President’s Column

Lester Aldridge named as a HealthInvestor Awards 2021 Finalist

We are proud to announce that Lester Aldridge has been shortlisted as a finalist in the HealthInvestor Awards 2021 for Legal advisors of the year – transactional.

The Healthcare team at Lester Aldridge specialises in the regulation of health and social care services, regularly acting for independent social care providers and independent hospitals, as well as children’s homes, schools and fostering agencies. The team also has a strong practice undertaking transactions within the health and social care sectors and are particularly well known as market leading providers of regulatory due diligence, regularly advising on some of the largest acquisitions within the sector. It is one of the law firm's leading areas of expertise and one for which they are renowned nationally. A client interviewed by independent legal directory Chambers UK 2021 describes the team as "superefficient, really knowledgeable, very understanding and always prepared to go the extra mile".

Over the last decade, HealthInvestor has established itself as a must-read publication for the UK health sector. The HealthInvestor Awards promote excellence and recognise innovation in the independent healthcare sector.

The finalist entries are judged by a panel of high profile, independent judges from across the sector.

The winners will be announced at the HealthInvestor Awards dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 13 September.

www.lesteraldridge.com

The President’s Column

by Caron Khan

Why change is actually your biggest ally

As an agent of change, my role is to work with businesses to take them through transition. I identify and instigate change, and then I support them through it. Sometimes they take a bit of persuasion; sometimes they’re led willingly.

But how do I deal with change on both a professional and personal level?

I spend my day-to-day life leading organisations through sometimes difficult transitions, and yet, when the laptop’s switched off and life’s throwing its own curveballs in my direction, how do I cope?

I’ve experienced a lot of changes; they’ve come at me from all directions, and they haven’t always been welcomed with open arms. Some changes have felt painful, some have felt positive. All of them have felt ‘unknown’.

Don’t hang on to something that isn’t working anymore

It’s this sense of the unknown that lies at the heart of our fear of change. We fear the unfamiliar, and this causes us to hold tight to the status quo, even if the status quo isn’t working for us anymore. But the truth is this:

Change is the only constant in life – nothing stays the same!

So, if nothing stays the same, and change is our one true guarantee, then surely we should be approaching it with acceptance and respect. We should recognise that change has actually shaped our entire life, through childhood, adulthood, relationships, jobs, health… the list goes on. And whilst change may have felt frightening at the time, we tend to look back and recognise its inevitability, and its unavoidable place in our lives.

On a professional level, I experience change all the time. Perhaps I’ll gain or lose a client, or their needs shift. Maybe I’ve taken the client to such a positive space, they can move forward without my support. For me, this is a job well done! The key to dealing with all these changes is to embrace them. If you see life’s changes as an evolution and an opportunity to learn and move forward, then the only way is up.

Next time you’re faced with a change, take a moment to remind yourself of these three key points:

Remember that change is inevitable – nothing stays the same

Approach change with acceptance and respect – it can be your greatest ally

Work with change and allow it to unfold organically – resistance is futile! Caron Khan #GetBusinessDone