I noticed this tweet yesterday:
On the two occasions I sought to be a Chair of an NHS trust I learnt that they considered me “too challenging”
They wanted someone who was “one of us”
That's the problem
No diversity of thought
No challenge
Always looking for someone that will represent them, not their patients. https://t.co/x2g5z4vNY2— nazir afzal (@nazirafzal) August 21, 2023
I would suspect Nazir Afzal was eminently suited to the jobs he applied for.
I had a similar experience. About twenty years ago, maybe a little less, I applied to be a non-exec director at an NHS Trust. I had long experience as a director, was a chartered accountant and had some knowledge of the MHS and related issues.
I was rejected because, apparently, I could not demonstrate financial ability, my written application was poor, and my verbal reasoning skills were, apparently, limited. I had been writing for newspapers and journals for years by then and was regularly contributing to radio and television documentaries at that time precisely because I could interpret complex financial issues in ways people could comprehend.
I admit I did not get too upset about it. What I realised, as Nazir has, is that what was required were people who would not rock the boat. I would have done, and that was definitely enough to block my application.
They need not have made up a load of nonsense though. That did worry me.
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Richard – you are so right.
What is big in Board’s at the moment is ‘perception management’ – I see it in the way the ALMO I work for operates. ‘Perception management’ is basically about making sure that no-one perceives any weaknesses or problems.
I think that in the public sector, this attitude came out of the Audit Commission audits and even OFSTED, where the audit takes about a week to tell you whether you are any good at anything or not. When an audit takes such a short time, a lot of perception is employed – and having been in about three such audits, the words ‘we perceive’ are used a lot.
When you also consider the weighting added to the org – schools, hospitals and other public services – and how destructive the ratings can be, in some ways you can’t blame the culture of ‘perception control’ that comes out of it.
Audits – or the label ‘audit’ has been used as a blunt tool to expose (supposedly) poor management in the public sector – a stick to beat them with. Yet, I always thought auditing was supposed to improve management practices – and indeed many in the Audit Commission I have worked with thought that that was their job. It was not about punishment – but improvement. But it has become about punishment, the way it is publicised and how it leads to schools for example magically becoming academies. The publicity around audits in the public sector is more about hectoring than improvement.
When you compare though quality based audits with financial audits, the latter takes longer and is deeper in my experience anyway as audit accountants hang around for weeks and deliberate properly in my view.
So, I’m not excusing ‘perception management’ – I’m just reflecting on cause and affect as there is no doubt that quality and financial auditing throws up genuine fraud and incompetence. But financial auditing is head and shoulders above what the Audit Commission, OFSTED and other public auditing bodies have been doing.
Poor quality auditing leads to perception management in my view – how things look. And it encourages Board members to not ask questions and play along to protect the Board ‘team’. Board members are reduced to being ‘nodding dogs’.
I can give you an example of OFSTED from my experience. For some years I invigilated at a comprehensive. I thought the school was a good to average establishment.
I was very surprised to be told they had ‘failed’ the OFSTED and had to form an academy with a school in the neighbouring town which served a mainly middle class area. The inspection was about February. That summer they had their best ever GCSE results.
It seems to be about reducing the state and giving control to unelected ‘worthies’ chosen by -well, that’s a good question. I have no doubt that some are capable people who want the best for the school. But it usually means teachers work is more prescribed and there is less scope for teacher innovation.
It tickles me when they try to assuage your disappointment by explaining that it was a really strong field. Then you see who they actually appointed!
I did chedck who was appointed.
They said they wanted an experienced finance professional.
They appointed a social worker. I have nothing against social workers, at all, but when their CV was published it showed no experience of finance at all.
As ever, you as a troll gets it wrong.
I think you may have misunderstood that one, Richard. I read it as “The employers tell you ‘it was a strong field’ (i.e. there were people better than you), but when you see who they appointed, you realise that was just an excuse.”
Oh dear Graeme your prejudices are showing! I’m sure they didn’t want Richard because he would have forced them to stand up to the Tory government under-funding the NHS! Can’t have a extremely knowledgeable and smart thinking upstart like Richard forcing them to be principled can we!
Schofield, I think you misunderstood what Graeme Purves was saying. Graeme was not trolling Richard; Graeme was trolling the Local NHS Trust that did not select Richard.
When I working as a counsellor, I came to realise there is, in many work places, a cult of managerialism. Especially true in the public sector with micro-management. In the private it is often exploitative.
There is a ‘true faith’ and questioning it is not acceptable. I found many people did not accept it but for various reasoning, dared not confront it. They had mortgages and other debts and alternative jobs were few and far between.
I have this fantasy of one day they realise they are not alone and find their voice.
Remember Nicolae Ceausesco delivering a speech to the normally subservient masses and then the booing started and spread? He was soon replaced.
Change is possible. We need clear leadership.
I get messages asking me to join the local healthwatch board. However, you have to say that you agree with what the government is doing to the NHS. That’s one thing I can’t sign, and would soon be found out.
🙂
I had exactly the same experience when I applied for a Non Exec role at my local NHS Trust. I was suitably with extensive relevant public and private sector experienced. I was also asked to resign as a Trustee of a National Charity that was haemorrhaging cash. The organisation was facing an existential threat and the Chair who had no financial experience thought I was being too challenging with the Exec team all of whom have since left. I was a family Trustee ad my son is Autistic and is supported by the organisation. My experience of the care sector is that is is very insular.
Thanks