CEO Update

Climbing the Next Hill... 

“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”

Nelson Mandela 

This is the last introduction to the Institutional Members newsletter that I am writing, as I end my tenure as CEO in a few days’ time. 

When I joined ISQua, I realised that its strength would lie in having a clear vision and in providing the Members of the Society with something they could value. I believe that this is a sense of belonging - belonging to an organisation that has the values to which we aspire, to share Knowledge, to build Networks and to provide a Voice for you all.

A sense of belonging is a fundamental characteristic of psychological safety. It implies that we give people agency. Agency means that we provide you, our Members with the support and programmes that will help us to make a difference together. 

We have a diverse group of members - from external evaluation bodies, to quality and safety organisations, and education facilities. We now span every WHO region and have taken on the lessons of our time - justice and equity, climate change and patient safety, all rooted in the concept of people centredness for all.

COVID has taught us how fallible we are. The lessons have been harsh, but in the long term, if we share our experience and learn together, we will come out stronger than we were before.

ISQua is for you, and I have tried to make the Society one of which you can all be proud. 

As our membership numbers increase and you all elect to renew your membership year on year, I think we are in a good place. I leave a stronger organisation with a vision that will bide us well in the future. 

I wish my successor, Carsten Engel, well. Carsten inherits a team that believes that we can make a difference, and who have the commitment and sense of belonging that is needed to climb the next hill.