Efficiency in a Unit of a District Health Authority - Essay Example

East Neasden -- Efficiency in a Unit of a District Health Authority The East Neasden is about the efficiency within a unit οf the health authority. It focuses on how departments are run. There are numerous problems there. The main problem areas that have been addressed within are the case study includes management objectives, the organisational structure οf employees, staff participation/motivation, communication and administrative policies. The main problems at East Neasden seem to be communication. Effective communication is essential for organisations. Without this employees do not know what and when they are supposed to do. Also managers will have a hard job οf finding out how to improve things. Good communication ensures that people are all aiming and working towards one common goal. By communicating effectively the management can explain objectives and employees have the chance to share their views. There are many ways that managers can communicate with staff it can be written or verbal. There is a lack οf formality with staff and the workplace is οf a relaxed atmosphere. There is not a lot οf organisational structure evident this is apparent as the dietary department is run by a team and there is no manager however there is a senior nurse. Nurses had to help with administrative duties to help clear the backlog. They were doing the job οf the receptionist; the receptionist was not carrying out their duties. There is a mixture οf views on how the department should be run. It is good to have a mixture οf views however this can cause conflict and also shows lack οf direction. When employees have different views they will priories differently. With a proper organisation chart introduced it would help to overcome the informality within the department as it would clearly state the different staff levels and make objectives become unified. Authority will then flow through the hierarchy. Hierarchies can motivate staff. Maslow’s hierarchy οf needs shows that different things motivate people and that they have needs to be satisfied. Employees must be satisfied to work properly. He also theorized that a person could not recognise or pursue the next higher need in the hierarchy unit her or his recognized need was substantially or completely satisfied, a concept called Prepotency. According to various literatures on motivation it suggests that individuals often have problems consistently articulating what they want from a job and this would have been no different in the case οf East Neasden’s clinical staff. Therefore, a problem could be that the non- clinical staff such the general manager ignored that theses members οf staff said that they want, instead telling them what he ( the new general manager) wants, based on what managers believe most people want under the circumstances. Frequently these decisions have been base on Maslow’s needs hierarchy, including the factor οf prepotency. As person advances though an organisation, his employer supplies or provides opportunity to satisfy needs higher on Maslow’s pyramid. The company’s culture should be discussed. Each organisation has their own culture. The company’s culture can be either positive or negative; it affects the motivation οf staff. A theory that can be used to support this is Elton Mayo’s’ theory that when there is a strong, established culture productivity will be strong and where there is a weak culture it will mean productivity will low. Organisation can reach their desired culture by communicating clearly with staff, identifying staff training needs and applying a change with attitudes. Michael’s main objective was to improve the efficiency οf the department. He did this by introducing small lap-top computers for the medical staff; however he did not discuss or consult employee before doing this. Looking at McGregor’s theory οf X and Y managers. Y managers believe that individuals can be stimulated and motivated by their work and they will be interested by new developments, they try to involve employees and appreciate their objectives and views. Where as X managers like Michael will consider and impose upon employees to insure that changes are introduce with little resistance as possible. Management style and abilities can have a large impact on motivation οf employee’s and how effectively resources are used. Good manager can bring about substantial productivity through well organised work the effective management οf people and their co-ordination οf resources. Bad management can lead to inefficiency and low productivity. A way to improve productivity is to offer training for staff. With a more skilled workforce there will be fewer mistakes made and work will be οf a better standard. Tasks can be completed in shorter time. Productivity depends on factors such as training and methods used. Management styles depend on what circumstances. The management style that would be suitable is paternalistic. This type οf style cones from Mayo’s work on human relations, it is when employees are consulted with decisions. The teamwork became weak, it needed to improve. Staff began to take more time off so patients may have receiving less feedback, as staff would have to rearrange their time to make sure that all patients were seen to. The large increase in absence affected the whole department. Teamwork should maximise staff satisfaction and allow individuals to gain strength from others. There is also the advantage οf having a variety οf work. When changes are introduced, all changes must be managed well. The environment οf the department changed from a personal one that included plant pots to a more formal one. It emphasised professionalism. This decision was made by general unit manager to improve the in-house style. By improving the working environment it enables staff to improve their skills. When the new general manager was introduced his aim was to improve the day to day running οf the department. By appointing a new general manager was a positive move. By doing this there would be only one person who would communicate with the unit general manager on behalf οf the department. The previous routine οf staff changed, as they no longer came in early, they arrived within the official working hours οf 8am and 6pm. When staffs were required to stay late they would claim the hours back instead οf taking unofficial leave as they previously had. Michael emphasised teamwork, however as there was a mixture οf views it was hard to make sure that people were working as a team. He tried to make changes as and when he saw necessary. The overall performance οf the department was the responsibility οf the new general manager. He wanted to help to create a united front and good strategic image. He had to tell the receptionist that uniform was to be worn as said by the head οf dietary unit. There was a problem presenting the departments figures this was because Jane was unable to keep up with the paperwork. Michael took suitable action to request extra administrative staff so then the workload could be reduced. He also tried to improve the motivation οf staff by introducing and circulating weekly information sheets to see if targets were met. Also he introduced a ‘personal target’ target system. This method co-inside with Maslow’s X manager theory to facilitate innovation. Stakeholder theory οf the organisation view the firm as an open, socioeconomic system composed οf various constituencies: customer (patients), employees (clinical staff), shareholders (taxpayers), and all other stakeholders. These stakeholders have obligations as well as rights to the corporation. This is because the success οf the corporation (in this case East Neasden) would heavily depend on the gaining οf total support οf the stakeholders. This is what is needed in the East Neasden where all the staff are made to feel value and respected. I have found that the employees found it difficult to cope with the new changes as they were used to the previous ways. They did not adapt to the change well. The staffs are still lacking motivation so Michael will have to research different methods οf motivation, which may include pay performance pay or other fringe benefits. Administrative duties have been improved. The general running οf the unit has been improved as employees have a direct manager to discuss issues with and he has given them a sense οf direction. However, perhaps a good (part) solution would be that the more senior clinical staff such as doctors need to be exposed more directly to political and public pressures and to be required to put themselves on the line. Under pressure arrangement, they use general managers as human shields, taking cover behind them when the flak is flying. This change could not be bought overnight, οf course. Very few doctors have the board management skills to be able to take on the top management responsibility. But management skills can be taught. Referencing Foucault, M. (1973) the birth οf the clinic. Routledge: London Heptinstall, D. (1990)’ a progressive partnership.’ Social work today 18-19 Leathard, A (19940 going inter- professional: working together for healthe wealfare. Routledge: London David Whetten kim Cameron and Mike woods (1998) Developing management skill. Read More