"An Organisation is a story that it tells (its written history, its induction and
onboarding story, its legal records and published work) and the story that is told
about it (customer reviews, testimonials, urban myths, alumni narratives, media
coverage, personal narratives).So, an Organisation is a collective belief: the story that it projects, the stories that are told about it, the consensual narrative of the internal teams and the
individual stories of belief and space of operation, felt by every individual."
The story told around BG see previous post) is that of survivors working together to seek the promised land. Although it is hinted throughout that maybe this promised land is a myth or legend. Actually, once found the circle begins again as a new civilisation is created on the remnants of the old one.
The NHS is built on a story. After the Second World War, it was set up by those who survived as one way of providing equality in an unequal society that worked together for 6 hard years. Continuously seeking better more efficient care the infrastructure, both physical and managerial gets rebuilt and redesigned every few years towards a never ending myth of perfection. Every person in the UK and many beyond has a story to tell about the NHS, both good and bad. But these all meld together to create a tapestry that bonds the society together. The good stories the health care workers hold onto to keep them going. The bad are learning events to make us do better. The rips in the tapestry get sewn over to make them stronger.
The story will continue, the plot may change course and take us in unexpected directions, the characters will develop, be replaced and new areas explored. It will only end when we stop beleiving in it.