NHS and Total Quality Management - Research Proposal Example

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT Contents Introduction 3 Research Methodology 4 Total Quality Management 5 TQM and Changing World Market 7 NHS and Total Quality Management (TQM) 7 Conclusion 10 Recommendations 11 Bibliography 12 Total Quality Management Introduction In the current recession and in the world economies, it is necessary for companies to build their competitive advantage over the company’s best strategies. A company’s success may not last forever because success never lasts into perpetuity. With passage of time, changes occur, therefore it is necessary for a company to struggle and develop policies for its survival rather than introducing changes. The consumer preferences, consumer demand, technology, consumer expectations, competition and other different factors change with passage of time. With these changes, market innovates and offers different substitute products and services, the lifecycle of existing product changes and gets affected, existing processes become obsolete, and the company’s position changes. Therefore, Deming summarised and quoted the key for surviving in this changing environment in following words: “It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.” (Deming) AOL, Kodak, Sears, A & P, Think Netscape, etc. are all struggling to strive and survive in the changing environment. These all companies were once the market giants and held a successful position in market. However, now these companies are seeking a strategy to survive their operations in the market (Al-Dabal). The way to survive is to maintain and improve the business processes and to implement Total Quality Management (TQM) system in the business operations. Edward Deming is recognized as the quality guru and always believed that quality assurance and quality management not only allows businesses to progress but also helps to survive. Globalization and newly emerging market opportunities for growth and revenue have introduced a need of strong relationships with customers. These changing consumer needs and expectations have made the market a diverse market and it requires companies to cope with these changes through quality management (Morfaw, 2009). This paper discusses implementation of total quality management (TQM) system at National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. National Health Service (NHS) is a shared name for three public hospitals (healthcare systems) in United Kingdom. These provide a wide range of healthcare services and have strong financial back (Joss, 1998). National Health Service (NHS) has been trying to improve its healthcare facilities by introducing efficiency and effectiveness. To ensure the survival of the healthcare system, government has been emphasizing on the total quality management (TQM) implementation (Joss, 1998). Research Methodology The research method for this paper is the “Archival Research.” Archival research involves collecting, gathering, sorting, and synchronizing the information from older documents. The method involves thinking of what specifically one is looking for, get the basic facts, search information on search engines, and decide if any further research is needed. Once an individual has gathered all the information, one has to organize it, select the relevant data, and compile it in one file. The archaic research was gathering of the data already available on different academic sources. After finding the sources, selective information was gathered and compiled to form the report. Many surveys were conducted to infer the feedback and views of the patients of the National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and to evaluate if the total quality management (TQM) system is delivering value to customers or not. Another research method used for this paper is the Focused Group Method. Samples of 8 employees were selected and were asked to participate in the focus group discussion. In such a type of research, 6 to 10 people are selected, and are given a certain topic. These recruited people then share their own views and beliefs regarding certain aspects of a topic. They also share their own personal experience. Focus Group discussion allowed us to find the views of those employees regarding the total quality management (TQM) system. The sample of 8 employees was asked to discuss and express their feelings, views, and opinions regarding National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and the total quality management (TQM) system. Furthermore, they were also asked to give their own recommendations and suggestions if there is a need to follow TQM or bring a strategic change to survive. Total Quality Management Total quality is one of the competitive strategies and has been the successful strategy to survive in the diverse and growing markets. Total quality refers to a company’s ability to assure that the products and services meet customer expectations and the consumer perceived value exceed the customer expectations. Total Quality Management (TQM) has been one of the emerging fields and helps companies to achieve the three dimensional goals, maximum productivity, profitability, and customer loyalty. Earlier Total Quality Management (TQM) was seen as the primary change in the organization’s technological system. It means that the way a company operate and manages customers’ processes changes by implementing total quality management system. (Ranade, 1997) However, Total Quality Management (TQM) is not only a change in organization’s technological system but also consists of changes in organization’s culture and political system. Technological changes introduced by implementing Total Quality Management (TQM) system will bring no success. To ensure that Total Quality Management (TQM) system brings success and to ensure that organization’s goals are achieved, it is necessary to introduced relevant cultural and political changes along with technological changes (Al-Dabal). All other systems also need to be changed to successfully implement Total Quality Management (TQM) system. Information system needs to be upgraded so that it can measure service quality and other measures. Financial system also needs to be changed and needs to incorporate new budgeting systems, redesign resource allocations and other financial tasks need to be changed. The successful implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) requires an organization to implement TQM as: A program HRM (human resource management) Business process management Quality management A concept A marketing A paradigm TQM and Changing World Market Total Quality Management (TQM) is a popular and common measure to cope with the changing dynamics of the market and changing consumer demands, expectations, and preferences. The traditional myth for operating businesses successfully was from productions to sales, marketing to entrepreneurial (Morfaw, 2009). With advancements and innovations in the market, quality orientation has been introduced. Quality orientation is focuses from conforming to quality standards customer satisfaction to competitive market perceived quality. Quality orientation also focuses on maintaining and delivering value to customers. Customer value management is one of the major key aspects of Total Quality Management (TQM) system. NHS and Total Quality Management (TQM) Total Quality Management (TQM) system was introduced in early 1990s in the hospitals. National Health Service (NHS) operating in United States of America (USA) and Japan adopted the Total Quality Management (TQM) system. With implementation in USA and Japan, the whole British National Health Service introduced Total Quality Management (TQM) system with the encouragement by the Department of Health. National Health Service (NHS) earlier failed in implementing TQM