Sustaining operations improvement in healthcare: drivers for change in the UK health and wellbeing sector

Savings of an unprecedented level are required in a sector which is critical for care and employment to a large proportion of the population of the UK. A survey was circulated to stakeholders within the sector to identify the variety / volume of initiatives, which methodologies were prevalent and known, whether they believed that improvements were being embedded and sustained within their organisations and what in their view needs to change. The outcomes from the research provide a compelling illustration of improvement initiatives in the NHS. The NHS needs a period of stability, to implement principles of operational excellence.