Press release: Creating high performance in the NHS - why is it so hard and what can we do about it?
22 May 2002
The agenda for creating high performance in the NHS must shift to the complex territory of cultural change away from a focus on simplistic solutions, such as changing the structure, funding or management which fail to recognise the unique and key challenges in healthcare systems, argued the NHS Confederation in two leading edge papers launched today at their annual conference in a major conference session.
Nigel Edwards, policy director argued there are no simple fixes in the NHS - the diagnosis of the problems facing the NHS has often been inadequate and simplistic and as a result most of the solutions that are proposed fail to address the key issues.
He said: "The NHS is not alone - many healthcare systems seem to produce results that are generally disappointing to the populations they serve. There are no simple fixes. The real but complex reason is that healthcare systems have particular difficulties creating the alignment of strategy, leadership, processes, structures and culture required to achieve high performance for a number of reasons related to their organisational culture, complexity and the relationship with professionals."
The leading edge papers argue that culture is the least well understood and one of the most vital factors in high performance.
However, culture can be changed by the way leaders behave, the systems and structures they create and the relationships they develop. A number of specific and potentially contentious ideas for how to create a culture more conducive to high performance were presented - a new approach to performance management, investment in leadership and teams, rediscovering administration and middle management, care with inspection, thoughtful language and messages, and developing the information infrastructure.
Nigel Edwards concluded, "We hope these papers will launch a fresh debate in the NHS and beyond on the reasons why it is so hard to create high performance in the NHS based on an analysis of the unique factors in health care systems."
Notes for editors
- The NHS Confederation's annual conference is taking place in Harrogate between 22 and 24 May 2002.
- The NHS Confederation represents the organisations that make up the NHS. Our members include the majority of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts, health authorities and local health groups in Wales; trusts and NHS boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
Contact details
- Contact Media Relations Manager Joanna Clason on 020 7074 3306 or 07798 571078 or Senior Media Officer Amy Darlington on 020 7074 3304 or 07767 770309. For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.
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