{"id":5872,"date":"2018-04-26T13:47:32","date_gmt":"2018-04-26T13:47:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/?post_type=blog_post&p=5872"},"modified":"2021-08-03T10:29:30","modified_gmt":"2021-08-03T09:29:30","slug":"save-lives-save-money-save-time-get-real","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/news\/save-lives-save-money-save-time-get-real\/","title":{"rendered":"Save lives, save money, save time and get real…"},"content":{"rendered":"
Power to Change has partnered with Nesta <\/a>for The Future of People Powered Health 2018<\/a> conference. Our Chief Executive, Vidhya Alakeson<\/a>\u00a0will be chairing a session at the event on ‘Putting health in community hands’ featuring Brendan Rooney, Executive Director of Healthy n Happy Development Community Trust<\/a>.\u00a0 In anticipation of the event on 2 May, Brendan shares his initial thoughts on people powered health on our blog.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n History and experience tell\u00a0us bad things can happen to people when others make choices about what is right and good for them. What is \u2018right and good\u2019,\u00a0who decides and for whom, and, critically, how do they decide?<\/p>\n If power is the ability or capacity to direct or influence the behaviour of others to do something or act in a particular way, or to alter the course of events, then leaders need to take note and stand up to be counted.<\/p>\n What is leadership in the public sector and third sectors and how do you find it? Are all these leaders working together or in respective silos and what if their leadership styles and visions clash?\u00a0If so, what is the reality of poor leadership and what impact does this have on our communities and their health, wellbeing and care needs?<\/p>\n Something happened in Scotland in 2014. Regardless of the views or the outcome of the independence referendum there was a strong and collective appetite for change. The recent Community Empowerment Act, Land Reform Act and the current review of local democracy could be fundamental in shifting approaches towards community-led leadership or at best they might only set the conditions. It is too early to say.<\/p>\n What they have done is turn the spotlight on listening to and supporting individuals, groups and whole communities to play a key and active role in improving the world and community that they live in and this\u00a0requires personal, professional and collective leadership. This clearly is no longer solely the domain of only those employed in public or third sectors and requires leadership in communities.<\/p>\n Individuals, families and communities actively taking responsibility for their own health and wellbeing and care needs. Does this seem familiar to those of us of a certain age? Does it seem impossible while we delude and tell ourselves how complex and busy our worlds are?<\/p>\n