Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS FT

Requirement and Challenge

The NNUH Digital Health Change Management team consists of 4 Change Leads, 10 Change Agents and a couple of Business Analysts. Working closely with the Digital Health Project Managers the team are responsible for supporting the adoption of several Digital Health systems across multiple projects.

In May 2021, the team had been going through leadership changes and were struggling to come together as a team. They had been working hard at supporting the organisation through Covid and were rolling out a number of Digital Health projects. The team were passionate about their role and purpose, but were lacking focus, clarity of scope and rigor in their approach. They were focusing on the wrong things and therefore losing sight of the bigger picture. In addition, many felt that they had been asked to perform in a role that they had not been trained for. They had been able to deliver the best possible outcomes for the Trust so far thanks to perseverance and motivation.

Approach and Solution

The Ideal Change Management Director was brought in to support the team initially for 3 months. The brief was to create a more cohesive and aligned team, working together towards a common outcome.

The Director met with every member of the team as well as the leadership, and focused on 3 questions 1) what was their role 2) what did they think made them good at what they did and 3) what issues did they think need fixing first?

Through this series of meetings, it was agreed to focus on 3 areas for improvement:

• Increasing skills – most team members had never worked in a change role or received any training in change management. To help in this area Ideal provided training in soft and hard skills and agreed budget to send all permanent team members on a relevant change management course. A series of free resources were also allocated.
  
  
• Increasing empowerment – many felt that their team had become the “graveyard” for all project activities and their clinical voices were not being heard.  They did not feel empowered to make decisions. Roles and responsibilities were clarified with members focusing on specific projects so they could build a depth of skills and experience. We re-affirmed where they were expected to make autonomous decisions and where appropriate governance should be followed and worked on confirming scope and plans of projects so they were clear on upcoming priorities.
  
  
• Clarifying direction – due to changing leadership, staff felt unclear about their role and the direction of travel. They received mixed messages and felt their approach/role lacked consistent joined-up thinking. The leadership team held Team Building sessions (Covid allowing) and clarified overall strategy for the team, as well as the role each person would play in achieving this. A revised structure was agreed and resources aligned to specific projects for the rest of the FY.

Outcome and Benefits

Over time the NNUH Change Management team has gone from strength to strength supporting the Digital Health teams in rolling out the Trust’s digital health strategy. Everyone has clear roles and responsibilities, are aligned to projects and have received upskilling so they  feel more empowered to make decisions in their day-to-day role.

They understand their remit and how they contribute to the overall Digital Health agenda. Many have grown into their roles and been promoted, taking on new responsibilities. Their clear sense of empowerment and direction can be seen in the success of the various projects they have driven and completed such as the e-obs, clinical communications and EDMS projects

Like any team, they will continue to experience challenges and require re-alignment to fit the needs of the work as it arises. Their experience through Covid has enabled them to be more flexible and confident in their work which will stand them in good stead as they head into the complex world of EPR implementation. Ideal will continue to provide change management support and guidance as required.