The NHS Change Agent
The NHS Change Agent
The NHS Change Agent
Helen Bevan is chief of service transformation at the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement.
Latest posts
Thinking differently about quality and cost
"Revolution begins with a transformation of consciousness". Innovation, doing things differently, is becoming a high priority activity in the NHS. Innovation has a critical pre-requisite: thinking differently. If we are going to sustain a universal healthcare system for future generations, we need to think differently about the relationship between cost and quality.
Community organising, leading change and shifting power: why the NHS needs to build weak ties NOW
This piece aims to introduce some fresh perspectives on NHS change from civic campaigners and community organisers. Much of the conventional wisdom of NHS improvement is based on “strong ties”, peer to peer spread of ideas for change through “people like us”. However, history suggest that we might get the best chance to deliver the scale of quality and cost improvements we seek if we also focus on “weak ties”.
NHS targets: from compliance to commitment
The NHS is moving away from the “compliance” system of top-down national targets and standards. What should it be replaced with?
Does the NHS need management consultants?
As NHS management expenditure tightens, management consultancy costs are in the spotlight. Over the past period, the NHS has been big business for the consultancy industry. Whilst management consultants have made a significant contribution to NHS transformation, there have been many situations where the NHS investment in consultancy has not led to the outcomes we seek. Is there a future role for management consultancy in the NHS? How might we work more effectively with consultants in ...
Diary of an intrepid arctic marathon runner
However meticulously you plan for big events, there are some things you just can’t plan for. Last weekend, Helen Bevan was due to compete in an extreme marathon in sub-zero temperatures in the Arctic Circle, something that she had prepared and planned for intensively for the last six months. Three days before the event, she came down with a severe cold. Read on to find out the outcome.
On organising to change the world: from Californian farm workers to Obama’s election campaign to NHS transformation: part two
The wisdom of Marshall Ganz, unofficial mobiliser-in-chief of Obama’s election campaign on how we can challenge the status quo, the vested interests and perverse incentives in the current NHS system that get in the way of delivering high quality, high value care for all.
Confessions of an ex-amorphous blob
In a couple of days, Helen Bevan will be leaving for Kangerlassauq in the Arctic Circle to take part in the Polar Circle Marathon, one of the toughest marathon races in the world. She reflects on her journey over the past six months from unhealthy “amorphous blob” to extreme marathon runner.
On organising to change the world: from Californian farm workers to Obama’s election campaign to NHS transformation - Part one
The ideas of Marshall Ganz, Harvard academic, community organiser and unofficial “Mobiliser-in-Chief” for Obama’s election campaign, offer some poweful perspectives for NHS leaders.
Change agents for quality and productivity
If we look globally at those healthcare systems that deliver outstanding performance in cost and quality, a common characteristic is a systematic approach to capability building for improvement. How do we build this in the NHS?
Innovation for higher quality and lower costs
At no other time in its history has the NHS needed innovation for service delivery as badly as it does now. But innovation won’t just happen, even if we give it a high strategic priority. We need to take a systematic approach to innovation practice, building it into every aspect of daily work.
It’s adapt or die for the quality improvement movement
-The healthcare quality improvement movement needs to step up to the challenge of cost constraint. It’s an “adapt or die” situation.
On Arctic marathons and large scale change
Training to run an Arctic marathon has made me reflect on the psychology of large scale change.
More on change management
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'There is inherent value in high quality outcomes data'
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Ethics expert urges health service to consider losers when cutting costs
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David Kerr: the true value of reform must be defined by patient outcomes
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How to improve staff collaboration and delivered integrated care
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How to make change management a driver of quality care
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Why taking a national approach could kick-start technology adoption in the NHS
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Cuts to commissioning management 'risk quality and savings'
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Key risks posed by NHS commissioning reforms revealed
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'Reconfiguration may do more harm than good'
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Solid foundations: how to lead successfully in the new foundation landscape
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Managers to fly in to run straggling CCGs' budgets
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'Local healthcare cannot be delivered by giant commissioning bodies'
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How to deliver a successful and sustainable hospital transformation
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Noel Plumridge: has the sparkle gone from social enterprise?
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Most senior leaders failing to create 'strong work climates'
