Tips for thriving on the 1st year of the NHS Grad Scheme

After 10 days of sun and amazing food in the Basque country I have had some time to reflect on my first year of the NHS graduate management training scheme. It has had its ups and downs, and I definitely needed this holiday, but I have learnt so much and enjoyed myself at the same time.   Here are my top tips for anyone starting the grad scheme:

1. The rest of your cohort will be there to support and help you, so get to know them.  This will be through uni days, action learning sets but also more informally. We have shared tips and reading lists for essays, supported each other through crises at work, and laughed about who has come up against the most red tape!  They are also an important resource for seeing how things are done in other hospitals- learning from each other should not stop in this era of increased competition.   Being the only trainee in an organisation can be isolating and one of the best things about the grad scheme is the links with the world outside your placement! Which brings me to the next point...

2. Make the most of the grad scheme opportunities. I have been to the NHS innovation expo where I heard from David Nicholson and Jeremy Hunt, as well as listening to a debate on open data in the NHS and how we can improve dementia care.  I also went to a master class on social policy with David Brooks and the charity Kids Company.  These were not directly related to my first placement but it was really good to get a wider view of health and social care as well as getting into the operational detail in my placement.  You can also do this through social media- I mainly use twitter but also through reading blogs. 

3.  Make the most of your orientation period- this is such a great opportunity to see a part of the NHS which we will probably never see again. Some really memorable days for me were spending a day in an ambulance, the hospital canteen, laundry service, and observing an operation.  Also remember that these opportunities don't go away after September, you can still ask to shadow people and get to know different departments although being busy might keep this to once a month instead of every day!

4. Everyone has a different first placements- different organisations and managers Have varying knowledge of the grad scheme, the level we should be working at and what kind of support is needed.  The key relationship is with your programme and placement managers, to ensure that any problems can be resolved early on and your competences are met.  If you have no luck there then talk to the local, and then national, leadership academy.  It is also helpful to compare what you are doing / what hours you are working etc with other people on the grad scheme in the same specialism. 

5. Buddy up with a junior doctor- they will give you an important insight into how doctors view the running of the hospital and they will learn more about management to prepare themselves for future clinical leadership roles.  Most junior doctors wont have met many managers before and the stereotypes go both ways (even the grad scheme was guilty of telling us how scary consultants are on our first day!). This will be easier for general managers to organise, so other trainees could start in their orientation.  You could ask a consultant or academic tutor if anyone knows a junior doctor interested in management, or alternatively you could try to get their emails from medical staffing.  

6. Relish the challenge- At the interview, when I asked why I applied to the grad scheme, I said that I didn't want a boring job, and that I wanted a challenge... That wish certainly came true! At times over the past year, when work has been piling up on my placement and essay deadlines are looming, I have had to remind myself that this is part of the learning, and the best thing about the grad scheme is being in a real job with real responsibility... So make the most of it and effect as much change as you possibly can! 

This year has flown by, so now it's on to my flexi placement at the Kings Fund and my second placement in strategy at Birmingham Children's Hopsital- any tips for these would be great!