So often it is “having the idea” which makes all the difference and means the most; but “having the idea” takes time and creativity.

Once the idea is formed, then it is often easy to make it a reality. So I was impressed the other day by the creative compassion of our chief executive Matthew Hopkins.

Now, doubtless, he has a complicated job and many high-powered meetings with all the energy and resilience they require.

But, in the face of the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka, Matthew’s thoughts were directed to the horror of this attack and his desire to communicate his sympathies and condolences to our hospital community and particularly staff who have family and friends in that part of the world.

So he made the effort to contact our Sri Lankan staff group to express his sadness and assure them of the Trust’s ongoing support.

Furthermore, he, along with the Chaplaincy team, gave the opportunity for staff to observe a minute’s silence across our Trust to honour the victims and stand together with all those who long for peace.

Poignantly, at one of those events a hospital doctor and his family stood with us and told us that one friend had been killed and others injured in the bombings. It was a truly moving silence.

But my point is this: It was Matthew’s idea which was the powerful and creative thing: and the putting it into practice was easy.

But before the gainsayers dismiss this in a – “well that’s his job!” – statement, I would like to say that we are lucky to have a chief executive who operates in an innovative way; it is, perhaps, rarer than we know. It showed the value of giving space to things which matter to us all.

It matters to us as staff because we are a community; so we should grieve with those who grieve. It matters because as colleagues and friends we want to support each other. And, for me at least, it tells me that it is often those things, like ideas and dreams, which are the most important things.

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