Sometimes I think this is me, and probably most other busy working women (maybe men too these days). It might be nice sometimes only to have 3 of those plates to juggle. If you work in the NHS then you are doing all this in a rapidly changing environment. Maybe like doing the juggling while standing on a unicycle. When I first started my job almost 4 years ago now, I was employed to organise the education for nurses working for 4 separate organisations working in what was described as a quadrant. This equated to about 500 individuals. I don’t really know what I expected, but it was a huge and steep learning curve which involved commissioning courses from universities, getting involved in funding issues, arranging clinical courses etc. All this feels quite old hat now; how soon the plates which felt strange and bulky and prone to being dropped become like old friends.

When you work with patients you are to a certain extent protected from the politics of the organisation and tend not to feel changes quite so acutely. Once you get into that managerial arena things change and you have to make it your business to know a bit about what is happening. A year ago my job changed and I was moved to a new employer and base, not a bad thing; infact a very good one. A change none the less. Our department moved away from just looking after nurse education to being required to take on the remit for all education for everyone employed within two Primary Care Trusts (about 1000 people). I have to say this was a bit of a relief, as it always worried me that there wasn’t really any proper service for the rest of the staff and surely everyone needs to be educated and developed within their job?

Now we have been told that we are to move base. Another change which I guess we will take on board; after all what is in an office? People I guess and I never have that many problems getting to know and getting on with other people. I will take it in my stride. The next change which we are all awaiting though is going to be about how health care is commissioned and provided in the NHS. It will be fundamental to every person who needs health care in this country and so far little is really known about that impact. The people working in the primary care organisations don’t yet know the effects, but they are anxious as people always are when faced with change.

If my role is to change further it will now be about helping people manage change. It will be about helping prepare leaders, both new and existing and it will be about allaying fears. I hope I find out what is actually going on soon or it will feel like juggling plates in the dark riding a unicycle!