A fond farewell – Dean Royles final blog as HPMA President

I hope my final blog as President of the HPMA doesn’t come across as too reflective or with too much of a perspective of rose tinted glasses. I have always been someone who tries to be optimistic and to look forward rather than backwards. As President I hope I have highlighted the range of talent, skills and experience that as so evident in our profession and that serve our staff, patients and service users so diligently.

It will be four years in April since I became President of the HPMA and I think we can all agree these last few years have been a character building few years for the NHS people profession! Brexit and all the implications for workforce that the exit from the European Union precipitated gave way to Covid and the workplace challenges of redeployment, isolation and social distancing. We now find ourselves in the midst of deep-seated industrial action and the dangers that inevitably presents to the hard years of work on developing and enhancing progressive, effective employee relations.

Each of these seismic shifts would have tested us, tested our skills, tested our character and tested our intellect. Together they have provided a sink or swim environment. We chose not only to swim and survive but push on and thrive. I know it has been hard, it has been emotionally taxing, tiring and exhausting but when you work in an organisation with purpose almost all sacrifices are worth it.

The NHS has core purpose outlined in the NHS Constitution:

The NHS belongs to the people. The NHS is there to improve our health and well-being, supporting us to keep mentally and physically well, to get better when we are ill and, when we cannot fully recover, to stay as well as we can to the end of our lives. It works at the limits of science – bringing the highest levels of human knowledge and skill to save lives and improve health. It touches our lives at times of basic human need when care and compassion are what matter most.

It seems to be that that care and compassion has been demonstrated in abundance as the people profession has tried its best to support those who everyday serve our citizens, going the extra mile to make a real difference, even when the current political and industrial context seems to show those that work in the public sector so little value and appreciation. These are tough times.

But I also leave the role of President optimistic and upbeat about the future. There will no doubt bring new challenges and social shifts, new reorganisations, plans and frameworks that change the way our health and care system operate and delivers services for patients and service users. Some will be for the better,  other changes no doubt less so. However, the last few years have had a dramatic and positive benefits on the standing, the skills and the experience of those working in our profession. In my view there is increased confidence in the capability of the people profession. Skills honed in the crucible of the challenges we have endured and mastered these last few years mean we now have amazing talent in every aspect of the people profession from OD to recruitment, in training and development, in staff health and well-being, in ED and I and in employee relations and I could go on… This is our finest generation.

I do hope that I and the HPMA have played our part in ensuring the ongoing success of those now working in these most challenging, most demanding and most enjoyable of the roles. I will still continue to work in and with the NHS and I know that Janet Wilkinson and Sarah Morley as incoming Presidents, supported by Nicky Ingham and the HPMA team will continue to be champions and advocates for you and for our profession. It has been an enormous pleasure to work with you and to serve you. Thank you.

Dean Royles

President HPMA