Paul Fenton, National Chair of HEFMA, told delegates at the opening session of the 2017 Leadership Forum that now is the time to "Break the Boundaries" with regards to the future of the NHS.
Fenton looked back over two years of unprecedented change, not just within the NHS and healthcare, but also in the world of politics. Doing things differently has been Fenton's mandate since he became National Chair just over two years ago and now, as he prepares to hand over to his successor at the AGM this afternoon (May 11), he reflected on the progress of change he set down for HEFMA in the Strategy to 2020 document published last year.
It is time, he said, to break the boundaries and to do that we need true engagement, collaboration, shared services, succession planning, joint ventures and the benefits of one Public Estate.
"Do it," he urged delegates. "Go out there and deliver."
The morning's session concluded with a lively, interactive panel debate during which Paul Fenton was joined by Simon Corben, Head of Profession for Estates and Facilities, NHSI and Phil Shelley, Immediate Past National Chair of the Hospital Caterers Association to face questions from the floor. Questions were posed around the progress of the Sustainability and Energy Fund; the conundrum of the growing backlog maintenance problem on one hand against policies of persistent disinvestment in the NHS infrastructure; the role of NHS Property Services; the provision of strategic advice and where the strategy should sit and the future career of younger generations within the NHS or privatised company.
The session was attended by a true cross section of NHS leaders and other professionals, including a large cohort of apprentices, who were welcomed as being the leaders of the future. The question around how privatisation might affect the future career of the younger generation was posed by an apprentice, probably inspired in part by the presentation of John Lawlor, Chief Executive of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust. Lawlor had earlier outlined how they had established a private company, wholly owned by the Trust and transferred 620 EFM staff across with the purpose of providing high quality support services with greater flexibility to recruit and train staff. The initiative will also enable the Trust to take advantage of commercial opportunities to generate revenue that could in turn be invested in patient services.
The Forum continues with a Gala dinner at which the winners of the HEFMA 2017 awards will be announced and a second day programme, at which Nick Hulme, Chief Executive of Ipswich and Colchester Hospitals will deliver the keynote address.
