A stunning collaborative Tonic Arts programme at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh has been announced as joint winner for Best Collaborative Arts Project (Static) at this year’s Building Better Healthcare Awards.
The progamme was also highly commended in the Patient’s Choice Award category. Delivered by NHS Lothian Charity’s Tonic Arts team and curated by Round Table Projects, this innovative and ambitious programme was part of a major reprovision of the Edinburgh Haematology Centre, following a generous donation from an anonymous donor.
Delivered during Covid lockdowns, the programme was inspired by the dynamic industrial heritage and diverse natural environment of the Firth of Forth, the estuary lying between the Lothians and Fife. In fact, you can see the image of the bridges over the Forth as you move throughout the building.
Patients receiving treatment and staff at the Centre were instrumental in developing the strategy and creating the brief; selecting and engaging with artists at every stage of the commissioning process. When asked about the old facility, patients and staff spoke of a numbing sense of isolation from the living world and of craving a connection to the outdoors, with a keenly articulated desire for “something to take you away, to remind you you’re alive”.
Eight artists were commissioned to produce a series of artworks and installations that would soften and enhance the clinical environment. There are artworks in every bedroom, hand-built beautiful ceramic artworks in the treatment areas, as well as digital and painted artworks in various rooms within the Centre.
Patient and staff areas are now flooded with rich creative spaces, providing thought-provoking points of interest and imagery of the natural world. These also support the mental and emotional wellbeing of staff, patients and visitors to the Centre, especially those confined to wards due to compromised immune systems.
Patricia Scott, Patient Representative on the Commissioning Team, said:
“Some patients might spend a great deal of time in a cancer clinic and sometimes as treatment progresses it can become difficult to concentrate or even read, and this can result in feeling depressed and isolated as you don’t have the energy to do anything other than stare at the walls. The old environment was functional and basic in design and lighting, but when your body is craving the greenery of an outdoor landscape and the beauty of the sky, it is therapeutic to have beautiful and uplifting art in rooms and linking corridors to provide a recuperative and much needed connection with nature. I believe this calming and inspirational environment will aid recovery for patients, and just as importantly, provide a good atmosphere for the wonderful staff who work there.”
Fiona Smith, Senior Charge Nurse, Haematology Day Treatment, said:
“From the moment you walk in it has that positive vibe about it. It’s an amazing environment with big open spaces and amazing artwork – people can’t help but smile when they come in.”
Frances Priest, one of the eight artists and designers whose work helped transform the space, said:
“There’s a reference between craft and material and the level of precision and care that’s given to the patients who will come here and that’s a lovely match of ethos. Having these different interventions round the space makes it feel human.”
Susan Grant, Tonic Arts Manager, said:
“We are delighted to have been announced Joint Winner with our Glasgow NHS colleagues for the Best Collaborative Arts Project (Static) at the Building Better Healthcare awards for our arts enhancements at the Edinburgh Haematology Centre. This recognition is testament to the hard work of our dedicated team, including Arabella Harvey of partners Round Table Projects who curated the commission, and the importance of arts in improving health and wellbeing.
“Our Tonic Arts programme enriches the experience and enhances the environments of NHS Lothian. We work collaboratively with our colleagues and partners to pioneer a culture in which the arts are valued across the service, using creativity to improve and support the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and visitors.”
We are delighted to invite you to join our Employment Law Partners at our free webinar on Tuesday 29 November at 12:00.
Employment law update – your ‘need to know’ update on recent developments affecting you and your employees
Join Ben Doherty and Kate Wyatt as they offer guidance on how to manage matters such as collective action and conflicts involving protected characteristics, as well as reviewing recent cases and highlighting upcoming developments to be aware of.
Ben and Kate will cover:
- Case updates covering holiday pay for part year workers and whistleblowing as a reason for dismissal
- Updates on legislation for tips, neonatal care, fitnotes and online Right To Work checks
- Overview of the proposed repeal of all EU derived law by the end of 2023 including likely impact on the law on maximum working hours, holiday pay and business transfers
- Practical guidance on managing collective action and conflicts involving protected characteristics
The webinar will be interactive and you are encouraged to ask questions in advance by email to bendoherty@lindsays.co.uk and katewyatt@lindsays.co.uk and to ask questions at the session itself. Our speakers will endeavour to answer all of your questions and will be available for further questions from 13.00 – 13.30.
