Introductory description

Healthcare organisations and industries increasingly have to deal with both planned and disruptive change and innovation. Recent policy changes (e.g. NHS Healthcare Reform: Health and Social Care Act 2012, NHS 5 Year forward view 2015-2020) are driving major transformation in healthcare services. Within this context, managers and leaders are being tasked with improving quality of care and delivering operational efficiencies. Module materials aim to provide students with the knowledge to critically evaluate a range of options, mechanisms, resourcing implications, and frameworks for planning, implementing and managing innovation. Through the use of case studies and lectures, the module provides students with a theoretical foundation in patient-centred service, concepts of value, service innovations and resourcing considerations. Students will be equipped to examine and develop the ‘business case’, blueprint, and evaluate options for resource allocation and risk management in a health sector ecosystem. They will also be able to define and implement measures for strategic objectives, value (benefits), outcomes, and outputs. Implementation frameworks and methods such as programmes, portfolios, projects and initiatives will be examined and their applicability to various contexts evaluated.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

1. Introduction and welcome

• Introductions
• Module topics, learning outcomes
• Agreeing Expectations

1. Healthcare Service Delivery – Context, Drivers and Enablers of change

• Governments, Policies, Market-mechanisms
• Service Innovations, patient pathways, patient centred services
• Resource allocation, commissioning and health sector ‘ecosystems’, networks and constellations
• Leading vs Managing change – Incremental, transformational, disruptive
• Case Studies & Exercises

1. Stakeholder Engagement & Value

• Concepts of Human Values Instrumental and Terminal (After Rokeach, 1973)
• Economic Value vs Worth
• Stakeholder concepts of value, values and risk
• Stakeholder ‘What’s In It for Me?” (WIFFMs), Motivators/De-motivators
• Stakeholder mapping techniques, Socio-dynamics
• Reputation, Relationships and Risk Management
• Case Studies & Exercises

1. Service Design and Innovation

• Models & Dimensions of service Innovation
• Human element in Value co-creation (value as phenomenological )
• Value Co-creation , Touchpoints & Value-In-use
• Experienced Based Design (EBD)
• Self-service and Technology Innovations
• Blueprinting services
• Case studies & Exercises

1. Implementing change, innovation and transformational change

• Planned vs emergent change, disruptions
• Portfolio/Programme/Project/ Operations as usual
• Understanding and evaluating approaches
• Case studies & Exercises

1. Portfolios and Programme Management

• Programme framework/Change management/governance
• Vision and Values, Blueprinting ‘As-is’ an ‘To-Be’
  o Value, Benefits, Outcomes, Outputs
  o Value, Benefits Management & Measurement (KPI/Scorecards/Metrics)
  o Benefit types, Social return on Investment (SROI)
• The ‘Journey Map’ & options analysis, sourcing
• Business Case –Justification and estimation, risk management
• Governance Arrangements & strategies; Roles & responsibilities
• Readiness for Change
• Case studies & Exercises

1. Projects & Project Dossier

• Getting the objective right
• Monitoring , Transition & embedding
• Case studies & exercises

1. Sourcing Options and Considerations – Relationships, Reputation and Risk
2. Bringing it all together- Reflections in action

• Case studies & presentations

1. PMA, Module Review & student reflection on learning

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate critical knowledge of strategic planning and decision making in the healthcare sector
• Understand and explore the use of various resources that are vital to the success of a healthcare organization
• Understand the critical steps necessary in successful planning process, and recognise and appraise the human, financial and organisational implications of programme strategy options and the decision-making processes in complex and uncertain situations
• Conduct critical analysis of programme and project plans in the context of improving health service delivery.
• Be able to identify resources for strategic planning and projects
• Apply critical thinking skills in financial management, human resourcing, operational improvement, and strategic planning.

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Specific reading list for the module

Subject specific skills

Strategic and organisational awareness, planning techniques, prioritisation, stakeholder analysis and engagement, decision-making and common biases and heuristics, problem definition and problem solving, risk management methods and techniques, service systems, programmes and project management, resource management techniques.

Transferable skills

Critical thinking, critical analysis and reasoning, problem solving, communication, teamwork and working effectively with others, organisational awareness, research skills, information literacy.