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Join the Connect community

Feeling supported to stay healthy rather than only treated when we are sick. Feeling that the links between our physical, mental and social needs are understood by our services. Telling our stories only once and getting joined-up advice.

These are widely shared aspirations for a better health and care system for everyone in south east London. But a system is only as good as the connections between its parts. And they will only be possible if we Connect in new ways.

The Connect System Leadership Community is a unique initiative aiming to increase connection across boundaries in service of kinder, more equitable care for people in south east London.

It’s been a really refreshing experience. I’ve made some really useful new connections with people right across the system (health, care, VCSE sector) and am drawing on and linking up with a more diverse set of people and their wisdom / insights.

What does it mean to be a member of Connect?  

Becoming a member means putting your weight behind our mission to increase the number and quality of trusting connections across boundaries in service of kinder, more equitable care.  

You’ll connect with members over common challenges, engaging flexibly with a range of developmental activities that will deepen your understanding of how to make positive change happen. Activities will range from digital and face-to-face learning and inspiration sessions to a ‘Walking in their shoes’ system leadership exchange programme. And you’ll also be able to access content and resources from inspiring system leaders within and beyond south east London. 

These activities are being shaped by the Connect Leadership Group, a new representative group of 12 Connect members responsible for leading the development of the Connect community.   

A uniquely south east London approach 

Last year, over 200 individuals across health and care sectors and organisations began to form this community. Together they co-created five guiding characteristics that define the leadership we need for the 21st century.  

All our activities will focus on developing and embedding these characteristics across our system. 

Who can join the Connect community?  

Connect’s vision is for a thriving, developmental and sustainable community of system leaders which is inclusive, inspiring and improvement focused. Anyone interested in the power of connecting across boundaries in south east London can become a member, regardless of role, experience, profession or sector.  

How can I get involved?  

To join the Connect community and receive regular updates, sign up using this short form.

System Leadership Characteristics 

As a community we have co-designed five characteristics of a confident, joyful south east London system leader.  

Together, they set out the skills and behaviours we need to develop to be able effectively work together across boundaries to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for our communities. 

Each characteristic was shaped by members of this community through learning and inspiration events, and discussions with expert panellists from across sectors, systems and continents.  

Check out the detailed skills and behaviours of each characteristic, as well as the recordings, below:  

Building trust across boundaries

“We need to think much less about trust… and much more about being trustworthy, and how you give people adequate, useful and simple evidence that you’re trustworthy.” – Onora O’Neill

Trusting relationships – between teams, organisations, professions and cultures – are the bedrock of effective collaboration. But what is trust? Where does it come from? And how can we actively foster it in all our work?

Inspired by our conversations as a community, and informed by the latest theory and research, we have set out the skills and behaviours SEL system leaders need to build trust across boundaries.

How did we get here? 

On 18 May 2022 we came together as a community to explore what building trust across boundaries looks and feels like and why it matters.

We drew on the work of Baroness Onora O’Neill, Stephen Covey, Brene Brown, Adam Kahane and Paul J. Zak. And we heard from an inspiring panel of speakers – Andrew Bland (SEL ICS), Folake Segun (HealthWatch) and Matthew Frost (WeAreCompany).

Watch the recording on the theory and research behind trust. 

Watch the recording of our panel discussion. 

Driving purposeful collaboration

Collaboration is as old as civilisation. So it’s understandable that there are lots of myths surrounding what it is, when it is and isn’t needed and how we can drive it.

Inspired by our conversations as a community, and informed by the latest theory and research, we have tried to debunk the myths and set out the skills and behaviours south east London system leaders need to drive purposeful collaboration.

How did we get here?  

On 7 June 2022 we came together as a community to explore what driving purposeful collaboration really means and why it matters.

We explored the theory and research and some of the most common myths that get in the way of purposeful collaboration. And we heard from an inspiring panel of speakers – Sam Hepplewhite (NHS SEL), Geeta Menon (Health Education England) and David Meates (Specialist Health Systems Advisor Canterbury, New Zealand).

Watch the recording of our session on the theory and research behind purposeful collaboration. 

Watch the recording of our panel discussion. 

Catalysing and embedding innovation

Innovation can feel like a daunting word. But at its heart, it is simply ‘ideas into action’. Whether you’re finding a better way to master the school run or to cook your favourite ingredient. Innovative thinking has been part of our human nature since we could stand upright.

Inspired by our conversations as a community, and informed by the latest theory and research, we have tried to understand how we can unleash our potential to innovate and set out the skills and behaviours SEL system leaders need to catalyse and embed innovation.

How did we get here?

On 5 July 2022 we came together as a community to explore what catalysing and embedding innovation really means and why it matters.

We dived into the theory and research and thought about some of the mindsets and behaviours that can limit our capacity to innovate. And we heard from an inspiring panel of speakers – Nupur Yogarajah (NHS SEL), Andy Ratcliffe (Impact on Urban Health) and Jonathon Gray (Cardiff and Vale UHB).

Watch the recording on the theory and research behind catalysing and embedding innovation.

Watch the recording of our panel discussion.

Partnering with those we work with and serve

So much of good health is within the power of families and communities. But our health and care systems can under value or get in the way of this power.

Inspired by our conversations as a community, and informed by the latest theory and research, we have tried to understand how we can better unlock the power in people and communities.

We’ve set out the skills and behaviours south east London system leaders need to truly partner with those they work with and serve:

How did we get here?

On 6 September 2022 we came together as a community to explore what including and empowering others really means and why it matters.

We dived into the theory and research on traditional power dynamics that can limit our potential to partner with patients and staff. And we heard from an exceptional panel of speakers: Anu Singh (SEL Integrated Care Board), Samira Ben Omar (community led collaborations specialist), April Kyle (Southcentral Foundation, Alaska) and Rachel Clare Evans (Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust).

Watch the recording on the theory and research behind including and empowering others.

Watch the recording of our panel discussion.

Embracing difference and challenge

Feeling that we can be ourselves and belong; and able to speak up with our ideas, challenges and concerns. These are feelings we all hope for ourselves and for those around us. And if we are to respond to the complex needs of our different people and communities, they are feelings we need to foster in everything we do.

Inspired by our conversations as a community, and informed by the latest theory and research, we’ve set out the skills and behaviours south east London system leaders need to embrace difference and challenge:

How did we get here?

On 29 September 2022 we came together as a community to explore what embracing difference and challenge really means and why it matters.

We dived into the theory and research. And we heard from an exceptional panel of speakers: Barbara Gray (Founder and CEO, Urban Dandelion and Kinaraa), Ify Okocha (Chief Executive, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust), Bayo Adelaja (Founder and CEO, Do it Now Now) and Catherine Mbema (Director of Public Health, Lewisham).

Watch the recording on the theory and research behind embracing difference and challenge.

Watch the recording of our panel discussion.

Resources bank

Member blogs

Connect Community Networking Breakfasts