Leadership mentoring is an interesting topic because it can be effective on two levels. Firstly, a leadership mentoring relationship can be one where a mentee is keen to progress within an organisation and wants to connect with a mentor who can help them to develop their leadership skills.
At the other level, becoming a mentor can also help to develop some very important qualities that are invaluable in great leaders.
Manager versus Leader
Let’s start by looking at the key differences between a manager and a leader. Very broadly speaking the key difference is that a manager will focus on planning, organising and co-ordinating resources to complete tasks and deliver results. In contrast a leader will inspire, motivate, and influence those around them, which will drive people to achieve their goals and objectives whilst working towards the bigger picture.
Very often you can distinguish a manger from a leader by virtue of the fact that people may feel compelled to follow managers due to their job title but will voluntarily follow a leader due to their vision and encouragement.
Making the switch from manager to leader can be a difficult transition. Very often people are promoted to the level of manager due to technical competency not necessarily because of leadership skills and as we can see from the above definition, the skills required of a leader are very different to those of a manager. This doesn’t mean that a manager can’t nurture and develop leadership skills. So, let’s look at how mentoring can help to do this.
Increase Self Awareness
As a leader it is very important to have an awareness of others and how you are impacting them. It is often difficult to get honest feedback about this, so this is one area that a mentor can provide valuable input and help to work on developing greater self-awareness.
Broaden Perspective
As a manager you are often encouraged to have a laser focus on achieving specific goals, as a leader you need to be able to broaden this perspective and develop a wider organisational focus. Working with a mentor or indeed a number of different mentors or mentees who have a different perspective and experience can be very beneficial.
Network Development
Networking is key for an effective leader, having a limited network can limit career development opportunities. Mentoring can help both mentees and mentors to develop their network and hence their potential to increase their visibility, to get advice and widen their perspective.
Improve Communication and Interpersonal Skills
The ability to be a good communicator is another vitally important skill of a great leader. The mentoring relationship provides a space for both mentor and mentee to develop effective communication, listening and questioning skills.
Leadership Skill Development For Mentors
It is often assumed that it is the mentee that benefits from a mentoring relationship, however it is very clear that it can also be advantageous to mentors.
Research has shown that in helping mentees to solve problems, mentors practice their own leadership skills and this contributes to their development as leaders.
Great leaders have the desire to share knowledge, expertise, and lessons learned throughout their careers with other members of the organisation, and mentoring affords the opportunity to do this. By sharing this experience, it gives the mentor a better awareness of what they have learnt in their career and this can be a great confidence booster.
Learn and apply different leadership styles
Leaders who are willing and able to adapt their leadership style to align with every new situation become the most respected and trusted individuals in a company. Mentoring gives leaders the chance to improve on their established leadership approach and develop new leadership techniques as they work with different personalities, styles, and skillsets.
Wider Perspective
By working with mentees from different backgrounds it provides the opportunity for leaders to gain a greater understanding of the issues faced by different individuals and groups within their organisation and to be able to then better inspire, lead and provide more opportunities for these individuals.
If you would like to improve your leadership skills, why not take a closer look at our mentoring program.
We believe in keeping our clients up-to-date on legal matters that impact them both personally and in business. Our regular webinars, training and events are hosted by Solicitors who specialise in their field. They will provide the latest legal insights and updates, along with practical and implementable actions to help you navigate change.
Our autumn event programme is now available. You will find a range of interesting and insightful topics, from Employment Law to Data Protection, to Immigration and IP Protection.
Upcoming Webinars at a glance
Watermans is backing a fund-raising campaign to help disadvantaged children across Edinburgh, The Lothians, and Fife.
Cash for Kids, the well-established Radio Forth initiative, will receive a £50 boost for every will or power of attorney written up by the modern law firm from October 3 until December 23.
Cash for Kids is a grant-giving charity supporting and assisting disadvantaged children and vulnerable young people across Scotland and the UK. Its mission is to improve the lives of those affected by poverty, illness, or neglect, helping them to experience a more positive childhood.
Scott Whyte, managing director at Watermans, with offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow, said: “We are currently in a period where many in our local communities are experiencing unprecedented hardship as the cost-of-living crisis takes its toll.
“Sadly, that so often has the most severe consequences for those most vulnerable – our children. Thankfully, the amazing work of Cash for Kids will provide some much-needed help and happiness to many of our local children.
“Through this initiative, the team at Watermans will be directly supporting this outstanding work and we hope to provide as much support as we can to this cause. This also gives our clients the opportunity to take care of an essential piece of legal ‘housekeeping’ while supporting Cash for Kids’ work in improving the lives of our local young people.”
