ODS scoops IIP silver

ODS has proved that it practices what it preaches by achieving Investors in People (IIP) Silver status for its people management systems.

The achievement identifies ODS as a leading organisation that recognises the importance of developing its people to continuing success.

To be awarded IIP Silver status recognises that ODS is performing far beyond the core IIP standards. This level of achievement is rare among small to medium sized businesses.

Donna Bradshaw, Joint Managing Director of ODS, said: "As a people-focused consultancy, gaining IIP accreditation is extremely important as it shows that we practice what we preach to our own clients.

"To have been accredited to such a high standard - we fell just a few points short of Gold status - is a significant achievement, and we are all thrilled."

A key focus for ODS during the IIP process was to demonstrate how it is developing leadership skills across its 10-strong team - enabling everyone to play an active role in the future growth of the business.

Su Fowler-Johnson, ODS' Director of Quality, said: "This was a rigorous assessment process that has really helped us to focus on how we can improve our business performance through our people.

"We were naturally delighted to receive such a high score and we are now working on our development plan for the next year, to ensure we continue to improve."

 

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How to make change happen: five key points
 

From the NHS to local government and the police force, the pace of change in the public sector has never been greater.

But, as we highlighted in our recent article for Health Service Journal, high-flying policy statements will never make a difference unless they can be translated into meaningful actions on the ground. ODS Joint Managing Director Carol Brooks offers some practical advice on how to bridge the gap.

"For the past two years, ODS has worked closely with a number of NHS Trusts to help them meet one of the biggest policy changes of recent years – the drive for World Class Commissioning," said Carol.

"As well as developing our own process to support them – the ODS Commissioning Qualities Tool – we have also learned some more general lessons that are applicable to the whole of the public sector in implementing change."

1. Detail matters For change to succeed, the 'big picture' is not sufficient. Managers also need to have a detailed understanding of what is happening at individual and team level, as influencing this behaviour is the only way to deliver organisational change.
    
2. Make it relevant A common problem with new public sector initiatives is that their perceived complexity means individuals can't easily relate them to their own role. Helping people to understand what a new system means for them enables them to contribute to change. For NHS World Class Commissioning, the ODS Commissioning Qualities Tool does this by breaking down each of the required competencies into distinct actions or behaviours that relate to an individual's role.
    
3. Don't just analyse, talk Hard data matters, but spreadsheets and graphs alone will never deliver change. Externally-facilitated discussion – a key step in the ODS Commissioning Qualities Tool process – is vital, in order to consider the implications of the data and to plan specific actions to be taken.
    
4. Get buy-in from the top: Ownership at a senior level is a vital factor in delivering any change. Individuals and teams need to know that management is committed to seeing the process through
    
5. Spell out the benefits to all involved. If individuals, teams and managers know what's in it for them, you will get a better response

This is an adapted extract from an article by Carol Brooks published in Health Service Journal on 21 January 2010.

If you would like to know how ODS can support your organisation in delivering change, please contact Carol Brooks on 0161 236 6733

To find out more about ODS’ Commissioning Qualities Tool, click here

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Improving urgent care for children

ODS is leading a unique project for NHS East of England that aims to provide better urgent care for children and young people.

The forward-thinking project will see ODS develop a workforce model for children’s assessment units (CAUs). This is the first time that a region-wide model has been developed.

Children’s assessment units (CAUs) are self-contained facilities that provide dedicated care for younger patients away from an adult setting.

NHS East of England wants to ensure that future CAUs provide the very highest standard of care, and that a consistent approach is adopted across the region.

The ODS workforce model will do this by providing a three-stage model that will:

• Explain why CAUs are needed, based on a comprehensive literature review
   
• Identify the key skills and competencies required for an effective unit, alongside local population trends showing future demand
   
• Provide information and tools to help organisations implement a new service
   

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NHS organisations in the North West can now call on expert support to help them improve patients’ service experience – a key requirement of the NHS Operating Framework.

The Inspire framework – co-ordinated by NHS North West – brings together leading organisations, including ODS, who can provide bespoke support to NHS Trusts in this important area.

The framework was developed by Mandy Wearne, Director of Service Experience at NHS North West, as part of her continuing work to put patients, and the quality of the service they receive, at the heart of NHS services.

Mandy Wearne said: “The framework is an important element of our work to spread best practice within the NHS in this region. I hope that Trusts will take advantage of the wide range of expertise that is available to them.”

Jackie Barringer, Senior ODS Consultant, said: “ODS is delighted to have been appointed to the framework. Having been a key partner in a recent project to trial new approaches to improving patients’ experience, we believe we are ideally placed to help Trusts meet this challenge.”

For further information, visit www.inspirationnw.co.uk or contact Jackie Barringer on 0161 236 6733.

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Soap Box

A recent survey of local authority Chief Executives confirmed yet again the scale of the efficiency challenge facing all public services.

The poll, conducted by Local Government Chronicle, reported that a third of CEOs are expecting budget cuts of between 10% and 15% in the next five years.

Combined with the £20 billion savings target facing the NHS, the enormous scale of the challenge is clear.

It is also clear that efficiencies of this scale cannot be delivered by tinkering around the edges of existing services. Instead, as a recent NHS Employers report put it, meeting this challenge “demands a transformation of the way that…organisations work”.

An effective and up-to-date workforce plan is essential to this transformation. It is only by ensuring that an organisation has the right people, in the right place, at the right time to meet customers’ needs, that significant efficiencies can be delivered.

Investing in your workforce is also vital – whether that is training your HR team in how to deliver an effective workforce plan, or engaging employees in why large-scale change is needed.

As we face this brave new world together, we would urge you to think differently about your service and to consider how your most valuable asset – your people – can deliver the changes you need.

Carol Brooks

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