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Abstract
Purpose - To describe the methodology used to introduce Clinical Governance into the NHS and to review progress.
Design/methodology/approach - The RAID (Review, Agreement, Implementation, Demonstration) process and its use in introducing the Clinical Governance Development Programme into the NHS are described.
Findings - The NHS Clinical Governance Programme employs RAID, a modification of an accepted "bottom-up" approach to achieving successful organisational change, as the means of effecting service improvement. The "Review" stage involves analysis and understanding of the service; "Agreement" ensures that all staff, the organisation and stakeholders are committed to recommended changes; the "Implementation" phase tests effects that the changes have made to the service and "Demonstration" allows evaluation and monitoring. Lessons learned from the process can lead to further improvements. Initially staff from the Clinical Governance Support Team introduced the Programme but thereafter the process can be run internally. Specialised programmes, e.g. The Stroke Programme, have developed out of the general programme and the RAID process has been disseminated to other public sector services. Over half of NHS organisations have participated.
Originality/value - RAID is described in the context of the NHS and its implementation is summarised.
Keywords Clinical governance, Change management, National Health Service, Change management
Paper type General review
Developing a modern perinatal service for women with mental health problems in Tyneside
Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust invited the NHS Clinical Governance Support Team to facilitate a development programme as part of the implementation of their new clinical governance strategy. The Perinatal Community team joined the programme with a view to further developing their service in the light of drivers such as "Women's mental health into the mainstream". In addition to the perinatal team, the group that attended the programme also included a colleague from a neighbouring PCT, a service user and the local CG facilitator.
The review undertaken by the team showed that in many respect the service provided North Tyneside and Newcastle was very good. However, the stakeholder listening exercise identified a need to improve on the response time from receipt of the referral to the client's initial assessment.
A process mapping event identified 16 steps from the point of referral to initial assessment, of these seven added no value to the...