Operation Management of Bedford Borough Council - Assignment Example

OPERATION MANAGEMENT PRACTICE WEEK WORK Operation Management Practice week Work Executive Summary Improving the economic and social welfare of the citizens of Bedford Borough Council is a key aim of all its citizens in order to attain economic development. The objective of this project plan is to stimulate economic growth through enhancing and creation of employment opportunities through participation and an all-inclusive framework for the empowerment of citizens. The motive of the project plan is to have a population that is composed of the healthiest segment of the population and improve the welfare of the citizens in terms of health indicators. Introduction According to the Office for National Statistics, Bedford Borough Council has a population of about 160,000 as at the year 2012 with about 65,500 households, which include 28.5% who are non-White British. The unemployment rate stands at 3.0 % or a number of about 3100 as at December 2013. In terms of the well-being and the health of the citizens of Bedford, the determinants of health is divided into different determinants such as starting well, developing well, living and working well, ageing well as well as population and place. This project work will look at different demographic that concern the improvement of Bedford Borough Council’s healthcare system and how it affects the general welfare of the community as a whole (Bedford Borough Council, 2014). Background It agrees now that health plays an important role in determining the well-being of individuals especially those with little or no means of earning. At Bedford, the number of people seeking out of work benefits currently stand at about eleven thousand which represents 10.5% of the working age population (Bisen & Srivastava, 2009). There are also concerns that the healthcare benefits and services do not reach the most deserve or vulnerable members of the Bedford community especially those with caring responsibilities, illnesses that limit work as well as persons living with disability. Bedford Borough Council also has structural and institutional problems that prevent or hinder the promotion and provision of quality healthcare services to the citizens Bedford Borough Council, 2014). Business Case It is important that before any investment is made in the healthcare of Bedford Borough Council is made a robust and viable business case is made that outlines the costs, benefits and risks related to the provision of healthcare, and makes the case for investment in it. The level of detail required for the business case depends on the magnitude of investment required and the local organization policies regarding business cases, which must be in line with the Council’s guidelines. In this case, it will entail a brief outline of why healthcare solutions are needed to be adopted by the Council and the scope of this requirement. There will also be an analysis of the various options that are available to Bedford Borough Council to meet the requirements and the rationale for the recommendation of one particular option. There are also the costs of the preferred healthcare option and any contractual arrangements that the Council may enter into with any other stakeholder in the provision of healthcare and the details of how the preferred option can be deployed. The business case for a robust and viable healthcare program should be developed by the Council and approved by the citizens and if possible the main government arm in charge of the provision of healthcare before its implementation. Once approved, the business case should be reviewed and updated to ensure that the benefits in the provision of healthcare to the citizens are realized. The funding should be approved for the provision, implementation and on-going improvement and support for the provision of healthcare to the citizens of Bedford Borough Council. This project plan sets out the business case for the improvement of Bedford Borough Council healthcare system and is subject to the approval of the local citizens as well as the central government (Bedford Borough Council, 2014). Work Breakdown Structure A Work Breakdown Structure is helpful as it quickly and concisely defines activities that are required to complete a project and helps in the identification of activities needed to complete a project (Heizer & Render, 2001). It lays down the work in a hierarchical format and breaks complex activities into smaller but manageable tasks in the conceptualization and implementation of the project. In this case, the work will be broken down into four phases, which include identification of healthcare problems within Bedford, the improvement of healthcare facilities, the building or construction of healthcare facilities and the maintenance of these facilities at the require standard. The Council will finance the project through revenue generated through joint efforts by stakeholders, which totals to about £30,000 plus on-costs and expenses. Discussions with the citizens of Bedford Borough Council as well as sponsorship from the private sector will also be important in sealing the gap in the budget deficit required for provision of healthcare. Gantt chart After the conceptualization of the project, it is important to develop a project plan for improving the healthcare system for Bedford Borough Council and thereafter publicize it. Bedford Borough Council should thereafter identify the consultants that will hold the consultations for the healthcare system. It is also important to note that in the development plan for Bedford Borough Council, the teams that will be important in the implementation of the project are identified and their activities reviewed regularly (Bedford Borough Council. (2014). Network Diagram and Critical Path Analysis The Critical Path Analysis in this case will help in figuring out how long the project takes and the activities that are significant and done in time in line with the project plan. In our project plan of twelve weeks, the activities will involve sensitizing the members of Bedford of the importance of being involved in the development of the project for the provision of healthcare within their jurisdiction. For our activities, the project will take twelve months for its implementation and there should be no wastage of time in the quest to provide the citizens of Bedford Borough Council (Bedford Borough Council, 2014). Risk analysis In an effort to improve the healthcare of the citizens of Bedford Borough council as well as their concerns, it is important to note that it is achieved within the required time and standards for it to be effective. In line with this requirement, it is important to ensure that the undocumented management system that is acceptable and is integrated in the policies initiated by Bedford Borough Council (Starr, 1978). New staff, methodologies and procedures is a major risk in the implementation of the healthcare program and it is important to implement well-tried and tested methods as well as procedures in order to minimize the risks involved. Incorrect mix of types of team members is an important facet of the risk analysis as it affects the performance of the project. It is important that the project plan for Bedford Borough Council reflect the aspirations and perceptions that incorporate the human resources needed to implement the healthcare plan. Using our Grant chart, we can be able to identify the technological, environmental and interpersonal risks as well as assumptions that are likely to affect the project in terms of finances, technology, legal amongst other risks associated with the desire to provide quality healthcare to the citizens of Bedford Borough Council. In our risk management, the area under consideration that is Bedford is an area with low chances in the implementation of projects and an ease of the analysis of risk management and avoidance. Therefore, a project management plan must have a viable risk analysis that will eventually help in the better identification of the risks and their implications as well as the moderation of the impact of the adverse events that may occur during the implementation of the project plan. The risk assessment and analysis will also help us in having a clearer into the insight into decision-making and the reduction of the time and costs of the shortfalls that may be registered in the performance and implementation of the project to improve the healthcare of Bedford Borough Council (Bedford Borough Council, 2014). Stakeholder’s analysis The stakeholders concerned must be held responsible in the implementation of the business and that is the reason why they play an important role in facilitating an interactive mode of making decisions in the implementation of the healthcare plan of Bedford Borough Council. Bedford Borough Council in the implementation of this project will strive at having the right staff or personnel as well as building a team that is capable of motivating performance within the required time. Conclusions Historically, the healthcare facilities within Bedford Borough Council need or require serious design and remodeling of the facilities and this project plan can be used as a reference guide in engaging all the concerned stakeholders in the management of healthcare systems within this area (Society of operations management, 2000). This project work will enable the council provide easy access to healthcare as well as promote the development of persons in their daily lives through the promotion of healthy lifestyles and old age care. The population and places of living will also be put in place through proper planning of births and deaths, life expectancy and mortality as well as other factors such as religion. References Bisen, V., & Srivastava, S. (2009). Production & operation management. Lucknow, India, Word-Press. < http://site.ebrary.com/id/10416591.> Bedford Borough Council. (2014) Health and Well-being Priorities. Available at (Accessed January 26, 2014). Heizer, J. H., & Render, B. (2001). Operations management. Upper Saddle River, N.J., Prentice Hall. Society of operations management. (2000). Technology operation management. India, Springer. Starr, M. K. (1978). Operation management. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall. Read More