Business team
The philosophy of SWLEOC is to offer a streamlined, efficient and high-quality patient journey by continuously using resources as effectively as possible and ensuring that any decision that is made has the patient at its focus. The Centre is responsible for delivering the highest volume of surgery possible, within a defined resource. The envelope of money does not expand every year to accommodate an increase in capacity and thus there is the constant need for innovation and finding smarter ways of working.
It is the responsibility of the leadership team to identify streams of work with the goal of delivering a quality service, supporting the workforce, addressing workforce challenges and identifying streams of work that ensure the high-quality service is maintained. The identified workstreams need to be focussed on excellent patient experience, safe and efficient pathways and working within GIRFT metrics to ensure we are continually working at the top decile.
The leadership team empower the staff and provide them with the tools they need to develop, gain skills and knowledge and have the support they need to be flexible, responsive and agile to change to provide outstanding care. The management team can then focus on corporate social responsibility and drive forward the deliverables.
A lean management structure is beneficial if you have robust plans, skilled staff, clear lines of responsibility, a team ethos and culture of innovation.
The business team is responsible for the following:
- reviewing monthly invoices and querying / approving;
- reviewing consultant recharges;
- project management that falls within the team;
- budget management;
- review spend through procurement contracts and discuss potential savings;
- operational management;
- manage the OPD and Scheduling team on performance i.e., theatre list utilisation, long waits, adhoc clinics, capacity and demand;
- team restructure plans;
- monthly operational meetings with the partnership operational team;
- implementation of new processes;
- manage reception team;
- manage private patients;
- redesign of pathways, project manage and troubleshoot issues;
- recruitment and sign-off of vacancies in line with budgets and finance;
- assist with development and delivery of activity plan, finance plan;
- monitor GIRFT metrics.
- Capacity and demand exercises;
- service reviews;
- training;
- review and sign-off of finance;
- fast-track ambulatory trauma patients;
- adhering to the 18-week pathway.
The service has evolved, and different members of staff have taken responsibility as SWLEOC has grown. The Outpatient Department has grown in multiple areas i.e., medical records, POA support and reception area in Woodcote. We have established a hand unit in Clock House to combat the high influx of hand referrals. Scheduling department team has grown to help with the high volume of waiting list referrals coming from all the partnership. To help assist the schedulers, an Admin hub team was created to help reduce work pressures and alleviate patients waiting time. In November 2020 Epsom and St Helier Trauma and orthopaedics team merged with SWLEOC to help with trust pressures. Since the merger SWLEOC has helped assist Trauma with any urgent ambulatory cases or alleviate bed pressures.
All departments and partners as well as departments within the trust e.g., finance, HR, EME, contracts team, payroll
Management offices adjacent and accessible to the Inpatient unit
IPM, ICM, B/S, SBS, I Doc, Performance map
It is important to build strong relationships with the partners and operational teams.
- Delay in confirmed recharge figures from partners;
- Delays in agreed changes to theatre and clinics which cease plans being implemented at SWLEOC.
These are ongoing challenges and requires robust communication with the partners through regular meetings with all key stakeholders.
- Managing multiple complex tasks simultaneously under tight deadlines;
- Accommodating short term changes to theatre lists. This may cause patients to be moved to a different theatre list at last minute which increases the workload of all teams involved;
- Engagement with key stakeholders to manage theatre constraints, capacity and demand, including annual leave with enough advance notice;
- Some decisions are made over which the Centre has no control leading to potential frustration;
- It can be difficult juggling team morale and individual morale with the mass influx of work, so finding a happy equilibrium can be challenging for any manager;
- IT issues have been quite challenging when setting up new projects, especially satellite clinics such as the Hand unit and admin hub.
- Clear communication;
- regular meetings in place;
- good working relationships;
- ability to cross cover;
- ability to have open conversations.
A new admin hub was recently set up offsite. This has helped alleviate work pressures in several areas such as LIFEBOX, POA and scheduling. The hub has increased work efficiency and has boasted team morale.
- Increase X-ray service demand;
- Increase Radiographers working hours (overtime);
- Weekends X-ray service cover;
- Day 0 pathway post-operative patients are not all fit for their X-ray post-op due to lack of motor power and sensation following spinal block, or due to post-operative nausea and vomiting, dizziness and lack of balance. This may place the patient at risk of falls, in which case an Incident Report (Datix) needs to be completed and can cause delay other patients/Tasks).
Staff
Staff Member: Assistant Business Manager (Band 6 x 1WTE)
Role:
- sign-off invoices on Shared Business Services (SBS);
- staff member’s other roles in the centre;
- NJR, consultant additional sessions and performance scorecards;
- assists with NJR and timesheet cover.
Staff Member: Private Patient Manager (Band 5 x 1 WTE)
Role:
- private patient management.
Staff Member: Scheduling Manager (Band 7 x 1 WTE)
Role:
- manage scheduling team and admin hub.
Staff Member: OPD & Medical Records Manager (Band 7 x 1 WTE)
Role:
Management of outpatient department medical records and typing.