Implementing Telecare
Ensure staff resources
While the initial project will probably have had limited effects on most staff, a significant expansion will raise many more issues and involve more people. Since a telecare project is about re-designing service delivery as much (if not more) than it is about technology, an expansion of the coverage towards mainstream use is likely to affect the work of staff in significant ways. This can be an opportunity to re-think peoples’ roles and responsibilities and to make sure that any contractual or HR issues are managed effectively. It is also an opportunity to more effectively manage resources.
Re-thinking roles and responsibilities
The commitment which people have to their work is affected in part by the nature of the work itself – most people prefer a job that is varied, interesting and responsible to one that is boring and repetitive. Jobs are often designed without thinking about this – but a service re-design activity creates an opportunity to think carefully about how best to re-think the roles of staff, service users and carers, and how they relate to each others. Doing so will significantly increase the chances of the expansion being a success, and of delivering valuable outcomes to stakeholders.
People respond positively if they find (or believe) that a new system:
- helps them to work effectively
- is easy to use
- is used or supported by colleagues whose opinions they respect
- is supported by facilitating conditions such as training, support and advice
- provides a better service to users
- doesn’t involve “double entry” approach – i.e. more administration.
Re-shaping roles to support these factors will encourage people to accept and use the new arrangements: not doing so will lead to staff dissatisfaction. The best way to achieve a good outcome is to make the time to involve staff closely in discussions about the equipment and new working arrangements, including visits to successful projects (or inviting them to visit staff). This uses staff expertise, and shows that management values and trusts them – both of which help to foster a positive attitude.
Human resource management issues
At the same time, project managers need to take account of any human resource management issues which the re-design of the service will raise. Redeployment, changes to hours, working arrangements or promotion prospects may all change established terms and conditions. These are better dealt with early and deliberately, rather than as last-minute crisis because no-one had anticipated them or wanted to address them.
Project teams should also consult with staff, service users and carers about the changes in their respective roles and responsibilities in relation to the telecare service once these are clear. The redesign ideas identified during process mapping activity described in Section 5.5 can be used to guide your discussions, and anticipate any human resource management issues. The findings / outcomes from the consultation should be incorporated into the revised implementation plan and used to update the project Communication Plan / approach.
