The Walker With Heart

I don't often blog about my day job, mainly because I suspect its rather boring.  However, every so often I'm involved in something I think may be more interesting, or I'm particularly product of. One of those things was launched this week, the Civil Service's Talent Action Plan.  As some of you know I'm the Vice-Chair of the Civil Service Disability Network and Chair HSE's own network (known as Equal). These roles are ones that I fit in with the day job, which as some of you are probably thinking "What does he do?" is being a Senior Scientific Officer in the Corporate Science Unit of HSE, leading on Knowledge Management and Futures/Horizon Scanning and liaison with the Government Office for Science (told you it was less than riveting). Behind the scenes over the last six months the CSDN, and our sister networks on other protected characteristics, have been working with Cabinet Office to try and turn a loose concept into something that can work for...

Tomorrow, Monday, I get to do something new... an exercise test. I wish I could tell you if I was walking, cycling or walking... But no one has told me.  All the information I have is that I should "Dress for exercise". As I look at my boxes of technical gear I'm left in a bit of a quandary, do I go minimalist and turn up in skimpy shorts and a running vest. Or generic and a pair of tracksters and a technical top from one of my long runs. Or take the piss and turn up with full on winter walking gear, with a confidence rope over my shoulder and crampons and ice axe... Why am I thinking of taking the piss?  I've campaigned too long and too hard for decent, patient orientated services for any of us to get a letter saying "dress for exercise".  If I could swim, I'd turn up in a wetsuit and snorkel. Am I making too much of this, I don't think so - I have been asking for more information about this test since October.  I've checked the hospital...

There's a very good campaign going on the in NHS at the moment, reminding our healthcare professionals of the importance of introducing themselves, and how this can help patients to feel less intimidated by the surroundings they find themselves in.  The campaign homepage is here: http://hellomynameis.org.uk/ Knowing about the campaign and the positive impact it had I was surprised when a recent MRI didn't include the introductions, either in the formula of "Hello my name is" or any variant. Which is where being a stroppy soul kicked in, whilst its a nicety for me, for others it can make a real difference.  So I emailed the patient services team, and very quickly got emailed back by the head of radiology.  At no point did I say this was a complaint, it genuinely is feedback on how they could provide a better service.  A couple of emails latter, and a telephone chat, I know the team has been reminded of the importance of these little things. ...

I need structure... I need something that scares me just enough... Half marathons are fun, enjoyable romps around cities... Ultras are fun, in that gruelling, terrifying way that makes me laugh in that slightly mad way... And then there's the Fellsman, that glorious insane quest that looms large every year and this year is not going to happen. So, I need some base training for Fellsman 2016. I need to get back to knowing that I have to put one foot in front of another, putting the last couple of months behind me and smiling as I do it.  I need a plan to follow and to challenge me to getting up and out three times a week. October is a long way off, but close enough to feel real.  It fits in with what I've got coming up - the fun run on Sunday, the start getting myself back into some sort of shape for Liverpool Half, then the long summer of long runs, the GNR will be perfect for the last flourish before the taper.  The planned walks are the...