– Rhiann McLean (IRISS Associate)
Right now, the project work I’m focussing on is taking stock of where we are now to help frame the changes that providers need to make to be (dare I say it?) Fit for the Future. I’m getting my head around our current national context, as well as local commissioning landscapes. In the next few weeks, I will begin the scoping stages of working with specific providers; looking at what works, and what could be improved to deliver better outcomes for older people.
The more time I spend with IRISS’ Innovation and Improvement team (https://blogs.iriss.org.uk/innovate/), the more I understand that context and environment are huge factors in change– and can be both barriers and facilitators for innovation. It has been useful to spend time recently mapping this landscape to get a real sense of the challenges and opportunities that providers in the Independent Sector are facing.
Providers often tell me that their achievements and progress sit under the ‘grey cloud’ of current media coverage of services for older people.
I’m spending some time next week analysing a week’s worth of newspapers (Scottish National) coverage of support for older people to capture the national image of older peoples services.
I hope this will help us, as a project, and our partners, understand a little about the ‘grey cloud’… and how we can get out from under it and change the conversation!
… watch this space!