Nursing assignment help on: Demands of the consumer-Stafford hospital

Introduction

The demands of the consumer world are applicable even to health care and social care system of the country. Hospitals should be highly active in service delivery and health care as it is the most visible service that is given away to people by them. Failing to do that would impact the reputation of the hospital and thus the income of the hospital. The consumer demand has increased on Stafford Hospital and this assignment analyses some of the important strategies and perspective taken on service delivery, quality assurance and quality improvement methods that can be adapted by the health and social care sector and hence taken by Stafford Hospital.

Service delivery in health care

The various health care systems can be divided into major three components that are financing, delivery and allocation. Financing deals with how the the health services are paid for delivery deals with how the various services are organised, managed and provided. And allocation deals with allocation of the various resources and the services.

Importance of service delivery

The importance of health service delivery is vital in the case of any health care system. Health services are more visible to the the stakeholders in a health system. The services that are given by a health service division could be promotions, prevention programs, rehabilitation and treatments to home, to communities, to work places and to many other different health facilities. The efficiency of service delivery is highly dependent on key resources like having motivated staff, equipments, information and finances and availability of the drugs. The organisation and management along with the incentives that are provided for the users and providers of the service options also determines the accessibility, coverage and quality of the health services (WHO, 2012).

Most of the efficiencies that are required in the delivery structures are a result of competition, and results from the various incentives in association with ownership. Poor outcome should always be monitored and measured. The nature of the services that are imparted will decides on the application of the measurability factor. There is also a high requirement of profit delivery in the case of the revenue streams. This is only possible when there are multiple streams of revenue generation that comes from outside the funded system (Deber, 2002).

Competence and Delivery

The successful delivery of an organisation is health care is highly dependent on the competency level of the individuals and the team of the workers including corporate managers, non- clinical and clinical practitioners. The major skills required by the managers include knowledge, skills, values and attitudes (Deber, 2002).

Following are the thee qualities that are important for the sound management they are

Conceptual abilities: the hospital in general should be seen as a business organisation in a holistic approach. The major decision should be to make the best of the circumstances that are in their hands.

Interpersonal abilities: it requires high amount of skills to include, enable and motivate the workforce and thereby achieve goals that are already set by the management.

Technical abilities: these abilities requires high amount of application of different sciences in the organisation that is based on the health care. Management of information and technology are highly important for the purpose of facilitating the quality of management and derive delivery (Muller, Jooste & Bezuidenhout, 2006).

Systems theory, Service Operations and Quality management

Systems Theory

Biologist Ludwig von Bertalanffy developed Systems theory and was proposed for the purpose of simplification of the complex mind of humans and to propose it in a simple way. System theory is approaches the whole world as a system that is composed of subsystems. In the case of hospital can be treated as systems that have inputs, processes and output. The hospital is also simultaneously a part of a larger system which is the health care system of the whole world. Health care system is also an ingredient of the major systems in the world including the health care system, financial system, educational system, judicial system and many other systems of the world (Hayajneh, 2007).

Source: (Howley & Chung, 2011)

The above picture is of a holistic health care systems relationship model and finds distinction control and relationship models. P1 is control relationship that is responsible for the representation of  hierarchical practitioner standards, P2- the communication relationship model that is responsible for giving the communication of various outcomes, P3 for the purpose of communications associations in accreditation and QMR systems and P$ represents the control relationships and is responsible for providing adequate feedback (Chuang & Inder, 2009).

Service operations

health care service operations are responsible for creating value through the process of transformation in the case of physiological, psychological, informational and educational factors that are taking place in the hospital/ managing the service operations also involves various decisions that are to be take and can be characterised as operational, strategically and tactical (Stahl, 2004).

The strategically operational are responsible for setting objectives for the long term and has its focus on the creation of value. There should be a clear balance between the scope of the service offering and the mix of it. Tactical decisions are those decisions that are meant for realisation in the medium term has planning as its major component. Some of the levels of decisions that are taken include workforce skills, physical capacity planning, materials, services acquisition planning, replacement decisions and equipment maintenance. Operational decisions on the other side are short term in nature and deals with the present situations. Some of the major components of the operational decisions are assignment and scheduling of tasks and workforce. The service operations in the case of the health care system are essentially complicated because of the multistage nature of the customer flow and also the degree of the operational flexibility (Stahl, 2004).

Quality Management

The health care delivery system is now changing more than it did in the past 30 years and this is one of the major reasons why quality management is in high demand in the health care sector. the importance of quality improvement in the case of customers along with improvement in the costs are that a strong customer movement is now creating demands from the health care system and unprecedented levels and and the financial constraints have peaked (Lighter & Fair, 2004). Quality is a perception that has its orientation on the value system of a person. High quality is a process in which there is a requirement for continues improvement so that the expectations of the customer. The aim of the hospital authorities while adapting quality management is customer satisfaction and not winning the competitor. This can be done y identifying proper customer groups, to measure and evaluate expectations, and to change the expectations of the customer over the time through customer education (Ligher & Fair, 2004).

