A case study of change management effectiveness within the NHS

Abstract

In the UK healthcare sector structural change has become increasingly frequent and there are few employees in the NHS who have not experienced this in some form. Anecdotally, many of those affected report negative consequences that have potentially adverse effects on service delivery. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the management of change in one specific healthcare setting, the Public Health Laboratory Service. It also seeks to make recommendations for managing organisational change that are applicable elsewhere and to consider the validity of existing change management models. This research is set in the context of the creation of a new Special Health Authority (the Health Protection Agency, HPA) and other related changes as outlined in the Chief Medical Officer's strategy document Getting Ahead of the Curve (Department of Health, 2002 Department of Health. 2002. Health Protection: A Consultation Document on Creating a Health Protection Agency, London: Department of Health internal consultation document. [Google Scholar] ). The research seeks to analyse this change programme from the perspective of one group of affected individuals, employees of the Public Health Laboratory Service. Recommendations for future management of change at the HPA and elsewhere are made, with observations about the validity of existing change management models. The core contribution of this research is that it has added to the general body of knowledge about organisational change and its management. This is of value to those working in the UK healthcare and wider public sector. Specific recommendations for future research are made.