Column Word of mouth with Dr Paul O’Dwyer


Jack of all trades R


egular readers will recall that last year I wrote about the challenges of formal postgraduate learning. You may remember that I had


embarked on a Master’s degree (part- time) at the Institute of Leadership at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. The particular course was a Master’s degree in Healthcare Management. I had written of year one and the demands and challenges that it brought. Here I am now, another year over and, happily, the degree is complete. The two years really did fly by. I found


the second year more challenging than the first. Certainly on paper it looked easier. There was only one contact day per month? No sweat, eh? However, year two comprises an


organisational development plan. The plan, it is suggested, reflects an improvement that can be introduced into your organisation. Over the course of the academic


year, the various strands of the plan – from initial conception, literature review, implementation, measurement and conclusion – are carried out. This may sound easy but, let me assure


you, it is a lot of work. The programme for year two is delivered


in action learning sets, with a small number making each group or set. Throughout the year, like a monthly confessional, the members report on progress to each other, under the guidance of a facilitator. They also assist each other with whatever step they are addressing that month. This may all sound very interesting from


an academic viewpoint, but what does it have to do with me in general dental practice, you may rightly ask? Well, simply put, the implementation


of any change management project starts exactly the same way. How many of us have put up posters in our waiting rooms to advertise longer opening hours? Access to out of hours service? Availability of vouchers for tooth whitening? Easy


payment plans? There are four examples of a change management plan right there. Have you ever thought how you


could improve your own organisation? The one-man practice is, in itself, an organisation. Let’s face it, if you weren’t organised, you wouldn’t be in business. Studying about the science of


organisational development lends great insight into past successes and failures. It helps to improve approaches and learn from current thinking. Many of the members in my own


action learning set currently serve in the public sector. Understanding the protocols that are already in place within the management structure there – and the ease or difficulty that changes can be made – is very educational. Think about how you, as a GDP, interact with insurance providers, suppliers or state schemes. Having an insight into the stresses and strains of those organisations better inform you as a practitioner of how you can better adapt to facilitate better communication and, ultimately, better patient care. As the academic year unfolded, the


calendar seemed to skip months until I found myself in the month of May with just 10 days left to put the whole 15,000-word project together. Bismarck (apparently) said that the making of laws and sausages should not be observed too closely. I would add Master’s theses to the list. Suffice it to say, Nescafé Gold Blend


featured a lot, along with oceans of paper, more oaths than a sailor and innumerable ink cartridges. At the end, under pressure, I submitted


electronically and the next day presented the hard copy in person to RCSI. The sense of relief was palpable


throughout the house. The learning I’ve taken from the course


has been helpful on many fronts. I would encourage any dentist – at whatever level of practice – to consider this or a similar course, particularly as it appears our profession is heading towards greater regulation and process-driven outcomes. Understanding organisations and how they work will definitely complement the core clinical knowledge that already drives our high standard dentistry in this country.


Ireland’s Dental magazine 19


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