Quality assurance in health and social care organisations

quality assurance in the health care sector can be defined as the formal process in which the quality and appropriateness of the client care and the departmental performances are evaluates and documented by the professional group that is responsible (Funnel et. al (2008). some of the major elements that are to be processed in the case of enduring quality assurance in a health care system are to reflect in each ambulatory health care providers quality assurance program, support from the administration and the structure and style of the support. the qualifications, responsibilities and the accountability of the writer, and involvement from the staff. there is also a requirement of having flexibility in the  current practices and approach that re adopted by the hospital.  The anticipated outcome and revelation of them helps in deciding and improving the quality assurance activities that are undertaken by the hospitals (Bulau, 1990).

Major principles

It can be said that that there are five major principles for quality assurance and that also explains the importance of quality assurance (Offei et.al. 2004)

1. The orientation of the Quality assurance is towards fulfilling the need s and expectations of the clients: Quality assurance gives complete dedication to the clients without which the employment would not have existed. It can also be seen that patients all over the world are highly concerned about the rights of participation is health care delivery in the case of both external and internal clients.
2. There is a high focus on the systems and processes and systems in the case of quality assurance. The three components of the systems are inputs, processes and outcomes. This would mean better assessment of the efforts that are put in for improving the quality.
3. The quality is improved on the basis of the data and hence the opportunities of success are even more. Data was initially only collected and passed over. With the advent of quality assurance programs they are understood and are used in favour of the quality assurance. These data can also help in increasing the service delivery.
4. Quality Assurance also helps in improving quality in the whole team: A common goal can be achieved through quality assurance programs when it is planned out. Teams are used for the purpose of solving issues that are generated in the systems and also for improving the quality of the system. Leadership, support and commitment are pivotal in fulfilling this desire.
5. There are also chances for effective communication. Communication keeps the people involved informed and hence there are increased amount of improving the chances of producing service of a higher quality level.

Benefits of Quality Assurance

Benefits to clients: there are are high chances for obtaining value for money, beater outcome in the case of health and for a higher rate of satisfaction. This will also mean lesser frustration from the clients.

Benefits to health providers: there are chances for yielded higher satisfaction levels at work in the case of health staff along with understanding and treating the patient in a better way. There won’t be much hindrance in the case of information flow and the health staffs will be well rewarded.

Benefits for the health institution: there will be an increase in the good will and reputation of the firm with satisfaction in the case of delivered services (Offei, Bannerman & Kyeremeh, 2004).

Contribution of service operations to achievement of objectives in Stafford Hospital

Stafford Hospital has gone through tough stages to come up to the expectations of the customers. There were several scandals to deal with before convincing the patients of the quality assurance. One of the biggest scandals revealed that 1200 or more patients died at Stafford hospital in 4 years. The major issues were lack of quality assurance where in there was a shortage in the number of staff even in case of emergency. This is one of the reasons why the hospital had to increase the staff rate and be open in the nights. The service and trust of the patients win the hospital were removed (Campbell, 2011). This is one of the reasons why they increased their stress on their values to be to work together and care for people, do the right thing and listen and improve. The quality improvement programme is even in their value now. The objectives they have set for themselves include provision of services for everyone who are in need, ensuring employment opportunities and giving equal opportunities to everyone (NHS, 2011)

As a result of the improvement of the various services Stafford hospital is hoping to achieve their vision of creating a culture of caring, along with ensuring that no harm will be imparted to the clients from their centres. They hope to respond to the customers on terms of their requirements and the terms that are pivotal to fulfilling the requirements and the needs of the customers and the community.  The management is also very supportive to the staff in helping them to fulfil the requirements of the clients. These elements are all combined by adherence to the reporting norms and corporate governance (NHS, 2011).the effectiveness of these plans can be analysed in the increase in the customer satisfaction rate of NHS.

Quality management tools and their benefits on adaptation in Stafford hospital

There are many common approaches that have been taken for the purpose of improving quality. Here are some of the major measures that can be adopted by a health sector. Attached with them are also the benefits that can be available to the Stafford hospital.

Business process Reengineering: this will be a process that helps Stafford hospital to rethink on the various processes that are implement and gives opportunity to rethink and redesign the When a step is taken by an efficient leader to help Stafford hospital to rearrange the various processes that are already undertaken by them. There is also an option to set them up against the key process and then spread them into other departments. (The Health Foundation, 2009).

Collaborative: there is an option for the hospital to start collaboration between other hospital and sharing the knowledge they have gathered from various customers. (The Health Foundation, 2009)

Lean Management: this is yet another quality management technique that can be implemented in the hospital. It will be an answer to the requirements of value generation to the customers. This is a quality management improvement technique that would let the hospital to focus on the increased value, flow and on waste reduction (The Health Foundation, 2009)

Plan, Do, Study: this is an approach that will help them to bring about small changes by adapting to the new plans that are implemented gradually and then fulfil the requirements (The Health Foundation, 2009)

Six Sigma: The flaws that are usually analysed by the customers will be reduced with the help of six sigma by ensuring customer satisfaction. Six Sigma methods place customer satisfaction as the central object for the requirement of the existence and the success of the organisation. The defects are minimised through the same process. (The Health Foundation, 2009)

Statistical Process Control: this will determine the reasons between natural variation and special cause variation. The amount of control the hospital has on a process can be detected when this process is implemented. Implementation of the process is not highly recommended as SPC (The Health Foundation, 2009).

