New Year, New Me?

As 2025 beckons I realise I have long since given up on new year’s resolutions, I even tried resolving to gain more weight, do less exercise and spend more money in the vein hope that, as I had never kept any of my previous resolutions, this could be the winning combination. Sadly, it was not to be as I continue to eat cake and guiltily stare at the rowing machine in the spare room. However, I am still thinking about ‘a new me’ for the coming year to fortify me for the challenges she..I..we..will face. 

There will be some of you out there that have been clinical directors since the start and I wonder if you, like me, are getting fatigued with the role. Since 2019 I feel that we have climbed a mountain and planted the flag only to find that the summit was still a long way from where we thought it was.

We had our PCN Christmas party recently and I marvelled about the quality of the people I work with and how much we have achieved, even in elf ears and tinsel earrings we were an impressive bunch. We have given a lot to our local community between us and we now move into the next phase of the journey together.

So, what is over the horizon – what are the peaks yet to climb? I hear you ask. Well I have three letters that fill my heart with workload dread I,N,T. For the record, I like so many others think integrated neighbourhood teams (INTs) are fundamentally a good idea and I suspect that some of my older colleagues may even say history is repeating – like, integrated care boards are a bit like health authorities.

INTs are needed to help us improve the care of our frail elderly and to improve care across the system. Primary care should sit at the heart of the INT and in turn the PCN should have a pivotal role in making them a success.

So far, the elephant in the room has been how we are going to be able to create the space to make them work and how we can pay for it all. The goodwill we once had, dropped out of this particular expedition a while ago with most of us running on thin air and those who have taken on additional roles are being asked to do a lot in less and less time.

I like working hard but even my enthusiasm is taking a battering and I know I am not alone, time after time I see colleagues looking grey and slightly haunted-although to be frank that may be a the ‘Microsoft Teams’ effect.

And here’s where the new me comes in – which is very in keeping with health secretary Wes Streeting’s push from analogue to digital – I have taken it upon myself to create a new Dr Sian.

In a particularly long meeting (that I shall not name) I was poking through the new Teams options and found that I could create a sprightly Teams Avatar – she is all bouncy and full of energy and has lovely hair.

Why did I do this? Well I am hoping she will inspire me to be more energetic and to keep going, plus it did make the hour go a lot faster picking out a cardigan with golden buttons and a pair of glasses – she’s me, only less tired and more on trend.

In my new virtual world, my plants don’t die from inattention, the floor doesn’t need a good hoover and the cushions are permanently plumped – it’s great, the new Sian always looks perfect and I can watch the meetings full of acronyms I don’t understand through new eyes.

For all you CDs out there, well done for keeping going, get yourselves an avatar and have a Happy New Year bouncing around in a virtual space wondering how to make your INT functional with absolutely no money!

Dr Sian Stanley is clinical director of Stort Valley and Villages PCN, East of England CD Representative, NHS Confederation and a GP partner in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire. Read more of her articles here.