Implementation of a project and programme management framework
Description of Project
The healthcare provider had developed a 5 year strategic plan to transform the way Healthcare services were delivered to improve the health of the Bedfordshire population. To support this 3 programmes were set up to realise the benefits of the strategy
- The transformation of healthcare services
- World Class Commissioning (WCC) – A Department of Health organisational change and capability programme
- Transforming Community Services – the separation of the provider arm of the PCT so they would become a commissioner of services only
Chaucer’s Scope
Chaucer was asked to provide project and programme management expertise and assurance to drive this programme forwards and apply some project rigour to actions and timescales, and to provide assurance
Chaucer carried out a review of the existing programme structure, tools and processes and recommended a rigorous, disciplined approach to be applied to the programme including:
- Project Initiation Documents for each project (19)
- Milestone Plans with detailed work stream project planning
- Risk and Issue Logs and management
- Standardised work stream Flash Reporting
- Project reporting & Programme Dashboard
- Stakeholder Engagement and Management
The programme was divided into 5 sub-programmes, each of which contained a number of projects:
- Promoting Health & Prevention
- Care in the Right Place at the Right Time
- World Class Organisation
- World Class Workforce
- Community Health Services (managed by an external PM)
Chaucer provided four project managers to the programme office to manage four of the five sub-programmes listed above.
Chaucer found that the governance of the programme was extremely complex. There were a number of public-sector bodies with oversight of the programme and of the NHS at a local and regional level, there was local council involvement from the 3 councils covered by the remit of the healthcare provider, and there were a number of internal groups and committees which needed information, consultation or involvement.
Chaucer developed a strong relationship with the programme board and with the executive team of the healthcare provider, and this was instrumental in the acceptance of Chaucer consultants for additional work – development of an Estates strategy, replacement of the programme manager, and extensions to hand-over project management to NHS staff.
Part-way through the assignment a critical risk emerged. There was a significant unmitigated budgetary overspend. This required immediate address, as overspend at the end of the financial year would leave the healthcare provider in turnaround and the programme would be abandoned.
Benefits
- Through the work Chaucer has completed there has been an acceptance by the PCT of the value of adopting a project management way of working across the organisation.
- Through demonstrating the benefits of this approach Chaucer have brought a consistent way of working that is results-focussed and provides visibility of progress towards strategy delivery.
- By identifying and focussing on priorities, Chaucer have increased the pace and momentum of programme delivery and started to help identify potential gaps in the PCT’s available skills and competencies.
- Chaucer have also helped focus on needs instead of wants by challenging the feasibility of the strategy in its current configuration.
There was a delay to prioritisation of work, which meant that there was a delay carried through the development of some of the PIDs. These were completed by 25th Nov 09 (initially required for 30th Oct). Other than this item, Chaucer delivered the requirements on time
Chaucer left behind a comprehensive “Programme Framework” as a how-to guide and checklist for future project and programme management. This is a useful tool for the healthcare provider going forwards.
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