PIONEERING work carried out by NHS Lothian to overhaul current management of
healthcare has been shortlisted in the national HR Excellence Awards.
The work – which has addressed issues surrounding delayed discharge and waiting
times for colorectal cancer and radiology CT scanning – has been nominated in the
Best Change Management Programme category at the ceremony, which will be held on
July 2nd in London.
The ‘lean management’ training, or Kaizen, is offered by healthcare experts GE
Healthcare and was introduced to NHS Lothian staff in August 2006. It aims to
improve the level of services on offer by enabling staff to identify issues
themselves.
The management principles were invented by Japanese car makers Toyota and insist
that lasting change is only possible where staff themselves have spotted the problem
and been truly involved in its solution, suggesting that change imposed from above
or by external influences is never as effective or successful.
James McCaffery, director of Human Resources, NHS Lothian, said: “It is great news
that we have been shortlisted for this award. It is a fitting tribute to the long
hours of hard work that has gone into the Kaizen process, and the dedication shown
by our staff to ensuring the best quality healthcare is on offer to patients.
“While we are not a business, we need to learn from the private sector and other
international healthcare organisations about the best ways to implement lasting
positive changes. This education process has helped us provide the most efficient
and effective healthcare system we can.”
Some of the benefits offered by NHS Lothian’s Kaizen work, will include CT waiting
times being reduced from a maximum of 21 weeks to an initial six weeks, and then to
two weeks, by December 2007 across all NHS Lothian sites; and a reduction in the
maximum wait for colonoscopy from 29 to nine weeks by September 2007, by increasing
the number of colonoscopies offered by 15 per week.
The HR Excellence Awards take place at The Dorchester, Park Lane, London, on Monday,
2nd July.
ENDS
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