Facilitating Change In Health and Social Care

TASK 1 UNDERSTAND THE FACTORS THAT DRIVE CHANGE

Task 1.1 Explain the key factors that drive change in NHS

Many cultural and demographic factors have been found to drive change in NHS. These have been explained as under. As per the case study, the major factor that has driven NHS towards change is on account of its inner drive towards provision of better quality service and cost effective care. Other than this, there has been a presence of increasing expectations in patients that they are in a want for quality health and social care services (McWilliam and Griffin, 2006). The case study has also depicted the presence of increased expectation towards emergency care, not having to wait for GP appointments. Hence, NHS made many structural changes in terms of introducing clinical commissioning groups (Martin and Henderson, 2001). Changing nature of diseases like decrease in teenage pregnancy and increase in tuberculosis have also made NHS change the manner in which it is providing services. Along with this, many changes are also being observed in workforce where there is a need for specialist doctors to treat the diseases (Cameron and Green, 2012). Changing technology has made it mandatory for NHS to follow ICT based systems hence changes are required to be done. Changes observed in legislations have made it mandatory for NHS to follow the norms of Care Quality Commission inspections. In the similar manner constant changes brought in legislation and policy as well as regulatory bodies are further responsible to drive in the process of change. These are majorly due to updations made in legislation and policies with respect to change. In the similar manner, NHS has to face the impact in terms of a continuous re-organisation of regulatory bodies. This puts a pressure on NHS as they are bound to make changes. assignment writing

Task 1.2 challenges that key factors of change brings to NHS

There is a presence of huge number of challenge to be faced by NHS if the key factors of change are brought in health and social care services. These have been described as under;

Resistance and apathy – Any change is likely to bring resistance on part of employees, health care professionals, social care workers as well as the patients (Hiatt and Creasey, 2003). Hence, as a health care practitioner my role is to understand the reasons being changes so that there can be a reduction in resistance to change.

Human and financial resources – NHS as an organization has a good access to human and financial resources but still they may pose a significant challenge when changes are to be incorporated within it (Candace and Bohmer, 2013). For example, if there is an introduction of ICT technology during workload then it is most likely that human resources may find themselves unable to take out time for training.

Maintaining quality care –Any change brought in operation of NHS may or may not provide good quality service to patient. For example meeting patient expectations by reducing by providing cost effective care may led to a compromise in quality (Dysart, 2011). Hence, as a health care practitioner it is my duty to make sure that incorporated change does not lead to a decrease in quality towards patient care and safety.

Matching efficiency and economy – incorporation of any change within NHS is most likely to bring a mismatch between efficiency of services and making it cost friendly (Johnson and Williams, 2007). For example, inclusion of specialist doctors in NHS may lead to provision of quality services in form of patient guidance, treatment and post surgical care (Fauth and Mahdon, 2007). But this is most likely to increase the service cost for NHS staff members and management. This may work well for some time but it may be challenging for managerial team at NHS for maintain the match between efficiency and economy for longer period of time (Bishop, 2012).

TASK 2 TO EVALUATE RECENT CHANGES IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE SERVICE

Task 2:1 Strategy and criteria to measure the recent changes in NHS

There can be a usage of many strategies and criteria for measuring recent changes in health and social care. Regular inspections can be carried out by management team in form of audit. Supervisors can also be appointed form outside (Cloud, 2010). Similarly, quality inspections can also be carried out by governing bodies so as to ensure that operation in NHS are adhering with the stipulated quality specifications or not. In this regard, it can be evaluated that the usage of given strategies are likely to aid in measuring out whether there the changes have been incorporated properly or not. It will further assist in putting a strict control on the changes that have been taken. However, it is also true that regular inspection may hamper work quality due to recurring disturbances. Moreover, there can further be an addition of added cost.

In the similar manner, there is a need to assure the quality assurance standards whose adherence can be done by respective agencies. There can be a setting up of many criteria like meeting up the quality protocol as set on national level. Finding out the overall improvement in patient condition can also be used as major criteria for judging the change incorporation (Schee, Groenewegen and Friele, 2006). It can be assessed that adapting with these standards are likely to bring improvement in overall working with respect to quality. Feedback and comments can also be taken from users of health and social care so as to find out whether change implementation has been done properly or not (Cameron and Green, 2004). These feedbacks will help the firm in finding out the loopholes. In the similar manner, how the given benefits are perceived by service users can also be regarded as major criteria to find out whether change has been included or not. In the same way if the firms are able to perceive the benefited in form of increased understanding, greater efficiency in operations as well as provision of targeted services in an appropriate manner (Calnan, Rowe and Entwistle, 2006). If the management of the firm finds out about improved recruitment as well as presence of job satisfaction in employees then it can be regarded as good sign for bringing in the appropriate changes.

