Implementing “Lean” in the
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Studies at Cardiff University
Professor Sheila Hunt: Dean and Head of School
Dr Heather Moyes: School Manager
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Structure
• Context and background
• Scoping and prioritisation
• Major projects undertaken to date:
achievements and challenges
• Creating a Lean culture
• Lessons learned to date
• Questions?
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
About the School
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86 academic staff plus research associates
23 p/t inward secondments (approx 10 fte)
46 fte support staff
1,100 fte students
46 week academic year
Educational contracts with WAG and local health
boards
• £9M turnover
• 3 sites
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Context to “Lean School” project
School drivers
• Academic/ administrative restructure – “whole
School” focus
• Financial constraints
• General concern about effectiveness of support
services/ processes
• Cultural change from “blame” towards “action”
Institutional drivers
• University Lean Team looking for a guinea pig!
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Scoping and prioritisation
• Staff training in key Lean principles and
methodologies
• Focus groups & 1:1 meetings with academic and
support staff and with students
• Striking level of agreement about problem areas
• Divergent interpretations of nature of problems
“Sheila’s wheel”
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
•We will review the BSc Clinical
Practice Process
•We will make changes as necessary to improve
quality and engage in continuous improvement
•We will develop and implement a communications
strategy
•We will review the module timetable / schedule
•We will review the examinations & assessment process
•We will review the placements & audit process
•We will gain a clear
understanding from stakeholders
of value-added
•The student experience will be defined & monitored
•We will develop student’s life skills by helping them take
appropriate responsibility for their own student experience
•We will develop & maintain the student handbook
•We will ensure that our structure is flexible & fit for purpose
•We will engage in succession planning at all levels
•We will develop good working relationships with Registry
•We will balance clarity of responsibilities &
roles within a flexible environment
•We will review the records management process
•We will carry out a training needs analysis for
staff and support training where identified
•We will review the extensions policy & process
•We will review the student recruitment
process
•We will develop & implement an
active engagement policy
•We will identify core competencies for
all staff
•We will support staff in their career
aspirations
•We will seek customer feedback
•Every staff member will have a
meaningful annual appraisal
•We will review the student sickness
& absence reporting procedure
•We will maintain IIP status
•We will review the appeals &
interruption to studies process
Working
People
Practices
To provide the
•Blackboard will be available
NHS
with the
• when needed
best nurses and
midwives
Infra
Financial
structure
Resources
•All staff will be members of
multiple teams
•We will review the meeting and
committee structure within SONMS
•We will develop an I.T.
strategy
•We will implement a
replacement programme
for equipment
•We will develop a business plan
to facilitate a move to a single
location
•We will enhance the school’s reputation
through the implementation of a clear
marketing and P.R. strategy
•We will consider issues of equality,
diversity, dignity & inclusiveness in
everything we do
•We will review the way in which
research income & expenditure
is managed within the School
•We will review the budgetsetting process
•We will ensure that all staff have
a good understanding of the
principles underpinning our
budget
•We will ensure the signage is
clear and accurate
• We will introduce electronic evaluation
•We will introduce on-line
submission of work (Turnitin)
•We will give teaching & learning and research
activities the necessary support to meet the
expectations of students and
stakeholders
•The website will be maintained to be
accurate and informative
•We will contribute to the development of
Blackboard so that it meets the needs of
students & staff
Work about to start
Work in progress
•We will work collaboratively with REGIS and the SIMS User
Group to address the specific needs of our School
•We will develop an interim space management strategy
for the School to improve the current working
environment
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
•We will take responsibility for the
maintenance of the s-drive
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
•We will provide the necessary management
information to enable us to manage risk responsibly
•We will maintain robust and transparent
financial management systems
Initial major projects
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BSc Clinical Practice admissions process
Committee structures
Placements
Examinations and assessments processes
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Further key projects to date
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Student file
Student travel expenses
Room bookings
Student evaluations
Staff conference/ course attendance
IT replacement programme
Budgetary management
Blackboard (VLE) site management
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Standard approach
• Initial scoping and defining boundaries
• Current state mapping with process owners/
operators
• Focus groups/ 1:1 meetings with stakeholders/
users
• Collation of hard evidence
• Future state mapping
• Implementation
• Periodic evaluation
• Move to continuous review
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
BSc Clinical Practice
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Noise!
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
BSc Clinical Practice
• Major differences between perceived and
actual problem areas
• Much of solution actually lying within
School’s own gift
• Academic decisions required in order to
streamline processes
• Need to increase awareness of other
stakeholders
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Committees
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Committees
1
2
1
Education Provision and
New Dev. subgroup
1
Learning in Practice
subgroup
1
1
11
Jane Davies
1
1
Associate Lecturer
Development &
Support sugrp
1
10
Jane Harden
1
1
1
9
Annette Lankshear
Education Partnership
Forum (strategy)
1
8
Katie Featherstone
1
1
7
Nicola Rowlands (on
secondment)
Learning and Teaching
1
6
Christine Smith
1
5
Dianne Watkins
School Board
4
Davina Allen
Elaine Beer
Sheila Hunt
Gail Williams
Committee
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
1
1
Committees
• Major cultural change: committees for
action, not communication
• Empowerment of thematic standing
committees
• Encourage discussion rather than stifle it
• Professionalisation of committee secretary
role
• Speed up decision-making processes
• Time savings
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Placements
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Placements
• Lack of shared understanding of priorities
and challenges amongst stakeholders
• Challenge of getting from current to future
state in a mission-critical live process
• Student Records System issues
• Managing expectations
• Critically appraising evidence and acting
proportionately
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Exams and Assessments
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Exams and assessments
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Exams and assessments
• Unravelling real issues in a very complex
process
• Major academic changes required to
achieve administrative changes
• Tails and dogs
• Local issues threatening progress
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Common themes
• People know what is and is not working
• Processes not independent of academic
context
• Managing scope versus failing to address
core issue
• Dealing with issues that extend beyond
own sphere of influence
• Central importance of senior support and
embedding in culture
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Creating a Lean culture
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Management training
Bite-sized lean
Induction and appraisal
Continuous improvement
Application of lean thinking to academic
decision-making
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
"It is amazing how much people
can get done if they do not worry
about who gets the credit."
Harry S Truman
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd
Questions or comments?
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Ysgol Astudiaethau Nyrsio a Bydwreigiaeth Caerdydd