Investigating the Role of Operations Management in Healthcare Transformation

Summary

Healthcare in the UK is a complex system encompassing community health, primary care, secondary care (elective care, urgent / emergency care, mental health care) and specialist tertiary care. It presents considerable challenges from an operations management perspective particularly regarding coordination and flow. Add in that many facets of healthcare must deal with considerable and sometimes unpredictable variability and the operations management challenge looks even harder.

Against this there is a rising demand for health services with healthcare systems already stressed with labour shortages, capacity issues, and cost pressures. Demand is principally, but not solely, caused by an ageing population who are living longer in poorer health, often with frailty, multiple long-term conditions and complex co-morbidities rising. Increasing demand impacts significantly on most parts of the healthcare ecosystem but secondary care and community health in particular.

It has long been recognised that productivity improvements in healthcare will be contingent on established services being delivered more efficiently. This is at the heart of operations management as a discipline. Understanding how productivity is managed is absolutely critical if healthcare can arrest the tide of increasingly long wait lists for elective care and improving access to primary care and community health. Whilst many healthcare managers may come from a variety of professional backgrounds, most frequently, they are likely to come from a clinical background. It is our expectation therefore that operations management capabilities are likely to be limited with a negative impact on productivity and operational performance.

There are several themes that this PHD research will explore with regard to healthcare productivity: the importance of operational variables, the impact of volume, routing patients through healthcare systems, quality control, and managing the improvement process. This research will focus on the UK NHS. As this is an exploratory study, the principal methods of data collection and analysis will be qualitative.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement
• Research proposal of 2000 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• First Class Honours (1st) Degree
• Masters at 70%

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)

These scholarships will cover tuition fees and provide a maintenance allowance of £19,237 (tbc) per annum for three years* (subject to satisfactory academic performance).  A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of £900 per annum is also available.

To be eligible for these scholarships, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK National, or

• Have settled status, or

• Have pre-settled status, or

• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter, or

• be an Irish National

Applicants should also meet the residency criteria which requires that they have lived in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at least the three years preceding the start date of the research degree programme.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

*Part time PhD scholarships may be available, based on 0.5 of the full time rate, and will require a six year registration period (individual project advertisements will note where part time options apply).

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.