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 CIPD PRESS RELEASE 29 January 2008
Improving performance within the NHS through good people management
What is the role of HR professionals in supporting
performance in the NHS? This is one of the key issues
addressed by a report published today. The report,
'Improving health through HR management' is based on
research undertaken by Manchester Business School
and funded by the Chartered Institute of Personnel
and Development (CIPD), Healthcare People Management
Association (HPMA) and the Department of Health.
CIPD research repeatedly underlines the positive
impact of people management practices on organisational
performance. But the process by which this takes place
differs between sectors and the message needs to be
customised to reflect the circumstances of individual
organisations.
The report recognises that there is no "one best way"
of implementing good people management policies in
the NHS. HR managers cannot do the job on their own,
but need to look to their relationships with a range
of stakeholders, including other managers and
colleagues, to enable improvements in performance.
The report finds that it is important for staff to
be able to influence changes and get involved in
them. This includes improving systems and developing
flexible working arrangements, and the opportunity
for individuals to use their autonomy to introduce
local improvements. Staff responded very positively
to situations where they were able to improve
services for patients, and where their professional
commitment and ability to achieve results was
recognised.
Mike Emmott, CIPD Employee Relations Adviser, says:
"Managing in the public sector presents particular
opportunities and challenges. The report shows that
staff in the NHS are generally willing to go beyond
expectations in the way they do their job, especially
where there would otherwise be a detrimental impact
on patient care. They have no doubt that the quality
of care they give patients is an essential contribution
to meeting performance standards.
"However the interdependence of a number of clinical,
professional and other groupings, and the need to
work across organisational boundaries, together with
the political framework, can make strategic leadership
an uphill struggle. As in other sectors, a key role
for HR is supporting other managers in developing
their people.
"The report comments on the aspiration to shift
HR processes within the NHS from being transactional
to being transformational - getting value for money
and underpinning strategy. This shift in emphasis
will be facilitated by developments under way, for
example in IT systems. HR needs to ensure that
its strategy is aligned to that of the organisation
and that there is a shared understanding of their
role across the management team."
Alex O'Grady, Executive Director, HPMA adds:
"HR professionals need to develop a range of
sophisticated tools and techniques in building
strong relationships with key individuals,
inspiring trust and confidence in others and
building the most important skill for any manager
or leader within the NHS."
Notes to editors
* A summary of the report - Improving health
through HR management - is available at:
http://www.cipd.co.uk/researchinsights
* The Chartered Institute of Personnel and
Development (CIPD) has over 130,000 members
and is the leading professional institute for
those involved in the management and development
of people.
* The Department of Health's budget for health
research for 2006-07 is £753m. Of this, £50m is
allocated for capital funding; the rest is
allocated to research through a portfolio of
national research programmes.
The funding supports clinical research in the
NHS, research commissioned for policy development,
and the NHS costs incurred in supporting research
funded by other bodies such as the Research
Councils and charities. Some funding is provided
to increase capacity to undertake research, and
to underpin the UK Clinical Research Collaboration
and priority disease research networks.
Press enquiries:
Meera Vohora / Hannah Smith
CIPD Press Office
151 The Broadway, London SW19 1JQ
Tel: 020 8612 6400
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