The first few months of the year are grim at the best of times, but this January felt particularly bleak for those of us working at the local level.

News of section 114 notices – pending and issued – came thick and fast as the local government financial crisis accelerated. I found myself wondering frequently about how hospitals and councils manage to motivate and encourage staff in a context where they are being continually told there are no resources to deliver the quality of care we would all want for our loved ones.