STRATEGY TEMPLATE This template sets out a suggested format for a strategy document, together with a checklist for the content of the strategy itself. Individual strategy documents may vary, to take account of particular requirements or planning situations. The checklist may still provide planning groups with a useful tool to ensure that their strategy is able to be read consistently with others developed by the Care Trust, and that it provides a robust framework for evaluation, review, and learning. The template is designed to be relevant both to frontline services (eg a strategy for improving services within a carestream) and support services (eg IT, workforce development, etc). It assumes that the Care Trust is the lead organisation in developing the strategy for a given area (referred to as ‘XYZ’), but that other stakeholders are involved in the development process. Key points to consider: 1. Use plain English, and avoid jargon wherever possible. Where it is unavoidable, give the full meaning of any abbreviations the first time they are used and include a glossary with the meanings of any technical terms and/or abbreviations at the end of the document. 2. The numbering system in this template is a guide only. Depending on the amount of detail in each s ection, you may want to use numbered sub-sections as appropriate (eg 1.1 Status of this document, 1.2 The scope of this strategy, etc) . This helps people to navigate through the document more easily. 3. Data presented in the form of charts, graphs, diagrams etc should normally be numbered for ease of reference. It is often clearer to put charts etc in the body of the document, but if they are large or very complex they can be put at the end as an appendix 4. Other supporting material (such as sections of policy documents etc) can be appended, but unless they need to be referred to frequently by everyone using the document, it may be better to include a reference to them rather than the actual material. 5. Include a list of references at the end, including any other document which has been mentioned in the text. 6. Most importantly, keep in mind that a strategy document is not an end in itself. The strategy it describes is a vision for improving services, and it is how it is translated into action that is the real measure of its success. The document provides an ongoing reminder of what you have set out to do, and should be used as a working tool to help, not hinder, progress. It is very unlikely that everything will go exactly as planned in the strategy, so be prepared to review and revise it over time.
Northumberland Care Trust Strategy Template October 2002
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Northumberland Care Trust Strategy Template October 2002
SECTION 1.
TITLE Introduction
CONTENT Status of this document The scope of the strategy
CHECKLIST Is this a draft strategy for consultation or a finished version? What does this strategy cover (eg mental health services for working age adults?) – this is referred to as XYZ in the sections below What does it not cover (eg children, older people) An outline of what you are trying to achieve (eg solving a problem with XYZ, improving XYZ services, introducing services to a new area, reorganising services, etc) What is the target date for achieving this strategy (most often 3 years, as assumed here, but may be 5 years or another period) Does this strategy need to be co-ordinated with others outside Northumberland? (eg SHA or regional networks) Who is leading on the development of this strategy (eg Director/ PEC lead/ network manager for a carestream)? Who else is involved? What work has taken place to date on the development of the strategy? Specifically, how have service users, carers, and staff been consulted and involved? Who are the stakeholders in XYZ? (internal and external groups) To what extent are all these stakeholders currently engaged? What evidence do we have for how XYZ is perceived by each group of stakeholders, and what their needs/ expectations/ priorities are? How will we tackle gaps in the existing information we have about stakeholders as part of this strategy?
The overall aim of the strategy The timescale of the strategy Constraints on this strategy The development process
2.
Stakeholder analysis
Analysis of who the stakeholders are, and their needs/ expectations in relation to the strategy
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Northumberland Care Trust Strategy Template October 2002
SECTION 3.
TITLE Strategic vision and values
CONTENT A statement of the vision for XYZ in the future
CHECKLIST What, in overall terms, will success look like? (This can be a qualitative description of the long term vision for XYZ– the quantitative data which will help assess how far this has been achieved in 3 years will be set out in sections below) What are the core values on which this strategy is based, and which will inform all the actions which are planned as a result? What is the purpose of XYZ/ why does it exist at all? What are the objectives of XYZ? What current policy is there which affects XYZ? What does it say? (NB this may include both directly relevant policy, eg an NSF or other NHS/ social care policy, or policy in other areas with an impact on XYZ – eg housing, education, employment, benefits, etc) How many current users/ patients/ clients are there for XYZ? What are the significant segments within the overall user base? Is there an assessment of unmet demand? What services are currently provided in XYZ and by whom? What financial data is there on XYZ (eg total spend, breakdown by localities, recent investment levels, sources of external funding)? What evidence is there of the outcomes achieved in XYZ at present (Note: this should link to the key performance results identified below, where possible)? Are trends over time positive or negative? How does the Care Trust compare with other organisations now? What changes are already in progress in XYZ, and how might they affect the key performance results? (eg a new service development coming on stream in year 1 of the strategy)
The values which are central to this strategy 4. The current position (Where are we now?) Purpose and objectives Policy context
Current dimensions
Current performance
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Northumberland Care Trust Strategy Template October 2002
SECTION
TITLE
CONTENT Workforce analysis
CHECKLIST How many people are involved in delivering XYZ? How is this overall number made up (eg by locality, profession, provider, etc)? What is the current position on vacancies/ turnover/ training places etc? What training is currently provided and to whom? Does this include all relevant providers eg voluntary/ independent sector? What sources of information on XYZ are used currently? How are new ideas and learning about XYZ gathered, analysed and used? What are the key processes through which XYZ is delivered? Do we know how these processes work and therefore how changes in one part of the process can result in a change in the results achieved?
