Posted: May 31st, 2023

Identify opportunities for public health service improvement

Learning outcomes assessed in this assessment
3. Identify opportunities for public health service improvement and engage critically with opportunities for innovation and positive change.
4. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the process of change within organisations in order to facilitate service improvement.
Assessment Guidelines
Identify a public health service, either from the literature or from personal professional experience, where there is an opportunity for service improvement through change. Carefully evaluate this opportunity and provide a critical analysis of how the change process might be initiated and managed through to a successful conclusion, with reference to Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model (Kotter, 2012).
IMPORTANT – Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model (i.e., the eight-stage change process) (Kotter, 2012 i.e
Kotter, J. P. (2012) Leading Change. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press.
Your work should include and cover the following sections/aspects and content (as shown and stated in the table below). The specific percentage marks allocated to each section/aspect of your work is stated below. Please also note that the Level 7 marking criteria (located towards the end of this assessment brief) will also be used to reflect this overall grade. Please remember that achievement and demonstration of learning outcomes 3 and 4 are being assessed in this assessment.
Section/aspect Content to cover Marks available
1
Introduction Identify a public health service, either from the literature or from personal professional experience where there is an opportunity for service improvement through change and provide an outline/the context of this opportunity for service improvement through change. Examples of suitable opportunities for service improvement through change could be an innovation, a change in governance, a merger, downsizing in the face of financial difficulty, reorganization of services, implementation of a new model of care, implementing an electronic health record, a change in the system for reporting to the state health department or other government agency, etc. The identified opportunity for service improvement through change should be one that affects all of 15 Marks
the organization, a division, or a department.
Important point – Please ensure that confidentiality and anonymity is respected so that individuals and organisations are not identified and it is very important that this task is only undertaken
‘hypothetically’ (not for real) for the purposes of this assessment task (you must not undertake this exercise in reality or in practice).
2
Discussion Carefully evaluate this opportunity for service improvement through change. Then, following this, critically analyse how the change process might be initiated and managed through to a successful completion through using Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model
(Kotter, 2012) for this opportunity for service improvement through change. 40 Marks
Implications Critically assess the main strengths and weaknesses of the change process for this opportunity for service improvement through change that was proposed in the previous section (where Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model was used) and make recommendations for improvements in the change process if the change process were to be pursued again for this opportunity for service improvement through change (for example, how things could be done differently). 20 Marks
Conclusion Effective summary of key points. 10 Marks
Presentation and Referencing High quality presentation that conforms to principles of 15 Marks
academic writing and contains minimal errors in sentence construction, grammar and punctuation. The assignment followed appropriate academic conventions regarding in-text citations and referencing.
3

___________________________

In this paper, I will identify an opportunity for service improvement through change in a public health service, and critically analyze how the change process might be initiated and managed through to a successful conclusion, with reference to Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model.

The public health service I will focus on is the National Health Service (NHS) in England. The NHS is a publicly funded healthcare system that provides a comprehensive range of health services to the population of England. The NHS is facing a number of challenges, including an aging population, rising healthcare costs, and increasing demand for services. In order to meet these challenges, the NHS needs to improve its efficiency and effectiveness.

One opportunity for service improvement in the NHS is to implement a new electronic health record (EHR) system. An EHR system would allow healthcare providers to access patient records electronically, which would improve the coordination of care and reduce the risk of medical errors. However, implementing an EHR system is a complex and challenging undertaking. It requires a significant investment of time and resources, and it can be difficult to get all stakeholders on board.

Discussion

Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model can be used to guide the process of implementing an EHR system in the NHS. The first step is to create a sense of urgency. This can be done by highlighting the benefits of an EHR system, such as improved patient care, reduced costs, and increased efficiency. The second step is to form a powerful coalition. This coalition should include representatives from all levels of the NHS, as well as from key stakeholders, such as patients, clinicians, and IT vendors. The third step is to create a vision for change. This vision should be clear, concise, and achievable. The fourth step is to communicate the vision. This can be done through a variety of channels, such as meetings, presentations, and newsletters. The fifth step is to remove obstacles. This may involve changing policies, procedures, or mindsets. The sixth step is to empower employees. This can be done by providing them with training, resources, and support. The seventh step is to celebrate successes. This will help to keep employees motivated and engaged. The eighth step is to institutionalize the change. This can be done by embedding the new processes and procedures into the culture of the organization.

Implications

The implementation of an EHR system in the NHS would be a significant undertaking. However, it has the potential to improve the quality and efficiency of care, and to reduce costs. Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model can be used to guide the process of change and increase the chances of success.

The main strengths of the change process proposed in this paper are that it is comprehensive and it takes into account the needs of all stakeholders. The main weaknesses of the process are that it is time-consuming and expensive.

If the change process were to be pursued again, I would recommend making the following improvements:

Start the process earlier. The longer you wait to implement change, the more difficult it will be.
Get more buy-in from stakeholders. The more people who are involved in the change process, the more likely it is to succeed.
Be prepared for setbacks. Change is never easy, and there will be setbacks along the way. Be prepared to adapt your plans and keep moving forward.
Conclusion

The implementation of an EHR system in the NHS is a complex and challenging undertaking. However, it has the potential to improve the quality and efficiency of care, and to reduce costs. Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model can be used to guide the process of change and increase the chances of success.

References

Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press.

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