Task 2:2 Measure the impact of recent changes on NHS against set criteria

The impact of recent changes on health and social care services as per the set criteria can be measured by giving a due focus on varied kinds of aspects. For example, impact of changes on patient can be felt by measuring the overall reduction in waiting time felt by patients while waiting for the appointments with GPs (Gajendran and Brewer, 2012). The impact measurement can also be done by taking care of the referral rates. For example, increase in a number of referral done by patient for a healthy car professional means that there has been an improvement in the services. In the similar manner, if the form feels a balance between cost-benefits then it shows that change has been incoprpoted in a positive manner (Goodwin, Gruen and Iles, 2006). In the similar manner, generation of positive feedback as well as word of mouth publicity can also act as crucial source for measuring the impact of changes on health and social care services that have been provided by NHS (Griffin and Moorehead, 2009). In this regard, feedback is required to be taken from employees, consumers as well s service users of NHS. If feedback is positive then impact of change has been a good one. On the other hand, if there is a presence of negative feedback then change is required to be molded (Gross and et.al., 2009). In the similar manner, impact can also be measured by finding out the increase or decrease observed in employee turnover. In the similar manner, if new recruits show an eagerness to join the firm then impact of changes has been positive (Gross and et.al., 2009). In the similar manner, overall impact can also be judged by having an overview about sales, revenue as well as profitability figures of a company. If these are increasing then changes have been implemented in best manner.

Task 2.3 Evaluate the overall impact of recent changes in NHS

The impact of recent changes for overall operations as provided by NHS can be evaluated by considering the positive and negative aspects. NHS as a firm has started more on the concept of inter-professional working. It has made sure to promote creation of better working relations that have been found to exist between commissioners of services in varied areas of health as well as social care (Sines, Saunders and Burford, 2009). These aspects can also be extended to public health and children’s services. The firm has also tried to move towards community care by making structural changes in NHS. This has been done by developing as well as introducing the clinical commissioning groups that have been replaced by Primary Care Trusts as well as Strategic Health Authorities (Leonard, Graham and Bonacum, 2004). There has thus been an increase in overall profitability as well as revenue figures as generated by NHS. This is followed by increase in providing of quality health care services thereby leading to making the care very cost effective and as per the set standards. This has led to generation of positive word of mouth publicity by consumers and patients who have been getting the services (Paul and Peterson, 2012). However, employees still feel a brunt of work load as they find it difficult to adjust with the present quality standards. This can further increase the overall cost factor on the firm which may disturb the overall financing.

TASK 3 TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Task 3.1 Propose appropriate service responses to recent changes in NHS

There can be a proposition towards appropriate service responses to recent changes that have been made in NHS. In this regard, management team at NHS is required to bring in substantial changes in its leadership style so that there can be a facilitation of change. For example, changes are likely to cause increase in grudges from employees. Hence there is a requirement to adhere with democratic style of leadership (Sheard and Kakabadse, 2004). This will help in getting an increased participation of employees in all the work related processes. Hence, there would be a decrease in overall resistance on part of employees. In the same way, services can be made to respond appropriately by updating the policies and procedures (West, 2012). For example, in the starting time when the changes have been added the policies can be made employee friendly. In the similar manner, if new means of communication has been adopted with service users then there should be provision of proper training so that consumers can make themselves accustomed to ongoing technology (Zwarenstein, Goldman and Reeves, 2009). In the similar manner, there is also a need to increase employee participation by making them involved in overall decision making process. Employee representative can be created that would act as a link between employee and management team (McWilliam and Griffin, 2006). They can pass on the issues faced by healthcare professionals due to changes that have been incorporated in the firm. Management teams can then propose solution to issues. This will make the employees feel that they are valued by NHS. Hence, they would be ready to except the changes in best possible manner. In the similar manner, the service users in form of patients as well as other clients of NHS are required to be involved in all stages of operations that are carried out by NHS (Cameron and Green, 2012). They can be informed by mail as well as putting the relevant information on notice and bulletin boards. Feedbacks can be taken from them regarding the incorporated changes. Suggestions can further be taken from them so that they can give valuable feedback towards the changes.

There is a presence of varied principles of change management that can be incorporated by NHS so as to facilitate changes in the best possible manner.

