NHS overhaul prescribes steep learning curve

The Government has set out a massive overhaul of the NHS in its White Paper, unveiled by Andrew Lansley yesterday. It came with a warning that NHS job losses were "inevitable" and estimates of 30,000 managers being axed or redeployed.

Brightwave's MD, Charles Gould, comments on yesterday's white paper and eyes up the demands it will put on training

There must be a real question over the actual savings that can be realised by switching the purchase of care from hospitals to GPs. The 500 new consortia of GP surgeries will need new managers, administrators, systems and processes. If this is a genuine opportunity to reduce cost, then it cannot be simply a case of replacing central and hospital bureaucracy with GP consortia-based bureaucracy. How many of the 30,000 job cuts will be balanced by the need for these new jobs elsewhere?

When change on this scale is imposed, it is inevitable that there will be a steep learning curve for those involved. While the Department of Health currently determines Primary Care Trust spending which affects training, in future these GP consortia will act as private businesses. Failing medical centres will be allowed to go bust.

New job roles, new systems and processes, the shift to a private sector mindset and the inexorable pressure on cost across the board all adds up to a massive need for efficient training and development. This is where the impact of training will really be put to the test. Use of technology and e-learning will surely be important in offering consistent, high quality and cost effective training to meet this need.

Any steps that put patients at the centre of healthcare are laudable. But although Lansley insists that "the sick must not pay for the debt", the fact remains that if managers and administrators can't learn the right skills and knowledge, it will be patients that pay the price in the end.

Watch Andrew Lansley's first interview since the announcement on BBC iPlayer

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Learning technology critical to success Lars Hyland (Brightwave) 2010-07-13 15:56:23 Coping with this level of organisational change must put modern methods of training and communication at the heart of any supporting programme. Also a shared service model where best practice and learning assets can be cross marketed within and between consortia would be an efficient, market driven solution to ensure innovation spreads quickly and ensures consistency of service across all areas of the UK. Learning technology is a critical and essential component. Reply

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