My First Week at Nene

Tom Dodd – Senior Locality Manager – East Northants – Nene Commissioning
Having spent the previous year working quite closely with 31 PCTs across London, I witnessed an assortment of ways in which commissioning organisations were organised to be involved and committed to improving the wellbeing of people on their patch. With a background in mental health, I’m passionate about how people are supported to influence the services that they use, and in this respect I feel that an organisation’s behaviour is a much better mark of their values than what’s declared in their ‘statements of intent.’

So, on joining the team here at Nene, I was struck by an authentic sense of working together and a feeling that what we bring through our experience and beliefs is respected. Good start.

I’m pleased that I took some time to find out about how Nene had progressed, and how it had behaved as an organisation to get to this point.  This was reassuring - despite the challenges ahead (or maybe because of them) Nene looks steadfast in involving people who can hold the group to account, and with whom we can talk openly and listen to. It’s inevitable that Nene will grow and mature; this cooperative culture feels strong enough to endure as a solid underpinning for the group. Even better.

I’m looking forward to getting to know people across the locality. I live here too, and I want my family to have access to the best that’s available. It’s no longer only managers who are making the commissioning decisions that will impact on my family, it’s also some very skilled clinicians who I know already (in the first week!) are assertive and vocal in making their case. Best of all.

I think that clinical commissioning will also evolve and reveal a set of values that will resonate with most people. For now, the overriding sense of collaboration and open dialogue is the most welcome feature on joining Nene.