The interview from last year resonates with me as a whirlwind of emotions, weaving together moments of insight, humour, challenges, and risks. Looking back, it was like the bold act of an unsuspecting child knocking on the door of an ogre’s castle. The slumbering giant wakes up and consumes the audacious child, yet in doing so, the once seemingly impenetrable castle door swings open. Facing the giants of bureaucracy and politics may have come at a personal cost, but the subsequent influx of much-needed investment and oversight into my organisation honours the purpose behind it all.

So, what lies ahead in this continuing journey? With the shift from a clinical role to a managerial position no longer necessary, I find myself free to refocus on the core purpose that brought me here: compassion as the foundation of patient care and safety. Exploring how cultivating collective mindfulness can inspire organisational compassion and pave a new way forward …