, our families, us. I try my best to socialise person-centredness in every encounter and every discussion. We can all do it, whether we are caring directly for people, educating our next generation of nurses and midwives, developing policies, commissioning services, leading teams, and of course being a chief executive!

We have a role to play in local, regional and national decision making. We can advocate for our communities in every role we play and every job we have.

Where next?

In my first 100 days I will actively listen, talk, meet our trustees and Board, read, listen a bit more and then start formulating my ideas to test out. I will be honest about where I think the gaps and opportunities are and then start to deepen my knowledge and test more ideas out with our team. I will go out and experience life at the Foundation of Nursing Studies and come back and formulate our strategy as a team. Our team will own it and I will guide it. How exciting!

If you have ideas, let me know. You know where I am, and I am very active on social media. Start a conversation with @MrsBosanquet