Having a will – or keeping your current one up to date – is important. Anyone who owns property, has savings, children, or other dependents should have one.
Planning for the future and for what may happen in the event of your death is an important life decision. It can be a task you may want to put off and deal with later, however, planning for what happens to your estate as soon as possible offers peace of mind for both you and your loved ones.
Appointing a power of attorney allows your loved ones to take care of you, your finances, and your affairs if you become unable to do so for yourself.
To start the process or for more information on wills and power of attorney, and to support the Cash for Kids programme, contact Watermans on 0131 555 7055.
Free market research insights and on-air spotlight will drive business growth
STV has launched two new initiatives aimed at helping businesses in Scotland grow. Market Voices is a free market research monitor which will provide key insights into consumer trends; and STV Business Spot is an on-air segment which will shine a spotlight on innovative and inspiring Scottish businesses.
MARKET VOICES will help inform businesses about what Scottish consumers are thinking. STV Commercial will commission Scotland’s biggest research panel, ScotPulse, and the service will bring businesses up-to-date research and insights, sharing the real voices of consumers from across the country, including what purchasing decisions they are prioritising and what is resonating with them – enabling businesses to maximise the effectiveness of their marketing.
Danielle Kelly, Director of Strategy and Sales (Scotland) said: “We are uniquely placed to share powerful insights on consumer sentiment. We know that investing in marketing can be transformational for businesses because we see it every day, but we also know that it can be time consuming and costly to find up-to-date trend information for Scotland. We want to make it easier for businesses to make the right decisions with valuable insights at their fingertips to maximise the impact and effectiveness of their marketing.”
STV BUSINESS SPOT will see the broadcaster showcase Scottish businesses across the channel in key airtime slots, making it easier for consumers to find out more about the businesses operating in Scotland. This spotlight will encourage businesses to tell their own unique and powerful stories, raising their profile and enabling them to tell their story to a mass audience.
The STV Business Spot will also be available as an extended fireside chat with business leaders in the STV Growth Academy hub, to help share insights and learnings across the Scottish business community.
Danielle Kelly added: “The past couple of years have been challenging for so many and, given the current economic backdrop, it’s more important than ever that the business community is supported to ensure that we thrive together. We’re confident that our new research offering and on-air spotlight campaigns will help businesses to maximise their marketing effectiveness and continue in their growth ambitions.”
MM Search, Scotland’s award-winning and fastest-growing executive search firm, is coming to the end of a highly successful fourth year in business. The headhunter has enjoyed financial growth, doubled its clients, and appointed seven new staff members.
Since MM Search launched in 2018, the business has gone from strength to strength, reaching and exceeding the targets set by Founding Managing Partners Ken Morrice and Derek MacFeate. Over the past 12 months, the headhunter has seen substantial financial growth, experiencing a 40% increase in revenue since 2021.
In addition to financial success, MM Search’s client base continues to expand, with global brands Alexander Dennis, KCA Deutag, Talking Medicines, and Content Guru joining the portfolio. As well as welcoming new business from a range of sectors, the MM Search team is continuing its relationships with many long-term clients, including Wheatley Group, Beeks Group and Harbro. These global partnerships have strengthened the brand’s overseas presence, and in the last year, MM Search has made successful placements in every continent and doubled its retained client list.
2022 has also seen the MM Search team grow significantly, with seven new team members joining the business. Managing Partner Ken Morrice says, “At MM Search, we know that a company is only as good as the people within it, and over the last year, we have been focusing on building the best team possible. As well as expanding our staff, we have also been nurturing and investing in the existing team, and we are delighted to have made three internal promotions this year. Our most recent appointments include Sarah Belbin and Karolina Ostrowska, who will be joining us as Business Delivery Manager and Business Delivery Executive.
“To accommodate our growing team, we recently moved into a newly renovated office in the heart of Glasgow. The move means we have twice as much space to accommodate our staff and has allowed us to offer our employees all the resources they need to perform at their best.”
This expansion is set to continue into the company’s fifth year as MM Search is now working towards developing a range of sub-divisions. “In 2022, we created a dedicated technology division to address high demand within the sector,” explains Managing Partner Derek MacFeate. “The success of this specialised division means we are now looking to create further departments to focus on other key growth areas such as energy and renewables, property and construction.”
