Professor Brian Dolan is on a mission. First, he started a global social movement called #EndPJparalysis, which gained over 400 million impressions on Twitter and was all about encouraging patients to get up, dressed and moving, to reduce the risk of deconditioning of patients while in hospital.

Now, he is on a campaign to make patient time the most important currency in health care.

Northern Health was privileged to hear Prof. Dolan, voted one of the 20 most influential people in the 70-year history of the National Health Service (NHS) UK, speak to our staff on this subject.

Debra Bourne, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, said she first heard Prof. Dolan at the Canterbury Health Service in New Zealand this year, and was inspired by his approach to patient-centred care.

“We thought it would be a great idea to get him over here to speak to all our clinical and non-clinical staff, to deliver the key message that we are working through the High Reliability Organisation (HRO) framework about the improved patient experience,” she says.

Professor Brian Dolan is the Director of Health Service 360 UK, and conducts leadership programs in New Zealand, Australia and the UK. He has published over 70 papers and is the author/editor of seven books, mainly on emergency care. Prof. Dolan is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Honorary Professor of Leadership in Healthcare at the University of Salford, Manchester, and Visiting Professor of Nursing at the Oxford Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Research (OxINMAHR).

Prof. Dolan believes whilst medical staff are busy and important, patient time is sacred.

In a lecture punctuated with bon mots such as, “People who have the most birthdays – live the longest,” he made the point;

“If we value patient time, there will be no needless waiting, suffering and harm and people feel safer – they will have their dignity and sense of self restored, and get back to the loved ones they need to be with.”

“Rather than spend their last 1000 days in hospital – they will spend it with the ones they love.”

His lecture titled ‘Last 1000 Days’ left the audience both entertained and inspired.

Nicole Campbell, Clinical Nurse Consultant, said she was completely overwhelmed by his presentation and could’ve listened to him for many more hours.

“I am fortunate to work in an organisation that encourages this type of learning,” she said.

Debra Bourne, speaking for all those present at the lecture, said;

“Brian absolutely lived up to our expectations. The lecture he delivered contained wisdom and passion, and gave everyone a space to reflect upon the care we are giving and what the most important thing to us is – which of course are our patients.”