“In the rush to move ahead, we often forget that reflection is what gives direction to progress.”

Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege (and challenge!) of leading the development of our Inpatient Detoxification (IPD) Consortium’s first Impact Report - a milestone that captures the collective efforts of our partners across Cheshire and Merseyside.

This report wasn’t something any of us were formally asked to produce. It was what could be called a ‘side of the desk’ project - squeezed between the day-to-day demands of overseeing pathway performance, coordinating referrals, validating invoices and driving continuous improvement. But despite the time pressures, I felt it was important that we paused, looked back and gave ourselves space to understand the real impact of what we’ve achieved together.

In healthcare, especially in service delivery and improvement, it’s easy to become consumed by activity; the dashboards, the performance targets and the operational churn. Reflection, by contrast, takes discipline. It requires us to stop and ask: What difference have we made? What have we learned? And where do we need to go next?

Bringing the Impact Report to life involved many voices - from frontline IPD providers to community referrers, and on to commissioners. Each contribution added depth and perspective to the story we wanted to tell. It wasn’t always easy; collating data, aligning narratives, and balancing objectivity with professional pride took time and patience. But the result is something that feels genuinely powerful:

• A shared understanding of our collective achievements;
• A clearer view of where we can improve; and
• A tangible record that demonstrates to stakeholders the value of consultative, collaborative, values and data-driven, and compassionate service delivery.

For me personally, this process reaffirmed why reflection is so essential in improvement work. It’s not a luxury or an afterthought – it is how we connect purpose with progress.

The Consortium now has a document that crystalizes our impact on substance treatment and recovery in our sub region. More importantly, it gives us clarity on our next phase of development and how we can continue to evolve, sustain and strengthen the pathway for those who need it most.

Sometimes, taking the time to look back isn’t just about about taking stock - it’s about direction too. And I’m proud that, as a team, we’ve made that time count.