Report from IHM Annual Awards Dinner
Released on 13/08/2008
The Institute of Healthcare Management held its Annual Awards Dinner on the 2nd July 2008 at The Royal College of Physicians. The evening was a great success with over 70 people attending. The evening started with a drinks reception in the impressive Dorchester Library followed by the dinner and awards presentations in the Long & Osler Rooms.
There was a handwriting analyst available throughout the night giving interesting analysts who proved very popular. In between the courses of the dinner, Andrew Corbett-Nolan, IHM Chair, acted as host for a quiz on 60 years of the NHS with the winning table receiving a bottle of champagne.
John Brunt, past president of the IHM, compared the evening. The fist after dinner speech was by Bob Nicholls CBE, past president of the IHM, who gave an insightful look back over the first 60 years of the NHS looking at the high and low points of the NHS and how it has progressed and changed (the speech is available here). Stuart Bain, IHM President, responded to this with a thought provoking speech which included some interesting and personal thoughts on what the next 60 years of the NHS might hold.
Following the speeches were the presentations of the awards.
The Nuffield Trust Joint Travel award was the first to be presented. The Nuffield Trust Joint Travel Award offers the chance for healthcare managers and nurses to undertake a joint study tour overseas, including travel to developing countries, or to other UK countries, with the aim of working together to improve the patient experience.
Gillian Swan and Fiona Grant who both have nursing backgrounds and work in Scotland travelled to Australia for a three week trip looking at how healthcare is provided in remote locations. The trip was a chance to see frontline healthcare staff in action and learn lessons that could benefit Scottish healthcare services. Robert Sowney, Vice Chair of the RCN presented the award to Gillian Swan who accepted on behalf of herself and Fiona Grant.
As the immediate past president of the IHM Gerry McSorley was presented with his past presidents medal by current IHM President Stuart Bain. Gerry McSorley served an elongated term as President of the IHM to ensure that sufficient support and continuity could be provided – following the arrival of our (then new) Chief Executive, Sue Hodgetts. This commitment came at a time when Gerry moved from his Chief Executive role at Nottingham City Hospital to the Centre for Health Improvement and Leadership in Lincoln. During his period as President, Gerry also completed his Doctorate and (towards the end of his presidency) moved to the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement.
New Fellows of the IHM were also recognised, the awardees all achieved Fellowship following participation in a special development programme for members of the Armed Forces, consisting of seminars, mentoring and learning sets. Eleven members achieved Fellowship and of those five were able to accept their award, these were Group Captain Alan Cowan, Brigadier Stephen Howe Colonel Mark Pemberton and Colonel Jerry Tuck.
Also presented were the IHM Companionship Award and the Unsung Heroes & Heroines Award. In order to be eligible for Companionship of the Institute the member must have been a member of the Institute for a period of at least 10 years continuous membership and have made a significant and sustained contribution to the profession of management, with the contribution having a direct relevant to healthcare management. More information about the award and the 2008 companions can be found here.
The beauty of Unsung Heroes & Heroines Award is that it is not prescriptive, so someone who has made a difference to patients’ lives by cheerfully serving tea and biscuits on the wards, can be considered alongside engineers who keep the boilers of a hospital going through think and thin or nurses, doctors, and importantly managers and administrators who make a difference, but who would not normally get their names up in lights. More information about the award and the 2008 winners can be found here.
A selection of pictures taken on the evening can be found here.
Contact
Angela McArthy
Email: a.mcarthy@ihm.org.uk