• The requirement can be to inculcate clarity in terms of providing for a clearly defined goals, values, and actions. This will aid towards provision of common direction and shared vision (Hiatt and Creasey, 2003). Similarly, the overall process of change management is required to be based on realistic assessment of organizational history as to how have them managed the changes in previous times. It will assist in finding out whether NHS has got a capacity of change followed by systematically addressing the human side to change.
• Proper change management can only be facilitated when clear lines of communication have been established in any firm including NHS. Hence, there is a requirement to make use of two way communication process (Candace and Bohmer, 2013). Here, important information is required to be communicated to employees so that they feel motivated. In the same way, feedback is also required to be taken so that they feel that management has a concern for their opinion.
• Participation such as engaging employees can further aid in facilitating the overall process of change. Hence every layer in of employees is required to be inculcated in management of change (Johnson and Williams, 2007). Creation of accountability for ensuring ownership and responsibility of task will lead to increased participation of employees. Here, change process as well employee participation can further be facilitated if it start from top and follows a two way approach. This will assist in making sure to motivate the rest of employees.
• Regular reviews of impact made by changes should be taken both from employees as well as service users of NHS. Hence, NHS has a requirement to speak with individual and guide them about their roles and responsibilities after change (McWilliam and Griffin, 2006). In the similar manner, NHS may further be required to manage the overall pace of change so as to achieve the objectives that have been set by NHS.

Task 3:2 Explain how changes in NHS are planned

A proper planning is required to be done towards changes that have been or need to be incorporated by NHS. Hence, first and foremost step happens to be identifying the need for incorporation of changes within NHS. Next is to make sure that planned changes match with the goals and objectives that have been set in organizational framework. The planned changes can only be facilitated if there has been a creation of action points as to how the changes can be achieved in the best possible manner (Fauth and Mahdon, 2007). There may also be a requirement to devise proper strategies so as to implement change. The given strategies are to be planned by taking into consideration several factors such as financial status of company, availability of human resource capital, Changing User Expectation as well as Operational Framework. In the same way, there is also a requirement to monitor and evaluate the ongoing changes (McWilliam and Griffin, 2006). It can be done by identifying the potential success and failure of changes as well as taking of continuous feedback. In the similar manner, clear consultation is also required to be taken so as to aid in maintaining an overall transparency in business operations.

3.3 assess how to monitor recent changes in NHS

There are varied ways by which changes made in NHS can be monitored. These can be in form of undertaking feedbacks from employees as well as service users. For example, if NHS has implemented ICT technology then feedback can be taken from health care professionals towards the ease of usage (Cameron and Green, 2012). In the same way, if steps have been taken towards reduction of waiting time then feedback is required to be taken from service users in terms of the overall satisfaction level. For this, there can be conducting of survey sessions, questionnaires as well as group forums to aid in generation of feedback. In the similar manner, data analysis can be carried out (Candace and Bohmer, 2013). Thus can be done by measuring current performance against the aims and objectives that have been stipulated by managerial team at NHS. Monitoring can further be done by use of cameras in workplace.

CONCLUSION

It can be articulated from above research report based on case study on NHS. Several types of changes have taken place in NHS. These have been on account of varied factors which are of individual, societal, sector specific as well as governmental in nature. These have played a major role to drive the process of change within the industry (Hiatt and Creasey, 2003). Recent changes in NHS have been in form of providing access to emergency care, reducing waits for GP appointments, and cuts in social services. In order to facilitate these changes, the organization is required to apply the principles of change management in the best possible accords. These can be by ensuring clearly defined goals, setting of clear lines of communication, engaging employees among others (Candace and Bohmer, 2013). Similarly, there can also be an adherence to planning activities by first of identifying the need for change, making strategy for implementing change, monitoring and evaluation followed by a clear consultation (Johnson and Williams, 2007).

REFERENCES

• Bishop, W., 2012. Leadership, an ulterior motive. Journal of Strategic Leadership.
• Calnan, M., Rowe, R., and Entwistle, V., 2006. Trust relations in health care: an agenda for future research. Journal of Health Organization and Management.
• Cameron, E., and Green, M., 2012. Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models Tools and Techniques of Organizational Change. Kogan Page.
• Cameron, E., and Green, M., 2004. Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models, Tools & Techniques of Organizational Change. Kogan Page Publishers.
• Candace, I. and Bohmer, R., n.d. NHS and social care workforce: meeting our needs now and in the future?

 

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