In our latest series of leadership quotations, we hear from Jonathan Ashworth on at-risk NHS trusts, Pat Smith and Karen Jefferson on the importance of tailored care, Professor Neil Ferguson on the possibility of further restrictions and Claire Dimpfl on the importance of immersive learning.
Jonathan Ashworth
‘In a normal winter, these risks would be worrying. In the coming winter, with the incompetent handling of the Test and Trace system leaving the NHS wide open and poorly supported, they take on a whole new meaning. We urgently need a commitment from ministers to fix the problems with Test and Trace and a timetable by which these issues will finally be sorted.’ (The shadow health secretary as analysis by the Labour party of 114 NHS Trust risk registers found more than half the trusts in England reported risks classified as "significant" or "extreme”)
Pat Smith and Karen Jefferson
‘We believe that every customer has the right to play an active part in the development of their own care package, with a view to offering them the maximum possible leeway to suit their own, often complex lives. To do this, we collaborate with families and other relevant organisations.’ (The Heritage Care at Home co-directors on the philosophy that drives them).
Professor Neil Ferguson
‘Whilst we don't think primary schools are a major vector of transmission, older teenagers do transmit the virus. We don't yet know if we can control this virus with high schools open. If we want to keep schools open we have to reduce contacts in other areas of society by more. In other areas we may have to give up more to keep them open.’ (The Imperial College epidemiologist speaking to the BBC’s Today programme)
Claire Dimpfl
‘There is more to literacy than ABC and more to numeracy than 123. The forced learning of phonics and numbers can kill the joy of literature and numeracy. We focus on stories, songs, rhymes and drama all the time, even for daily requests such as tidying up and going to the toilet.
'This process enthuses a child with a love of words – and the exciting environment around us, with all its rich mathematical content, can for example, stimulate a love for the subject and show the child the necessity of numbers.’ (The Tadpoles Nursery School owner and head on the importance of dynamic, interactive learning).
Prof Adam Finn
‘People should not imagine that there’s going to be a sudden and complete solution. These early vaccines I hope will work to some extent, but there are lots of different vaccines, and they will not all work equally effectively. So it’s going to be a long drawn-out process getting this right.’ (The University of Bristol academic on the potential limitations of a Covid vaccine)
