Free White Papers
Ask the experts
Got a question? Put us to the test
Programme Management
Print | Email | Digg this story!
Making (NP)fIT for Purpose
The NHS is currently engaged in the biggest reconfiguration of IT systems that has ever taken place in the UK. The NPfIT programme is intended to deliver systems that support the vision for healthcare as set out under the Modernisation Agenda - a vision where clinicians have 24 hour, immediate access to consistent, shared information that will enable them to provide timely and appropriate care for their patients.
Under NPfIT contractual arrangements, system suppliers are committed to deliver systems that meet stringent functional specifications and that comply with standards that allow the integration and sharing of health records through the NHS Care Record Service.
The prime focus of system suppliers is to deliver their IT systems to meet these requirements within the very demanding timetable set out in the NPfIT implementation targets. However, the vision for improved healthcare systems will not be met by simply delivering and installing new systems. For these systems to be effective, there will need to be a major programme of process change and training within healthcare organisations to ensure that the intended benefits are actually realised.
Are you prepared to implement?
Local Health Economies (LHEs) must therefore ensure that their organisations are properly prepared to receive and implement new systems and to undertake benefits realisation programmes to ensure that the vision is fulfilled. To achieve this end, LHEs will need to manage implementation processes through a combination of project and programme management arrangements.
Programme vs Project
In an LHE environment, the local NPfIT work programme will need to include all the project workstreams that will together contribute to delivery of the overall vision.
Whereas projects will focus on delivery of specific products and outputs, such as a PACS solution, at programme level the prime focus will need to be around the management of change.
Typically, benefits will only accrue at the end of a project after the required outputs have been delivered, whereas the programme will need to coordinate delivery from all its constituent projects such that benefits can be realised within the timescale of the programme as well as afterwards.
There has been an unfortunate history of NHS IT programmes failing to deliver real benefits. In many cases this is down to a lack of attention to organisational change and benefits realisation rather than poor system functionality. A good system poorly implemented can produce worse results than an indifferent system that has been implemented well.
Perhaps the most important role of programme management is to keep an eye on 'the big picture' to ensure that benefits are realised. A particular pitfall to be avoided is becoming too involved in the detail of individual projects. The programme view needs to take a wider perspective to ensure that the organisation retains a focus on the overall objectives and does not get bogged down in the minutiae of project delivery.
NPfIT programme management -
seven key success factors
Our experience in this area suggests there are seven key success factors to delivering improved healthcare systems and that must be addressed by NPfIT programme management:
- Development of an overall programme brief and business case to provide a framework for monitoring delivery of the programme.
- Coordination of project activity, taking into account dependencies between projects.
- Providing a consistent framework for monitoring and control, including standard documentation and reporting systems.
- Quality assurance of project management and delivery processes.
- Communications with stakeholders to ensure that interested parties receive appropriate and timely information.
- Benefits planning, realisation and evaluation.
- Risk management and issue resolution.
Conclusion
Project delivery within the NHS is generally conducted in accordance with PRINCE2 methodology. Although guidance for managing programmes is set out in the OGC publication 'Managing Successful Programmes', the NHS has comparatively few staff with direct experience of applying these principles and many organisations are finding that their resources are overstretched by the intense demands of the NPfIT programme.
Oakleigh consultants have extensive experience in programme management and are able to offer a range of programme and programme management related services, including health checks and gateway reviews. As well as offering start-up support and programme office expertise, our consultants have also undertaken direct programme management roles in a number of NHS organisations.
If you have any questions about the subjects covered in this white paper or you would like to find out more about how Oakleigh Consulting could help your organisation, please contact us on 0161 835 4100 or email us.
Copyright
You may publish, quote or reproduce any white papers on this website on the condition that Oakleigh Consulting Ltd is notified, properly credited (and linked to) as the source, including our URL: www.oakleigh.co.uk.