2020 has felt so surreal at times, the stuff of fiction. And like a sci-fi or horror movie the dramatic twists and turns just don't seem to stop (not just the covid ones, it’s truly shocking what is happening over in America).
In thinking about how much things have
changed, I looked at last year’s blog to reflect on what I was talking
about twelve months ago. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was very much focussed on
all the usual new year resolutions, ambitions and aspirations.
It’s understandable of course that no-one
seems to be bothering with any of this for 2021. In the aftermath of the last
distressing and tough year, and especially now being in the eye of the storm of
another pandemic wave, setting goals feels a bit futile and also a tad
overwhelming to be honest. Just getting through the next few months is going to
be hard enough.
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we
need to cut ourselves some slack. After a year that thoroughly upended our
lives, the most “typical” resolutions – to travel more, spend more time with
friends, start a new hobby - seem a little
frivolous if not impossible to achieve.
This year instead, I’m focusing on the ‘here
and now’ and what I ‘value’ most. So, I’m concentrating on maintaining my
energy and my health, which includes filling up on the ‘feel good’ factor of
being outside (and not feeling guilty with the big slice of cake after a walk)
and a newly discovered love of 'pottering'.
With the restrictions over Christmas, I was
forced into a much less social break, and surprisingly I really enjoyed doing
nothing more for a couple of days than getting up late, sitting around in my
pyjamas and overloading on telly and food. Of course, I don't think my clothes
could cope with a further year of that, but there is definitely something to be
said about the value of pottering!
In last year’s blog, I talked about 2020
being the Year of the Rat which signifies spirit, flexibility and courage. The
rat has an energetic and tenacious nature, which you have demonstrated in
bucket loads during the pandemic. Our value of ingenuity has been running
through your veins, and we’ll no doubt need to draw deeply on this value over
2021 as well. It’s helped us make so much progress, even though it’s been
seriously tough.
And so now as we move into the Year of the
Ox, it feels quite relevant again as the ox denotes dependability, strength,
determination and diligence. Determination is another of our values and all the
ox’s characteristics will have to manifest deeply in all of us in the coming
months. The ox is “grounded, loyal, gentle and trustworthy”, which are
attributes I regularly hear people use to praise you from the rooftops.
It seems entirely appropriate that
another tough year is symbolised by a beast of burden! You have carried, and
continue to carry, an enormous responsibility for keeping services going for
the benefit of people who rely on you despite the heavy load and risk to you
personally. I am so very proud of everything you are doing.
Whilst it has felt very strange
saying Happy New Year to colleagues this week, given we
have started the year in very familiar but worrying territory, there is hope on the
horizon with the vaccines. A successful vaccine programme will solve both the
health and economic crisis. Once enough jabs have been administered, the
pressure on the NHS will begin to lift, restrictions will be eased, businesses
will be allowed to reopen and the economy will recover. We will hopefully be
able to get back to some semblance of 'normal' life before this time next year.
I know some of you have
already been able to access the vaccine from hospital hubs, but we have been
asked to prepare to be a vaccine hub ourselves from next Monday and to try to
vaccinate as many of our front line and at risk staff by the end of January.
We are currently training staff to deliver vaccines and, as soon as we receive supplies, we will be off. We will give people more details
as soon as we can.
So although things might get worse before
they get better, they will get better. It makes me think of the M. Scott Peck
book ‘The Road Less Travelled’. He starts with the sentence ‘Life is difficult’
and goes on to explain that, when we accept that, we can develop the tools to
cope and move beyond it. Like the ox, we need to stay positive and stand firm
for this last leg and try and get through it as best we can.
So, let’s keep on looking after ourselves and
each other. If there are things the Board could be practically doing to help
people get through the next few months, we want to know about them. We have NHS
charities money to help with your wellbeing and have previously done comfort
packs to front line teams.
We’ve already got feedback about what might
help to support your wellbeing through various different channels, but please
keep your thoughts and ideas coming through. You can let us know through our
staff networks, via the communications team or the new open forum section on
our intranet.
Here's to a more hopeful 2021.
Best wishes
Claire
You can follow me on Twitter @ClaireMolloy2
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