MM Search has also enjoyed recent awards triumphs, having been shortlisted in the British HR Awards 2022 for the Recruitment Partner of the Year category and included in the Inspiring Workplaces Group’s Top 50 Inspiring Workplaces across EMEA. “We’re thrilled to have had our work recognised at some of the industry’s most prestigious awards,” says Ken Morrice. “We have also been listed as finalists in the Global Recruiter Awards 2022 under the Best Employer Brand category. We look forward to meeting our fellow nominees at the ceremony later this year.”
As the company prepares to embark on its fifth year, Derek MacFeate says, “Ken and I are dedicated to achieving our business goals and, with the support of an incredible Board, we have backed ourselves and built a recognised name within the sector. We are immensely proud to have established a trusted brand with a unique approach to executive search and to be able to leverage our success to give back to the communities that mean the most to us. From our Executive Intern Programme to investing in grassroots sport through our Greenock Wanderers Rugby Football Club sponsorship, we are committed to enabling projects to continue their valuable work and flourish.”
Last Thursday, the Scottish Legal Awards 2022 took place at the Hilton Hotel, Glasgow. The Scottish Legal Awards is the national celebration for achievements in Scottish law and the legal industry and consistently attracts a high number of firms entering. This year was no exception with over 70 entries and 35 firms named as finalists.
Blackadders were named as a finalist for Employment Team of the Year Award and, on the night, the Panel commented that this was an extremely tough category to judge with a number of strong entries. Ultimately Blackadders’ Employment Team received a Highly Commended award “in particular for its podcasts which are informative, fun and a little bit quirky”. The Blackadders’ ‘Employment Lawyer in Your Pocket’ podcast currently has over 13k subscribers and is currently on series 8 with over 70 episodes.
Simon Allison, Head of the Employment Team, stated that he was extremely pleased to have won this award. He dedicated the award to his hard-working team.
Well done Simon, Donna, Stephen, Jack, Blair, Ethan, Emma and Katy – Highly Commended Employment Team of the Year 2022.
Link to our website – https://bit.ly/3RjhxRr
Please note this is an in-person course delivered from our George St, Edinburgh offices.
Overview:
People management is often the biggest concern of team leaders, supervisors and managers, which is understandable given that it is a fundamental to being a great manager.
This interactive 2 days of practical learning and training covers tools and techniques to get the best out of your people including delegation skills, team engagement and holding people to account. You will learn active listening and good questioning techniques, fundamental to handling difficult conversations and people. It will share the five steps to having great delivery conversations and how to adapt your approach to different people and scenarios. We explore how to create working environments where people feel empowered and engaged.
These two workshops identify what it means to be a great people manager, exploring the roles, responsibilities and skill sets required. It is delivered over two separate days, to allow you to apply your learning to your practice, build your confidence with the materials and approaches and connect with the other participants.
Who should attend?
This course is for newly appointed or existing first level team leaders, supervisors and managers who have had limited formal training in people management.
Learning Outcomes:
- Gain greater confidence and ability in managing, leading and supervising people
- Understand how to effectively delegate tasks and responsibilities
- Know how to better handle difficult people, situations and conversations
- Feel more confident in asking team members to complete tasks
- Know how to get your team to feel more empowered and engaged in their work
- Develop confidence in giving and receiving feedback
Course Director: Mark Douglas
Train your team:
This course can be delivered on site for corporate teams and tailored to your specific requirements. For details contact training@edinburghchamber.co.uk
The ECC training experience:
- Expert trainers – Passionate specialists who keep up to date with the latest trends in their field
- Quality delivery – Trainers are assessed annually on the quality of their delivery and delegate engagement
- Practical training methods – Theory and practical based training to take back to the office
- Small class sizes – No more than 15 people to ensure you get the most from our trainers
- Wide breadth of topics – ECC offer over 40 different essential business training courses covering everything from Leadership and Management through to Digital and International Trade
- 3 learning levels – Beginner /Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced
Cancellation Policy: Click Here
Hot of the heels of winning the best contemporary gin in The Gin Guide awards, G.H.Q. Spirtis were awarded two silver medals for their London Dry Gin and Scottish Vodka. With more than 2000 entries from 40 countries they are thrilled to have received these medals. Folowing on from this, LuxLife’s Food and Drink awards 2022 has awarded G.H.Q. Spirits as the Most Innovative Premium Spirits Brand – Scotland. Expanding their B2B portfolio across Scotland and now in England and France.
