Enjoying the peace and quiet in our local woods on a very hot weekend What did I enjoy? Seeing the publication of the Public Design Evidence Review, which explores the role and value of design in the public sector. It includes a section on public design for transformational change for which I was interviewed in … Continue reading Weeknote: 14 to 18 July 2025 →

Bluebells in the garden What did I enjoy? The highlight for me was an event hosted by Leeds City Council and the Cabinet Office's 'Test, Learn and Grow' team to explore a collaborative approach to neighbourhood health. It was a rare chance to catch up with colleagues from my national role and home city in … Continue reading Fortnightnote: 28 April to 9 May 2025 →

A bit of a blur Happy New Year! The end of one financial year, and the start of another. In the grand sweep of things, this arbitrary boundary shouldn't matter very much. Yet it still dictates the yearly rhythm of the public service worker, much as it did for the 1700s tenant famer whose rent … Continue reading Weeknote: 31 March to 4 April 2025 →

Magnolia blooming in the garden What did I enjoy? After the frustrations of the last month or so, the last full week of financial year 2025/26 brought many gifts: The team going live with a new approach to maternity self-referral, which stemmed from the work I initiated on the patient experience of first contact with … Continue reading Weeknote: 24 to 28 March 2025 →

Visit to Charleston,  home and studio of Bloomsbury Group painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant A 3-day working week following a long weekend exploring 19th and 20th Century art and architecture in Surrey and Sussex. Highlights for me included Watts Gallery and Charleston. What was hard? The churn of organisation change is already starting to … Continue reading Weeknote: 19 to 21 March 2025 →

Camellia in full bloom Monday A series of catch ups with colleagues in the morning, including running through my team's contribution to the strategic planning event coming up later in the week. Mid-afternoon I popped down the road to the Queen's Hotel to join an in-person meeting of digital leaders from the regional ambulance trusts, … Continue reading Weeknote: 10 to 13 March 2025 →

Trip to Essex for a family celebration I received some anonymous feedback A colleague is apparently quite cross with me for a number of reasons, but one of them I need to address here. My anonymous colleague writes on my feedback form: What should Matt stop doing?Self-glorifying. He doesnt seem to actually DELIVER much, just … Continue reading Weeknote: 3 to 7 February 2025 →

This original kitchen floor was covered with carpet tiles by our home's previous owners A packed four day week, all of it spent in the Leeds office What did I enjoy? Lots! A conversation with an operations colleague where we really got to the heart of what her team wants to achieve for the Urgent … Continue reading Weeknote: 27 to 30 January 2025 →

Planted an apple tree in the new garden Back to weeknoting again after a hiatus. I write weeknotes for my own benefit, as a way of reflecting on how my work is going. I publish them for two reasons: The obvious: some people might be interested. Perhaps less obvious: knowing anyone might read this, even … Continue reading Weeknote: 20 to 24 January 2025 →

Quantum computer in an office foyer What did I do to avoid disempowering people? I listened. Specifically, I listened in on a user research session with a woman who recently had a baby (burbling in the background of the Teams call :) One of our teams is looking at improving digital self-referral to maternity services, … Continue reading Fortnightnote: 7 to 18 October 2024 →

Some new house DIY: Stripping back the layers of gloss paint to reveal what's hidden beneath What did I enjoy? Seeing the First Contact work coming together in a steering group meeting on Monday, followed by show and tell on Wednesday. My senior leadership team colleagues injected the right amount of support and challenge to … Continue reading Weeknote: 30 September to 4 October 2024 →

Enjoying the garden at the new house What did I enjoy? Spending time with my peers and the Product & Platforms senior leadership team, and with my own leadership team for Digital Urgent & Emergency Care (UEC). Both teams have now been fully staffed and stable for long enough that we can have rich conversations … Continue reading Weeknote: 23 to 27 September 2024 →

Heritage Open Days trip to the Fulneck Moravian Settlement Back to weeknotes after a hiatus brought about by - variously - a change of government, the summer holidays, and a house move. Song of the week: Yard Act - Fixer Upper. I had planned 10 days off for the move, but ended up taking a … Continue reading Back to weeknotes: 16 to 20 September 2024 →

Back to weeknoting after the election period. I write these notes for my own benefit, to reflect on what went on in my working week. I share my weeknotes online because I reflect more deeply, and write more thoughtfully when anyone could be reading. Monday A meeting of the new NHS England's Product & Platforms … Continue reading Weeknote: 1 to 5 July 2024 →