7 minute read
In practice
Taking charge of change
The year 2020 has been one
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of change and as we look to 2021, contemplating the months of restrictions to life and practice that lie ahead, it can all feel rather daunting. In this feature, we look at strategies to deal with change when it is forced upon us, and how one practitioner has adapted his plans and taken a new direction for his organisation.
Day-to-day practice is not the same anymore. You may find that your days are spent rushing from patient to cleaning and on to the next patient. And our evenings are now full of news of the latest Covid-19 statistics. Add in the fact that many people have had to cancel holidays and family gatherings, seen their income drop, or lost their jobs, and it can WE ALL NEED BALANCE AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE be hard to remain positive.
Jasmine Gill is an optometrist and MANAGING MIND AND BODY connected with nature in your lunchbreak –coach, and when lockdown first When Jasmine returned to practice, she step out or simply take a moment to look happened mid-March she was about to found a high level of anxiety evident at the sky. In healthcare, we want to be of go travelling. She says: “I had a ticket to amongst both staff and patients. “There service, we give energy out all day, but we Rio and was going to spend six months was one lady with dementia who came in on will be of most service if we feel well. Find abroad. I had finished a coaching diploma her own; she broke down, saying no-one ways to recharge that help you during and accredited hours, and saved up so I came to see her. It’s hard to see people your working day.” could afford to go away.” feeling like that. It is an added pressure With 2020 nearly at an end, Jasmine
Jasmine found that despite the that I don’t think optical companies has some advice for anyone who is disappointment of the cancelled trip, her understand. I feel it would be very useful coaching training meant that she was well for staff to have training on managing prepared for the challenge. She recalls: “I’d anxiety in themselves and others.” been working really hard on my portfolio. I Jasmine has a number of strategies had been indoors a lot, which meant I was that she has used to help deal with the prepped when lockdown happened.” She challenges of life this year. If you have just then made a conscious decision to watch a few minutes between patients, she less news and TV. advises taking some slow deep breaths.
She continues: “At that time, I’d started “When you are in a high pressure state, a meditation practice. Meditation is key your breath is more shallow,” she explains. to lots of things, such as feeling balanced, “These breathing techniques help you processing thoughts and being more tap into your parasympathetic system, certain in an uncertain world.” Her coaching and switch off fight or flight. Or you could training had also taken her to a number of sit down, close your eyes, and be aware summits and events where she had been of how your feet are connecting to the able to build a supportive network which floor to help you feel more grounded. she could stay in touch with online. She “On my first day back in practice, I says: “I have family all over the world so I was doing this between patients. It took could speak to them without being rushed and connect on a deeper level.” me a month to settle back in. Connection is key to self-care and well-being: stay JASMINE GILL
Learning new skills with the Prison Opticianl Trust concerned about how to face the rest of winter and head into the New Year. She suggests: “Think about mind, body, community and spirit and how you nurture each part of you. Try things you haven’t done before. Give others your time and attention. Be careful with social media: unfollow people who share things that are unhelpful to you and set your own boundaries.
“Build your support network. Take one courageous step a week out of your comfort zone. You will never know who you will meet. Spend less, then if your incomes change you’re more in control. We are in a time of change, and if you can adapt your mindset to how to meet your broader needs, you will spend less time worrying about old systems changing and things that you can’t control.”
Visit Insight Coaching to find out more about coaching with Jasmine Gill.
SERVICE REVALUATION
Optometrist Tanjit Dosanjh is the founder of the Prison Optician Trust, which offers eyecare and training in optical skills for prisoners, and supports former prisoners into work. In March 2020, lockdown meant that both the eyecare and the training suddenly stopped – as prison governors ceased all non-essential personnel entering prisons, and put a hold on day release for prisoners’ education.
Tanjit explains how the Prison Optician Trust has adapted to this change: “Coronavirus has hit us, as it has every business, and the prison service is still locked down. Our training programme has been put on hold and we can’t restart until the prison service say it’s safe to do so. This has, however, given us the chance to revaluate and plan goals for the trust for the next five years.
“Our first concern when we heard about lockdown was what would happen to eye emergencies? We had to reshape our service. We put in a triage system, which would give us evidence to justify a site visit if needed: it was vital to keep this part of the service going to prevent sight loss.
“Once that was in place, I could look ahead. We needed to make more positions for non-qualified staff. The majority of the prisoners we train are male. Every male former prisoner who has found a job in a lab through our training has stuck to it, but the success rate has been more variable with shop floor jobs. So these jobs needed to be lab based, which started me thinking about the services the trust offers.
“We already have a couple of jobs inhouse, where former prisoners glaze our range of frames to fulfil orders from our prison optometrists,” continues Tanjit. “What if we could extend these jobs, by generating more orders? I set myself a new challenge during lockdown, to sell our own design Liberty Glasses frames into optical practices.
“The prison contracts mean we can purchase in bulk. Now, the Prison Optician Trust can offer frame samples to independent optical practices at a great price for excellent quality acetate frames. Opticians send us the order online, and we have frames and lenses in stock, which will build up our orders and offer work to people who have trained with us and are leaving prison.
“We want to create 10 jobs in-house and offer prisoners 12 to 18 months of paid work, which allows them to adapt and adjust to life outside. This is on top of the programme, which allows trainees who are able and confident to move to a commercial employer, through which we have placed over 40 people in employment.
“I’ve always had to be flexible and adaptable – there wasn’t a set path for what I’ve done with the Prison Optician Trust. The pandemic has taught me to get all my ideas on the table, then prioritise what is really important. Right now, it’s not vital to chase more prison optometry contacts. What’s important is to create more jobs in-house for prisoners.”
For Tanjit, having the right support network has been vital. He says: “If I hadn’t restructured how we were running optical services in prison, I wouldn’t have had the headspace to deal with this. I have the right team, which frees me up to focus on the important issues of launching the frame range to optical practices to create jobs.
“My final tip for anyone struggling with change is to divide up the tasks ahead of you: what can I do, what’s out of my hands? For some things I wrote to people, to ask for help. And then I got on with the jobs only I could do. I’m now reaching out to opticians to stock Liberty Glasses. They are good value for money plus you’re supporting the charity.”
Find out more about Liberty Glasses at
www.prisonopticians.org/liberty-glasses
