Context
Queens Road Medical Practice (QRMP) is a primary care provider and operates from two surgeries, one (Queens Road) based in St Peter Port and one at the Longfrie in St Pierre du Bois. QRMP completed a premises move from their premises on Queens Road to new premises situated in the former States education building on The Grange. CBO provided project management and change management support for the non-build aspects of the move. The QRMP team work at maximum capacity running the surgery, so CBO were contracted to provide additional support to ensure that the move was completed on time and within the agreed budget.
It was important that the move was completed with minimal disruption to surgery operations to minimise the impact on staff and patients. It was also important to avoid having lost appointments during the move as this would directly affect revenue. A robust communication strategy was required to ensure that all patients, staff, suppliers and stakeholders were informed in advance about the move.
Approach
The Project was split into the following phases, Discovery, Initiation and Delivery. The Discovery Phase was an Initial four-week period where CBO provided project management and change management support. This period allowed the Project team to familiarise themselves with the scope of the Project, the suppliers and stakeholders. Initial high-level plans were drafted to document elements such as the scope of the Project, methods of communication and decision making authority.
CBO then provided project management and change management support for the subsequent eight-week Initiation Phase period, where plans and budgets were finalised and baselined. Project activities were detailed and allocated to Project team members and progress was tracked against the plans.
Project management support was provided during the Delivery Phase where the physical move and closure of the Queens Road premises occurred. In this phase progress was tracked against the plan and the regular governance meetings allowed for risks to be escalated and resolved long before they became issues.
CBO collaborated closely with the QRMP team to develop the Project plan and confirm exactly what tasks where required when. CBO then provided hands-on support and guidance to ensure all tasks were completed. Together with the practice accountant CBO helped to keep close control of the budget.
Robust project management governance was maintained to ensure that progress meetings were held and Project changes were identified and escalated for approval. Potential Project risks and issues were tracked and managed to mitigate impacts to the Project success.
Impact
Through this engagement, CBO were able to provide QRMP with the peace of mind that a structured process was in place to support the move. CBO were also able to guide QRMP through the initial decision process for the move approach (one move or phased move) which enabled a timely decision to be made that considered the opinions of the main stakeholders.
Use of the latest project management tools, including a detailed shared Project plan and transition plan, meant that the Project team and the wider practice was able to achieve all the important milestones. The practice moved on the planned date and the new practice opened on time with minimal disruption to patients and surgery operations.
CBO promoted the importance of maintaining clear, consistent and regular communication with all staff which created a positive attitude towards the move and encouraged the practice team to pull together to make the move a success. The communication approach also laid the foundations for on-going communication initiatives with staff.
“I would like to express my sincere thanks for everything CBO have done for us, the planning during the build-up to the day, and the dedication put in, including the long hours … well in honestly I’m not sure we would been anywhere near as ready as we were – thank you so much from the practice”
Rob Jordan, Practice Manager