Total Quality Management (TQM): there are chances for continues improvement in the case of the quality when TQM is implemented. It focuses n customer satisfaction and the improvement of quality by creating of value and reducing the time that is usually consumed otherwise (The Health Foundation, 2009)

Quality improvement models are all concentrated on improving the speed and the standard of the processes simultaneously ensuing that there is high amount of customer satisfaction. The value required by the customers will also be delivered on successfully implementing one of these measured. Total quality management and Sigma are highly recommended as this is a health care institution and customer value generation is more important for them as service delivery is the most visible component here (The Health Foundation, 2009). Effectiveness of Quality Improvement Programs and Relationship between the Quality, Equity and Cost

Nature of the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Quality improvements programs

The nature of the efficiency of the quality improvement programs depend on the status that is taken for the purpose of improvement by the organisations. The conditions to be fulfilled in the case are sufficient support from the management, availability of the resources on time, adequate used of resources by trained employees and adequate external and internal environment for the success of the Quality improvements program.

Relationship between quality, equity and cost at Stafford Hospital

There is a high level of requirement for the health care system to give efficient and effective health care to meet the health requirements of the country. There is high requirement for improving the equity in health for improving the the health services. Into the case of NHS they have set out towards the mission of making NHS that envy of the world. There are plans that are already set to achieve these goals. They are to

1. Keeping the the patients at the heart of everything that is done. This will give them a choice along with control over their decisions. The amount of help that is given to them will also help the rate of information that is accessible to the communities. This would mean that patients and the relatives will be able to make informed decisions that are of high advantage to them (NHS, 2010). In the case of NHS various processes have been taken into consideration at the same time. They are the PDSA, Statistical process control, theory of constraints, and mass customisations.
2. The focus is also very high on the outcomes of the treatment process that is given to them. There are chances for success. and success in the process are not only measured with the help of the bureaucratic process targets that are already set, But also through the results that are experiences by the patients which is improvement in treatments of cancer and the survival rate in the case of strokes (NHS, 2010).
3. The health professionals are also empowered and use the professional judgements for the process of the evaluation of the patients. The process of health care will be in the hands of the professional and the patients from the very core (NHS, 2010).

On the other side it can also be seen that there is a massive debt that is growing on the other side. This is one of the major decisions that are to be taken by NHS as it is not immune to the challenges. But they have chosen to make the necessary reformations first and then to accelerate it. The aims that are set are to create better values so that they would be able to deliver better results on terms of value for money in the future.

Critical Evaluation and Investigation of systems theory the case of  Stafford Hospital

It can be evaluated Systems theory is too vague and and general and applying it any system cannot be as easily implemented as it is said. There is a high level of difficulty in the case of identifying and measuring the various constructs and so it should difficult to explain in any scenario. It also assumes that all the systems have equal poor on the support system. The major element that plays in the systems theory is communication. The systems are built up on the basis of the communication and the ideas that are shared by one another. Implementation of this theory in the hospital can be replicated to the application of Quality improvement techniques. The outcome is analysed as a the result of the processes that was undertaken as result of the input that is put in the Stafford hospital

Analysing the case of application of this in NHS, all the departments being treated as a subsystem that makes up a major system will make the systems theory complicated and applicable. This would mean that there is a requirement of strengthening the system theory in the case of Stafford Hospital. Also, the service delivery rate and the achievement of the set goals are difficult to calculate in the case of the health care system and the same of applicable to Stafford Hospital. Strengthening the base of the theory will make it possible to improve the work that is done and focus on the theory and trust it for making the whole system change (NHS, 2012). Also, it should be considered that there are chances for further research in the case of the systems theory to make it applicable to Stafford (Howley and Chuang, 2011).

Conclusion

Service delivery of a health care system can be said to be dependent on a whole lot of factors and hence is dependent on the employees, management and the various departments within the hospital care. Services and values should be given the central role in the health care system. The models adapted by most of the heath care system can be analysed on terms of systems theory which treats hospital as a system and departments as a part of sub systems. Various operations are undertaken to enhance the output of the hospital as a system and quality management helps in rising up to the expectations of the customers. Quality assurance procedures are undertaken to make availability of proper corporate governance techniques and accountability and flow of operations in the system. Various quality improvement techniques can also be adopted for improving the speed of the processes and value created by them to both the customers and the hospital. Service and quality improvement techniques require investments first and then only can the expenditure be regained. The increased debt is a challenge of Stafford, but it is also required for Stafford to meet up to the demands of the customers.

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