Scenario for Task 1 and Task 2:

NHS England is increasing its transparency within the community and has been making efforts to improve the quality of services for patients in recent years. However, where there are still concerns about the quality of care services considered to be short of the expected national standards resulting in patients' lives at risk, general practices, hospitals or specific departments have had to be closed down. Other factors that have led to the closure of units, centres and hospitals have been financial, integration of centres, lack of specialist skills or poor management. The Health secretary has also exclusive powers to close down or downgrade a hospital under clause 119 in the Care Bill. A recent case is the Mid Staffordshire hospital (further reading on its public enquiry www.midstaffspublicinquiry.com). NHS England work with the NHS staff, patients, other stakeholders and the public to improve the health care of citizens in England. "The NHS belongs to the people"- according to the NHS constitution. The NHS relies heavily on accurate Data, Information and shared Knowledge in all its operations and management decisions. These are often published and made available to all stakeholders as purported in its constitution. The goal is to involve all stakeholders, respect their views, support and develop the commissioning of services as a collective effort. For this reason a project has been launched that focuses on "Shared Decision Making" (www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/pe/sdm/).

Statistics:

Dedicated Departments of the NHS are responsible for publishing essential operational and management statistics that range from Ambulance Quality indicators, Bed Availability, Cancelled Elective, operations, waiting times, attendance at A&E, diagnostic waiting times etc. Data is disseminated at the appropriate organisational level for the relevant users. For example, doctors receive daily/weekly updates of public health risks and procedures for mitigation. All these have been found to be necessary in providing quality healthcare. There is currently a debate on whether the privatisation of the NHS would improve the working standards, the care provision and the services being currently provided. One of the major issues of the NHS has been patient long waiting times. Secondly, who should be involved in the closure of hospitals and other specialist units and what criteria should be used?

Requirements:

For the above reasons, the NHS England has set up a special committee tasked with recommending the best way forward on "the waiting time issue" as well as "hospital and unit closures". (Adapted from www.england.nhs.uk./ourwork/, 2015) You have been recruited as a consultant to provide some contributions to the members of the NHS England special committee, who have been tasked to produce a detailed report with recommendations that will help the NHS England, find the best way forward. Your communication skills, understanding of information needs and knowledge management will be crucial for you to be effective in this role.

Task 1: Assessing information and knowledge needs

1.1 Discuss the range of decisions that could be taken by NHS England and Management.

1.2 Examine the information and knowledge needed to ensure effective decision taking based on operations and issues in the scenario.

1.3 Assess internal and external sources of information and understanding based on the scenario

Task 2: Stakeholders, Personal networking and Decision-making process

2.1 Identify both internal and external key stakeholders of NHS England who should be involved in the decision-making process in the issue highlighted in the scenario.

2.2 Explain how NHS England can make contact with their internal and external stakeholders, whilst developing business relationships.

2.3 Explain how NHS England can involve the identified stakeholders in the decision-making process, as appropriate.

2.4 In your capacity as a consultant, design strategies for improving personal networking and involvement of stakeholders in the decision-making process based on the scenario and, (AC1.4) justify your recommendations for improvement.

Task 3: Communication Processes in an Organisation

In this task, you will need to select and analyse the communication processes within a familiar organisation. This could be a workplace, a past employer or a previously researched company. In your selection of the organisation, make sure you will have access to both internal and external communication processes adopted by that organisation. This organisation should have a website that can be cited within your work. In your work, find effective ways of communicating your research to your colleagues and lecturers. In particular, you recognise that effective communication helps to improve relationships at work and other social situations by deepening your connections to stakeholders and improving teamwork, decision-making and problem solving for the success of an organisation.

3.1 Report on existing processes of communication that you have researched and observed in your selected organisation:

(i) Between management and employees
(ii) Between the organisation and its customers

3.2 Design ways to improve the appropriateness of the communication processes that you have identified in AC3.1 above.

3.3 Explain how the improvements to the ways IT systems (that you have suggested above in AC3.2) can be implemented to ensure greater integration of systems of communication within the organisation.

3.4 Based on Scenario for Task 3, create a personal plan to improve your own communication skills, reflecting on the effectiveness of such a plan.

Task 4: Improving Access to Systems of Information and Knowledge

You are an Information Systems development specialist working for a Knowledge Management company in London. You have been hired by a college to produce information systems that could be used by registry, students and lecturers in supporting their teaching and learning. Propose information systems that will help the college improve the collection, formatting, storage and dissemination of information and knowledge. Suggest possible ways of improving access to these vital resources.

4.1 Report on existing approaches to the collection, formatting, storage and dissemination of information and knowledge to support the teaching and learning at the College.

4.2 Carry out appropriate changes to improve the collection, formatting, storage and dissemination of information and knowledge involving the teaching and learning at the University.

4.3 Suggest one possible way (strategy) which you think can be used more effectively to improve access to information and knowledge for all internal and external stakeholders.