successfully because it could not introduce changes in the culture and political system along with technological changes. (Nwabueze U. , The rise and decline of TQM in the NHS) However, with time the Total Quality Management (TQM) system in National Health Service (NHS) improved and allowed NHS to deliver value for money to patients. In 1979, the Conservative Government started laying emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness in National Health Service (NHS). To cope with the changing emphasis of government and demand for value in return of the charges paid by consumers led the management of National Health Service (NHS) to introduce total quality management (TQM) system (Nwabueze U. , 1995). The major reason for failure of the total quality management (TQM) system in National Health Service (NHS) was the lack of context-specific model for the implementation of the TQM system. By the mid of 1980s, the issues for the efficiency of National Health Service (NHS) and the declining performance of total quality management (TQM) system had become the centre of political debates. Changes were introduced to ensure that the total quality management (TQM) system helps National Health Service (NHS) to survive and continue its operations in the changing trends of hospitals. The 1990 NHS Review Report recommended few alterations and changes which led to the successful implementation of total quality management (TQM) system. However, these changes were not strategic changes rather these were more of structural and managerial changes (Brooks, 1992). The objective of these structural and managerial changes was to help National Health Service (NHS) to survive and to maintain its daily operations efficiency. By 1983, National Health Service (NHS) had incorporated quality assurance as one of the key responsibilities of the team of National Health Service (NHS). After the emphasis and TQM implementation, the healthcare providers were obliged to ensure that they deliver quality. Increasing local and international competition also threatened the survival of National Health Service (NHS). To strive against the internal pressure of increasing efficiency and external pressure of increasing competition, the management of National Health Service (NHS) realized that a strategic change was not the solution. Rather a different and effective measure was required with the right way to implement it. Therefore, total quality management (TQM) system was introduced in National Health Service (NHS) (Joss, 1998). The changes introduced in National Health Service (NHS) by implementing total quality management (TQM) system included the rights given to patients to give their feedback on the treatment and the physician or staff attending them. This allowed National Health Service (NHS) to evaluate the employee performance and the extent to which the employees are being able to deliver quality and value to consumers. The traditional definition of the quality of care within the context of healthcare is entitlement of the clinical staff. With the introduction of total quality management (TQM) system, National Health Service (NHS) changed the definition. The definers for quality of care are the quality managers, quality officers, nurses, and the employees responsible for implementation and enforcement of total quality management (TQM) system. The focus group research allowed the author to analyse the difference of total quality management (TQM) system in the different National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. The definition of quality in National Health Service (NHS) hospitals is different in different departments. The chief executive of one of the National Health Service (NHS) hospitals defines quality in terms of low cost whereas the quality manager of that same hospital defines quality as provision of facilities to patients that are medically advisable and are beneficial for the patients. At another National Health Service (NHS) hospital, the quality was defined as the process of ensuring that the patients’ requirements and medical requirements are fulfilled and provided. This was also termed as ‘auditing’ (Nwabueze U. , 1995). The different definitions of quality held by different departments or hospitals are not incorrect but the issue with them is that they ignore the customer perspective. National Health Service (NHS) justifies its position by claiming that it has a diversified group of professionals working in different National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. However, it needs to realise that to successfully implement total quality management (TQM) system, National Health Service (NHS) needs to develop a standard definition of quality taking the customer perspective in consideration. Conclusion To survive in the changing dynamics of the market and increasing competition, it is necessary to improve and progress. Without improvements, any manufacturing or service organization can lose its competitive advantage. In the changing economies, consumer expectations have gone up and they demand more value for their money. Under such conditions, mere strategic changes bring no good to the company’s life. Strategic changes help companies to survive only in short term. A long term approach leads to survival and long term operations in the market (Hewison). National Health Service (NHS) hospitals are one such example. To survive in the changing environment, it introduced total quality management (TQM) system. Though it failed initially due to no proper guidelines but however, with passage of time, the TQM system is improving and becoming stronger. With total quality management (TQM) system implemented, any manufacturing as well as service providers can build a strong and strategic competitive advantage which shall allow them to progress and survive in the market. Recommendations National Health Service (NHS) hospitals need to not only come up with one definition for quality but also has to ensure that the patients are attended properly. The medical care provided to them should be of high quality as well as should be according to the patient’s medical requirements (Parsley & Corrigan). National Health Service (NHS) hospitals need to implement total quality management (TQM) system in all operational functions. This system requires bringing changes like clean environment, tidy bed sheets, clean toilets, and an effective operating system of the hospitals. Successful implementation of total quality management (TQM) system also requires controlling the political and internal conflict in the hospitals so that the needs of diverse customer base are satisfied. (Nwabueze & Kanji, The implementation of total quality management in the NHS: How to avoid failure, 1997). Bibliography Al-Dabal, J. K. (n.d.). s Total Quality Management Enough for Competitive Advantage? Universal-Publishers.com. Brooks, T. (1992, April). Total quality management in the NHS. Kings Fund Centre. Hewison, A. (n.d.). Management for nurses and health professionals: theory into practice. Wiley and Sons. Joss, R. (1998). An evaluation of total quality management projects in the National Health Service. Brunel University. Morfaw, J. (2009). Total Quality Management (TQM): a model for the sustainability of projects and programs. University Press of America. Nwabueze, U. (1995). TQM in NHS: Rhetoric or Reality? Chapman and Hall. Nwabueze, U. (n.d.). The rise and decline of TQM in the NHS. Texas: University of Bouston. Nwabueze, U., & Kanji, G. K. (1997). The implementation of total quality management in the NHS: How to avoid failure. Centre for Quality and Innovation. Parsley, K., & Corrigan, P. (n.d.). Quality improvement in healthcare: putting evidence into practice. Nelson Thornes. Ranade, W. (1997). Total Quality Management (TQM): a model for the sustainability of projects. Amazon. Read More