People In Place, a substantial new report from Good Governance Institute (GGI) and Allocate, sets out how long-standing capacity and cultural challenges in the NHS can be tackled most effectively locally.
It argues that people committees at the system level are best placed to lever fundamental changes needed across the people agenda, if they are set up with the right mindset and authority, and are supported by practical tools and resources which are included in the report.
The report focuses on key areas such as capacity gaps in critical skills, staff health and well-being and embedded issues of cultural inequality and lack of diversity alongside the long-standing problems with fair pay and reward. It outlines how the guiding principles of good governance and subsidiary can provide the right framework and enable substantial change.
Mark Butler, Executive Partner at GGI, said: “We believe that the NHS reforms in England give a genuine opportunity to refocus the people agenda at local levels. The People in Place report puts forward four clear recommendations to align with the changes, including the immediate investment in capacity building and governance support for people committees.
“We believe that people committees, when effective and authoritative, can drive genuine change in recruitment, staff skills and other key areas such as tackling cultural inequality and poor diversity.”
Liz Jones, Chief Marketing Officer at Allocate Software, said: “We have been pleased to work alongside GGI to explore the opportunity governance has to support both the needs and ambitions of the people agenda in the context of place. This report hosts an array of key recommendations. This includes ensuring a community of interest is created to support the effective development of ‘people in place’ – it is clear that beyond this report there is a need to develop a space for further discussion and development.”
The four key recommendations from the report are:
- National guidance to support people in place is developed and issued in line with this report
- Investment should be made to support system People Committees
- Further work is undertaken in a coordinated way on a set of lines of enquiry/enabling questions
- A Community of Interest is created to support the effective development of people in place.
