Happy New Year

As we move towards the New Year I want to thank all my amazing colleagues at Northumbria University and my collaborators across the world. This year has been incredibly tough for everyone and although I have much to be thankful for I have also faced many challenges over the year. But working in great teams has really helped me to face those challenges and get through the year.

Firstly I would like to thank Stephen Gibb and Mohammed Ishaq from the University of West of Scotland along with Asifa Hussain from Heriot Watt University who I worked with on research into Fair and Decent Work in Scottish Local Authorities. This research was published in Public Money and Management here: https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2020.1723262

I was also fortunate to work with one of my former students, Caroline Sinclair, from the East Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership and my colleague Hannah Hesselgreaves on a publication in Scottish Affairs about Leadership in Health and Social Care. This article is available here: https://doi.org/10.3366/scot.2020.0316 and the accepted author manuscript is available for free download here: https://researchportal.northumbria.ac.uk/en/publications/leadership-of-integrated-health-and-social-care-services(0f3440a5-ce05-4e07-92af-fb2939b6731d).html

One of my teaching focused pieces of work was around the idea of teaching co-production by using curriculum co-design. I had been working on these ideas for some time but couldn't have produced this publication without significant support from my colleague Ian Robson and Adina Dudau from University of Glasgow. The final article is published in a special issue of Teaching Public Administration edited by John Connolly and Alice Moseley and can be accessed as a free Open Access publication here: https://doi.org/10.1177/0144739420968862

My final publication of 2020 was based on work with another fantastic student, Joanne Harris from the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust. Together we developed this publication on "Improving employee engagement and distributed leadership through lean systems process mapping in the NHS". This has been published in the British Journal of Health Care Management and is available here: https://doi.org/10.12968/bjhc.2020.0061

Alongside my research I have felt privileged to be working with many great students and colleagues at Northumbria University. In particular I have enjoyed using my own research to inform my teaching on the MSc Public Services Leadership programme. It's been a very difficult year for all those involved in academic leadership and administration. Particular thanks are due to Lorraine Johnston and Ewan McKenzie (and more recently Valerie Egdell) as programme leaders and Helen Charlton as Director for Degree Apprenticeships.

Finally I would like to thank my colleagues on the JUC Public Administration Committee and especially my vice-chairs Karin Bottom from University of Birmingham and Russ Glennon from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Apologies to anyone I haven't listed here. One thing that this year has brought me is a greater appreciation of all the people I work with. There is simply too long a list for me to be able to cover everyone in this post! But I am hugely grateful for the fact that I get to work with such great people. With that I know that whatever 2021 brings there is a lot to look forward to - not least the chance to hopefully meet up with more friends, colleagues and collaborators face-to-face. Here's to a very happy and healthy New Year!