Halina Brunning - chartered clinical psychologist

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PUBLIC SECTOR CONSULTANCY

WHY CONSULTANCY TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR?
"Over the past decade the public sector has been undergoing unprecedented changes, such that current culture is one of discontinuous but constant change. This has lead to stress and problems within various parts of the system leading to requests for help.

For example: Social Services Departments having to decide how to manage drastically reduces budgets and contracts with private and voluntary providers, NHS managers faced with hospital closures and schools with not enough staff to teach children with special needs.

At a time of widespread reform in the public sector, the professionals within the system feel ill-equipped to implement these changes. Consultancy offers those involved an opportunity to take stock and reflect on the relentless process of change. It also presents the possibility of seeking local, tailor-made solutions to problems often created in attempting to implement national policy changes."

From: Internal Consultancy in the Public Sector by Clare Huffington and Halina Brunning (eds) 1994, Karnac Books

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM ORGANISATIONAL CONSULTANCY?
Organisational consultancy can be of benefit to individuals, groups and teams of public sector organisations such as the NHS, Social Services and Education at times when rapid change, reconfigurations, reorganisations,mergers, de-mergers, partnership formation, single management of multi-agency teams, national curriculum, clinical governance, value for money, best value and risk management etc are driving the overt agenda.

What may be happening to individual staff members during such turbulent times when personal robustness and resilience is required?
Doubts, anxiety, uncertainties, burnout, ill-health, or leaving a chosen profession due to stress, as has been a well documented case with the nurses or teachers, may be the reaction.

What may be happening to the teams during such turbulent times when collaboration and high level of productivity is required? Low morale, conflicts, interdisciplinary rivalry, blame culture, loss of direction and absenteeism may be a problem, which managers must address.

WHAT I CAN OFFER YOU & YOUR ORGANISATION
AT THESE TURBULENT TIMES
To individuals I can offer confidential sessions on role clarification and organisational dynamics, new strategies to cope with demands and organisational stress, executive coaching, mentoring and personal development options.

To your team I can offer process facilitation, work reflection sessions, team review and evaluation, psychological approaches to interdisciplinary and multi-agency problems and conflict resolution strategies.

To your Organisation I can offer psychological approaches to help with organisational conflict, strategies for dealing with post-merger culture clash and other pressures resulting from trying to implement major organisational changes.

ABOUT MY WORK AND APPROACHES TO ORGANISATIONAL CONSULTANCY
I am a Chartered Clinical Psychologist and Associate Fellow with the British Psychological Society. I am registered with GLEA for the purpose of offering training and consultancy to Local Authorities.

I have had over thirty years experience of working in the NHS, where I performed a wide range of roles as a clinician, supervisor, lecturer, manager and internal consultant.

In parallel, I have worked as an Organisational Consultant for the last twenty years with a variety of public sector organisations.

My approach is psychological and psychodynamic and is informed by the Tavistock Clinic's consultancy training, which I completed in 1991. Additionally, I have also trained as a Change Agent, Facilitator, Group Leader and Executive Coach in a number of training organisations including the Institute of Group Analysis, Institute of Family Therapy, the King's Fund Centre, South West Thames Region and Quorum Organisational Psychologists International.

I have published extensively on clinical, management and consultancy issues and have co-written three books on organisational consultancy and the management of change. (See home page for details)

HOW WILL I CONSULT TO YOU?
As a result of years of training and experience I bring a wide range of psychological and organisational expertise to my consultative practice.

I WILL:

Offer you a psychological and a containing framework

Be challenging whilst creating a safe environment for for you and your team

Create new space and a different conversation to enable you to reflect on the issues and problems

Enable you to find your own solution to your problems

Help you appraise various options

Energise you to consider and undertake new and more appropriate action

Empower you and your team to deal with change constructively

I WILL NOT:

Offer you a pre-packaged solution

Work with you without first negotiating a contract

Break your confidentiality

Write about your organisation without your permission

WHAT MY CLIENTS HAVE SAID OF MY WORK
"It has been so useful to explore all the different changes in a constructive, well facilitated, thought-provoking way" (Senior Manager, NHS)

"It was a challenging task to bring a large group of people together and to facilitate a creative and dynamic space for us to move forward. This was tremendously successful and supportive" (Service Director, NHS)

" Stimulating, challenging and enjoyable event in an atmosphere which felt extremely safe and personally reinforcing" (Head of Therapy Services) "The work has been extremely useful and productive, it has been hard work but undertaken in a safe environment" (NHS Manager)

"I never thought you were going to be able to get us moving on this subject, but you did!" (Sector Manager after an important away-day for team)

"You have made such a difference to my team " (Team Manager)

"We have made more decisions with you today than on our own during the last six months " (from a recent multi- agency team event)

MY RECENT CLIENTS INCLUDE:
Several Community NHS Trusts, Churches, Housing Trusts, Community Health Council, London Educational Psychology Department, Social Services Departments, Drug and Alcohol Information Service, Mental Health Trust and many others.

RELEVENT PUBLICATIONS
Merger as an Emigration
Organisations and People, Journal of the AMED, 1998

HOW YOU CAN CONTACT ME
If you are interested in exploring whether my approach can help you with your current issues, problems or concerns please e-mail me via the contact page.

I will be happy to visit you at your workplace or at another location for a confidential consultation. The initial session is free of charge. Once we agree a joint project, a contract will be drawn up to cover the work and mutual expectations.