Sickness absence and health at work in the NHSIan Seccombe
1995 Health Manpower Management
doi: 10.1108/09552069510097093pmid: 10152656
Presents summary results from two surveys which the Institute for Employment Studies conducted in 1994 for the Health Education Authority. The first of these surveys reports national benchmarking data on rates of sickness absence and accidents at work in NHS provider and purchaser organizations. The second survey concerns implementation of the Health at Work (HaW) in the NHS initiative in NHS hospital worksites. Discusses structures and processes of HaW implementation.
Successful people selection in actionCharles Mak
1995 Health Manpower Management
doi: 10.1108/09552069510097101pmid: 10152651
As a people‐intensive industry, the health care service should invest both time and resource in attracting, selecting and retaining its staff. Highlights the fact that the traditional interview is a poor selection tool. Outlines a systematic approach to hiring people and describes the structured behaviour interview tool. Explains the tool using a recent recruitment exercise in the health‐care setting. Concludes that line management should play an active role in staff selection and organizations should look for better approach and tools to improve their hiring effectiveness.
Training needs analysis within the communityT.R. Desombre; L.A. Munro; R. Priest
1995 Health Manpower Management
doi: 10.1108/09552069510097129pmid: 10152653
A project was undertaken to provide a description of the training needs of agencies who are partners in the provision of care in the community. In developing the research strategy a service design approach was adopted which complied with the design control requirement of the Quality Standard EN ISO 9001: 1994. A questionnaire for self‐completion was sent to 25 individuals involved in delivering community care. The findings enabled priorities of joint training to be identified. The findings also enabled training to be suggested for both manager and direct care staff. Demonstrates the need for skill acquisition in a variety of areas. Generally it was indicated by respondents that planning training arising from the project should be multidisciplinary. Enthusiasm for such training was also a feature of the respondents′ responses.
The health care assistant: professional supporter or budget necessity?Ivor L. Roberts
1995 Health Manpower Management
doi: 10.1108/09552069510097138
The budgets of NHS Trust Hospitals are continually under scrutiny in an endeavour to reduce operating costs. Skill mix, the balance of professional staff to non‐professional staff, is a part of this process and the NHS has introduced a new level of staff called “health care assistants” (HCA). Examines the role and training of the HCA, and the reaction of professional nurses to their introduction into the area of patient care. Highlights areas of concern in relation to HCA training, selection techniques, and the absence of national guidelines which would ensure the quality level of HCAs produced. There is evidence of some managements leaning towards “cheaper” staffing, i.e. using HCAs to replace professional nurses, and the conclusions give rise to some concern in quality of patient care and in the falling morale of professional nurses.
New developments in hospital managementJohn R. Welch; Brian H. Kleiner
1995 Health Manpower Management
doi: 10.1108/09552069510097147pmid: 10152654
Changes in the health care environment over the past ten years have prompted changes in the way hospitals are being managed. The rising cost of health care has affected Medicare reimbursement, caused business to be a discerning selector of medical care, and has given birth to alternative forms of health care delivery. All these conditions have resulted in decreased revenue and increased competition for hospitals. Focuses on what hospitals have done to adapt to these changing conditions: cost containment, marketing strategies, and human resource management, since these areas have undergone the most meaningful changes.
The monitoring and improvement of productivity in health careCarol Kreitz; Brian H. Kleiner
1995 Health Manpower Management
doi: 10.1108/09552069510097156pmid: 10152655
Considers the monitoring of productivity in the health care environment. Examines especially the development of a labour standard and a volume indicator. Sees the whole as a management tool for controlling staffing requirements and costs. Investigates the question of methods improvement, involving all staff, should the standard fail to be met. Discusses increased training, procedure scheduling, investment in equipment, incentives, reduction of paper work, physician utilization. Cautions that the implementation of change must not be vitiated by internal politics and concludes that that which gets monitored gets controlled.