Information analysis
Process analysis
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Northumberland Care Trust Strategy Template October 2002
SECTION 5.
TITLE Strategic objectives
CONTENT Where do we want the Care Trust to be in 3 years’ time?
CHECKLIST What are the key performance results we want to have achieved in 3 years’ time, based on what we know about stakeholders’ needs and expectations, which will demonstrate that we have moved towards achieving the vision for XYZ? Is this strategy aimed at achieving externally set targets (eg those in a National Service Framework) or do you want to have made other/ further improvements to meet local priorities? The key performance results should be expressed as specifically as possible in terms of measurable outcomes eg A maximum waiting time of X hours for an appointment with a specialist nurse in primary care an emergency readmission rate of X% 100% of practice managers competent in using Z as part of their IT system Q% of service users very satisfied with this service external funding of £R per year achieved three star rating for this service from CHI What are the relevant operational indicators (internal measures which have an effect on outcomes?). For example, if one key performance result is the waiting time for a service, how many staff currently perform this service and what are the vacancy/ staff turnover rates for them? How will the Care Trust compare with other organisations? Do we need to collect different information/ information in a different form to enable us to measure the key performance results? How will these results contribute to the overall performance of the Care Trust?
Information implications of strategic objectives Evidence that achieving these strategic objectives will contribute to the overall objectives of the Care Trust as expressed in its mission, vision and values
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Northumberland Care Trust Strategy Template October 2002
SECTION 6.
TITLE Priorities for strategic change
CONTENT The main areas where change is needed to enable us to achieve our strategic objectives
CHECKLIST What gaps have been identified in the current situation that need to be filled (including stakeholder involvement, information, etc)? What options have been considered for strategic change and on what basis have the decisions been made on which to progress? Strategic change will involve changes to the existing key processes identified above (and if these are not well understood then the starting point will be work to identify and define them), or developing new processes to deliver a specific outcome Process change should aim to deliver agreed, improved outcomes and should involve all relevant stakeholders (both internal and external) Changing existing key processes or developing new ones may involve changes in any or all of: The workforce (eg staffing numbers and/or roles, training, public/ community involvement, communications) The partnerships the Care Trust has with other organisations How resources are used (including information, technology, equipment, estates) The funding available and/or how this is deployed Care Trust policy and/or other strategies which affect XYZ What is the timescale for each of the changes above? (in outline, ie in which year of the strategy will work take place?) Who will lead on each change area? How do we expect the key performance outcomes and operational indicators to change each year as changes are made? Note: this section should NOT include detailed actions to achieve each of the changes identified. The strategy should set out a broad ‘agenda for change’, rather than the detail of how it will be delivered. However, in many cases a new strategy will be accompanied by an action plan for Year 1 and this is discussed in Appendix A below.
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Northumberland Care Trust Strategy Template October 2002
SECTION 7.
TITLE Workforce issues
CONTENT The impact of the strategic changes on the XYZ workforce
CHECKLIST Section 6 should include workforce implications of each change – this section brings these individual changes together What will be the overall impact of the strategy on workforce, eg What skills are required and can how these be provided (eg which professional(s) can best provide these?) What training/ skills development is needed to achieve the strategy and how will this be addressed? What are the workforce issues for voluntary and independent sector organisations and how will these be addressed? What work is required with other stakeholders eg Workforce Development Confederation, Modernisation Agency, local education providers, etc and how will this be done? Plan for how stakeholder groups will be involved in ongoing evaluation and review of the strategy throughout its life. Arrangements for measuring performance over the lifetime of the strategy, and reviewing the strategic objectives Arrangements for developing action plans to maintain progress against the key performance results and/or take corrective action where performance is below expected levels Arrangements for gathering and using innovation and learning (internal and external) to inform the strategy Plan for communicating the content of the strategy, and ongoing progress, to all stakeholder groups (taking into account differing needs/ expectations/ levels of involvement) Who is the contact person for queries/ suggestions/ comments? Is there a deadline for comments on this document? (eg if it is a draft for consultation)
8.
Evaluation, learning and review
How progress will be measured, and the strategic objectives reviewed, with stakeholders’ involvement
9.
Communication plan Contact information Glossary References
How this strategy will be communicated to all stakeholders
10.
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Northumberland Care Trust Strategy Template October 2002
SECTION Appendix A
TITLE Year 1 action plan
Year 2/3 action plans
CHECKLIST Detailed plans for actions to be implemented in year 1 to achieve the planned changes in key performance results/ operational indicators This should show, for each action point: The resource implications (staffing, information, physical resources, technology, finance) Who is responsible for delivering each action point When it will be completed Which key performance result(s) it is targeted at Future years’ action plans will be developed as a result of analysing key performance results and operational indicators, and setting appropriate targets for these in the year to come assessing changes in the external environment affecting XYZ (eg new national targets, or changes in other health and social care organisations) analysing innovation and learning relevant to XYZ reviewing how this strategy fits with the Care Trust’s overall direction
CONTENT Action to be taken in year 1 towards the achievement of the strategic objectives
Lucy O’Leary 11 October, 2002
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