From Cynic to Zealot!!! Anne Witherow Asst. Director, Governance & Performance, Western HSC Trust

NIPEC “Improving Practice, Improving Care” Conference, Galgorm Manor, 21 st May 2008

Service Delivery Context Patients & Clients/Public Involvement Resources PFA CSR Political context RPA Shared services ICATS ISD Professional standards User expectations Safer Patients Initiative Independent Reviews

NIPEC “Improving Practice, Improving Care” Conference, Galgorm Manor, 21 st May 2008 Supervision Definition ‘Supervision is defined as a process of professional support and learning, a process of professional support and learning, undertaken through a range of activities, which enables individual registrant nurses to develop knowledge and competence, assume responsibility for their own practice and enhance service-user protection, quality and safety.’

Supervision (my definition) An intentional relationship between two professionals designed to explicitly offer high challenge with high support facilitate personal growth and development which will influence the standard of service delivery promoting the best possible outcomes for service users.

NIPEC “Improving Practice, Improving Care” Conference, Galgorm Manor, 21 st May 2008 Supervision Professional Supervision should enable a registrant to Identify solutions to problems Increase understanding of professional issues Improve standards of patient care Further develop their skills and knowledge Enhance their understanding of their own practice

NIPEC “Improving Practice, Improving Care” Conference, Galgorm Manor, 21 st May 2008

STOP Ask yourself “Would I want it to happen to me?” STOP! Ask yourself: Would I want it to happen to me?

NIPEC “Improving Practice, Improving Care” Conference, Galgorm Manor, 21 st May 2008 Supervision ‘It is with the heart that one sees rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye’ (Antoine de Saint Exupery, The Little Prince)

NIPEC “Improving Practice, Improving Care” Conference, Galgorm Manor, 21 st May 2008 Seeing with the heart requires Confidence Time to reflect and think Time to consider and ponder Insight Wisdom Courage to be different Willingness to be changed and make change

NIPEC “Improving Practice, Improving Care” Conference, Galgorm Manor, 21 st May 2008 Supervision People will not always remember what you said, they may not always remember what you did but they will always remember how you made them feel Wise 94 yr old lady

NIPEC “Improving Practice, Improving Care” Conference, Galgorm Manor, 21 st May 2008 Managerial v Professional Supervision Managerial organisational topics performance against agreed organisational objectives hold to account engages with the performance of the person Professional supervisee led topics facilitative/reflective challenge and support engages with the experiences of the person and helps makes sense of the experience

NIPEC “Improving Practice, Improving Care” Conference, Galgorm Manor, 21 st May 2008 Supervision Where the supervisory functions are separated, it is vital that there is clarity about the different roles, and on how issues of accountability and performance feedback will be addressed between the supervisors. Clarity on the focus and authority of professional supervision required Clear policy/standards on provision of supervision Boundaries on the limits of confidentiality – contract Time, preparation and skills Relational – needs engagement/ honesty/confidence/energy/commitment/trust

NIPEC “Improving Practice, Improving Care” Conference, Galgorm Manor, 21 st May 2008 Supervision The question is ‘Not simply is supervision taking place but what the quality of such supervision may be’

NIPEC “Improving Practice, Improving Care” Conference, Galgorm Manor, 21 st May 2008

Supervision Engagement with supervision demonstrates an individual taking ownership of their personal responsibility and accountability of their own continuous improvement ‘Maturity of person’

“Do not be content with mediocrity. Do your job so well that nobody could do it better. “ Martin Luther King