Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Introduction

Devon Partnership NHS Trust provide a range of high quality specialist mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services for the people of Devon, the wider South West region and nationally. They are passionate about promoting good mental health and wellbeing. They strive to use the expertise and resources within the organisation, and through their partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe and focused on people’s recovery.

Their staff are pivotal in everything they do and they are committed to involving them fully in the development of the Trust and its services.

The Challenge

Devon Partnership Trust employ around 3,600 staff. During the course of a year they receive around 74,000 referrals and are supporting around 26,000 people every month. Staff and leaders at the Trust have faced unprecedented challenges during the pandemic and the subsequent shift to a hybrid approach to work. Seeking to move toward a more restorative, just and learning culture; while supporting their staff’s emotional resilience and maintaining and enhancing relationships in a hybrid world we start to work with the Trust.

The Approach

Agar quickly identified the 50 most senior leaders in the Trust. Using the full range of the Insights toolkit we exposed leaders to Insights Discovery, Insights full-circle and the Transformational Leadership tool. This was supported by our team of coaches who have delivered expert coaching for leaders. Supplementing this we started to work with a number of Teams from across the Trust using Insights Discovery in order to ensure shared learning.

By using Insights as a foundation it has enabled learning to be deeply personal and allowed us to explore crucial topics such as:

Responding to change
Leading in a hybrid world
Responses to pressure and stress
Building Psychological Safety
Exploring and understanding Staff Survey Results
Creating quick and effective relationships
Communicating effectively

The Impact

Award winning learning and development input.
More personalised pastoral care for staff.
Re-energising leaders and teams.
Supporting an important shift in culture.
A shared language of colour.
Greater self-awareness and understanding of others.

What They Say

“I have worked alongside AGAR consultancy for a number of years and have immense confidence in their ability to support involve and engage with leaders and teams across our organisation. The learning gained has been instrumental in ensuring that our organisation has leaders who feel equipped to utilise the tools of Insights Discovery, Insights full-circle and the Transformational Leadership tool and more importantly are able to translate this learning into their everyday practice in promoting safe patient care and are confident and competent as a workforce.”

Chris Burford
Chief Nursing Officer, Allied Professions and Interim Chief Operating Officer