Welcome, curious explorer.

Imagine if… budding change-makers in our public services were encouraged and supported to unleash their collective energy, ideas and experience to harness opportunities, radically changing how we experience public service provision, allowing our communities to thrive.

You are not alone. 12 NHS Lothian staff have already stepped this way. They’ve left you the learning and insights they generated as they took this road less travelled. A road through the territory of change, of being entrepreneurial in your work and your attempts at creativity and innovation.

Your route will inevitably be different. But hopefully their insights will be of interest and help. They’ve called it a rough guide – to help you navigate this landscape. A guide for public entrepreneurs.

A rough guide to being a public entrepreneur in practice: learning from NHS Lothian

This is a summary of the insights gained by 12 members of NHS Lothian’s staff who came together to find new ways of addressing the challenges they face in their work.

A vibrant illustration with birds, hands, trees, and waves intertwined with motivational phrases like "Develop trust and support," "Harness the power of collective," and "See different perspectives" in a teal, black, and white color scheme.

Tools and methods

This deck was used by the inaugural cohort in a six-month NHS Lothian public entrepreneur programme. This publication accompanies the Rough guide to being a public entrepreneur.

Illustration of three stylized birds sitting in a geometric nest. The design features bold black outlines with turquoise accents among white branches and abstract shapes.

Latest thinking on being a public entrepreneur