06 June 2023
In 2022, Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership (DGHSCP) partnered with The Lens to deliver its first ever Pilot Intrapreneurship Programme: ‘Making the Leap with The Lens’.
Pioneered by the Partnership’s Chief Officer, Julie White, and David Rowland, Director of Strategic Planning and Transformation, the premise was simple. They wanted to identify, test, and develop ideas that would help them deliver on their purpose: to help people live well, at home, for longer.
The partnership knew that there were an abundance of innovative ideas just waiting to be uncovered. The problem was, with extensive wait times, reduced budgets, and low staff morale, these often went unchecked. Not only that, but with over 1,600 organisations on their database, finding the dedicated time and space for staff and community members to come together, share their insights and best practices felt near impossible.
However, Julie and David knew that they key to developing and improving services lay in unlocking the potential of their people. By giving both front-line staff and community members the opportunity to play an active role in the process, they’d not only be improving the lives of those accessing care, but empowering those closest to the problem, upskilling them in the process.
Together with The Lens, the partnership designed a programme that would provide the essential space and time for staff and community members to come together and share their ideas. They committed an Investment Fund of £50k to test and scale successful ones, and invited people working across the partnership to take part.
In total, five teams from organisations across the HSCP took part in the programme. Together, they harnessed the tools, skills, and confidence they needed to not only build a solid case for investment but articulate the value of their ideas in a way they never envisioned possible. At the Investment Day, all five teams successfully secured funding.
More importantly, however, the programme provided staff the unique opportunity to transcend traditional organisational and geographic boundaries. By having the dedicated space and time to meet and collaborate, the teams formed a supportive community and were able to share best practices with each other. United in their purpose to improve the lives of people accessing care, they worked together to ensure each other’s success, offering support and suggestions whenever challenges arose.
Not only that, but through newfound friendships and connections, the teams were able to support each other’s organisations in a way not previously possible. For example, Anne Davies, an intrapreneur from Wheatley Homes South, shared with the group that her team required training around Dementia awareness. However, she’d struggled to find training that was both appropriate and within budget. Through group coaching, Cheryl and Lewis, two intrapreneurs from Care Training and Consultancy CIC (CTC), pledged to support Anne and her team by offering bespoke training that was both affordable and tailored to their needs.
Iain Campbell, Service Manager at LGBT Plus Dumfries and Galloway, also provided support by supplying fellow teams with information on additional funding routes through his work in the LGBT’s Business Development department.
But the help didn’t end there. During the Securing Investment workshops, the teams met with the Investment Team members, who were responsible for allocating funding from the £50k fund. Together, they extended their community to include the Investment Team, which helped to remove the judge vs. applicant dynamic. This not only helped the teams with their nerves, but also helped them see that they were not alone, and that everyone was united in wanting them to succeed. The Investment Team also attended the team’s mentoring workshops so that they could continue to offer their support and guidance.
For example, Larel Currie, Commissioning Officer in the Strategic Planning and Transformation Team of the HSCP, worked closely with Alan from Daar Lodge to find and implement a suitable project management and evaluation tool that would suit his learning style.
She also established a bi-monthly support group for the intrapreneurs, so that they can continue to collaborate and support one other in future.
The teams are also in regular contact with Carol Bell from Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway.
On the Programme’s success, Jenny Coxon, Lead Developer and Programme Manager, said: “Dumfries and Galloway HSCP have paved the way for doing things differently, and with great success. By empowering those closest to the problem, they’ve not only found a number of life-changing ideas that have the potential to be replicated and scaled, but they’ve also allowed staff to build a positive, supportive community that will no doubt continue to grow. By breaking down the barriers that were preventing collaborative working, the partnership has helped staff and community members across the HSCP deliver on their purpose: to help people live well, at home, for longer. It's been an incredible journey for all involved and one that I’m very proud to have been a part of”.
