Radical Changes in Stafford Hospital - Case Study Example

Student’s name) (Course code+name) (Professor’s name) (University name) 1.0. Introduction Regarded as one of the common health facility around; Stafford has history dating back in 1983. It is located in Staffordshire; England and operated by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. It has approximately 350 inpatient beds. Stafford hospital provides a wide range of non-specialist medical and surgical services. Due to the sub-standard care, between 400 and 1200 patients died between 2005 and 2008. Considering these aspects, this paper provides a systematic and detailed analysis of the factors behind the deteriorated health care the facility. It gives detailed reasons as to why the oversight infrastructure and extensive regulatory failed to act swiftly in addressing its problems for a considerable long time even though the causes of the problems were known. To conceptualise this understanding, the paper also lay bare that what happened in Staffordshire was as a result of system failure. Instead of giving solutions to the problem, it gives a solution of change in culture which needs to be implemented in the current situation and environment. It further gives a scenario that avoids a blame culture among its workers and other stakeholders. 2.0. Comparing its structure against any other selected organization Stafford hospital operates on a constitution that puts patients first and works on the articulation of staff’s fundamental standard of behavior. In addition, there is clear and safety standards which are meant to allow all the services in Stafford to continue and that any patient may expect (Chapel, 2009). A culture in Stafford works in a way that causing any harm to any patient is prohibited and is treated as a criminal offence. Stafford hospital also works on a structure that embraces compliance and such that workers who fail to comply may be terminated from service. There are guided standard procedures that enable individuals to comply with the required fundamental standards. To underscore the statement Stafford’s structure is based on organizational environment and strategy. In comparison to other health care providers, the health care workers, ethics and the workers behavior are core to the structure and culture of Stafford hospital. 3.0. Factors effecting its structure (Strategy, Growth and Diversification) Leaders pay attention to the policies of the hospital and intervene where necessary so as to protect patients. Secondly, leaders are expected to hire well trained specialists and as well integrate the representation of patients in Stafford’s structure. Additionally, leaders should formalize and introduce partnership input from other professional bodies. Stafford hospital leadership deals with a range of activities such as regulating the corporate governance, ensuring that the patient’s quality and safety is in compliance. Leaders monitor data accuracy so as to ensure that the patient’s complaints are attended to in corresponding to such complaints. National Health protection agency and Patient safety agency allows the leaders to react to the crises. They correspond to any problem that are brought to them in due time. In Stafford, health providers comply with risk schemes with an aim of benefiting the patients in equal rigor to other health care providers. All leaders in Stafford have the obligation to improve information sharing through technology which has been the centre of communication. Under such a significant use of technology, critical incidents are addressed with openness to ensure that patient’s safety is upheld. As a cultural audit, the effects of non-compliance are made clear and both at the staff members and organizational level, it forms a major deterrent. The culture creators; who are the leaders and health care workers are guided on the belief and values that the expertise of the professionals should be exercised to allow the hospital to take ownership of its improvement. In an effort to link culture with the goals, a lobby in consistency is an impetus to a greater and cooperation and synergy between the healthcare regulators to avoid issues of double jeopardy of the workers. Structures are put clear to allow the staff members be aware of any harm caused and report instantly to the leaders. As such it is therefore a statutory duty to be honest and truthful to the patients in case of any harm caused to the patients. In a view to make this process smooth and seamless, complaints handling have been improved without necessarily victimizing the patients for any report made to the authorities (Buchanan et al., 2010). In addition to this and as a point of caution, the development of the various legal duties at the employees level in many occasions have worked contrary to the culture that allows the staff members to exacerbate fear of repercussions and blame. MARS (motivation, abilities, role perception and situational factors) model or MARS BAR (behavior and result) is a model that explains individual behavior resulting from the external and internal influences and factors acting together (Mullins, 2007). For both the external and internal factors to interact individual’s personality, values, emotions, attitude, perceptions and stress have to be considered from the perspective of this hospital. That is, since the failure in Stafford, workers have been enthusiastic with a high level of motivation. They have been in contact with the patients and understand their roles having adequate situational factors in terms of resources. They have been therefore able to perform well with their improved ability. The situational factors at the resources level has been the core concern of the management and regulators at Safford which has therefore allowed its workers to optimize on their performance. However, nurses have been assessed for their aptitude to ascertain on their ability to work and deliver quality services in here. Additionally, the training standards have been enhanced to ensure that qualified nurses are employed for the right jobs. As a matter of ensuring there efficiency and no overlap in roles, nurses and other health workers have been allocated duties in shifts. All the health care workers have a clear description of their roles since they are regulated by a registration scheme. Healthcare workers differences in emotions, level of stress, attitude and personality are also some of the factors that influence the work rate in Stafford. Management refers to a process of coordinating and organization of a team or business in order to achieve the desired goals. Leadership refers to action of leading a people or a group of people in an organization. 4.0. Management functions Management can serve the purposes of organizing, leading, planning and controlling. The entire components are dependent in a way such that one cannot function without the other. In the planning stage, the goals and the means to achieve them are set. In the organization stage people and resources required to meet the set goals are put in place. Controlling function involves process of closely monitoring performance to ensure the set goals are met. Leading functions provides a motivational perspective by ensuring that the employees view the manager as one who plays the leading role. 5.0. Nature of managerial authority Management authority refers to the right to give order and power and exact obedience (Brooks, 2006). In management authority flows downwards while the flow of power can be any direction. In addition, power can be legitimate and official unlike power which needs not to be legitimate. Power is one’s ability to influence others in management and authority is delegated to individuals especially managers to command and make decisions. Mechanisms for developing effective teamwork in organization Teams refer to people with different complimentary skills working together with an aim of accomplishing a common project or job (Brooks, 2006). The success of any organization is dependent on the team environment. Team environment enables any organization to understand the motivating factors behind the employees (Drucker, 2008). It gives the organization the clue on what is important to the employees at any particular time ranging from career advancement, training, financial incentive and promotion. Overall, team environment allows organizations to strike balance between responsibilities and roles depending on the team members’ strengths. In conclusion, team building process refers to a wide variety of activities that enables a group of people work towards achieving a desired goal. 6.0. Conclusion Radical changes in Stafford hospital have tremendously improved the delivery of services. The status of health care since the highest numbers of deaths were reported has gone steady due to close monitoring and positive changes in management. References Brooks, I. (2006) Organizational Behavior: individuals, groups and organization, 3rd ed, Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall Buchanan, D. A., & Huczynski, A. A. (2010) Organizational behavior, 7th ed. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall Chapel, C (2009).Investigation into Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Healthcare Commission, March 2009 Drucker, P, F. (2008), Management, Rev Ed, London: Harper Business Publishers Mullins, L.J. (2007) Management and Organizational Behavior, 8th Ed, London: Prentice Hall Read More