Results not excuses, Aussie guru tells NHS IT leaders

An international expert in project management has told senior NHS IT staff that internal politics and a ‘silo mentality’ are to blame for organisations’ poor project delivery, and called for a new focus on delivering ‘results, not excuses’ in order to reverse the trend.

Alan Patching, billed modestly on his personal website www.alanpatching.com, as an inspirational speaker who “receives rave reviews from his presentations around the globe on leadership, innovation, project management”, was leading a seminar hosted by project portfolio specialists, Primavera.

Information issued by Primavera about Patching’s presentation was unclear whether the comments were directed at organisations in general or the NHS in particular. A Primavera spokesman told E-Health Insider: “The context was a presentation to the NHS. ‘Results not excuses’ is the title of his presentation. That’s what he was telling to NHS; that’s what he tells all organisations.”

Patching has an impressive track record in managing large projects. He was chief executive officer of the entity which owned Sydney’s Olympic Stadium and the stadium project director. He was also project director on the $280m redevelopment of Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane for the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

His website says his business negotiations range from the sale and purchase of jet aircraft to the bulk buying of designer lingerie from leading international suppliers – though there is no mention of any previous brushes with the world of healthcare.

Drawing upon his experience in Sydney, Patching stressed the importance of ensuring that senior managers have full visibility into projects, to eliminate any unexpected surprises. He emphasised the need to engage with both staff and customers and adopt a more collaborative approach to project management, while remaining focused on three core aims of delivery on time, within budget, and according to specification.

"To ensure success, organisations need to get human capital involved and engaged in all projects," said Patching. "When people see something that’s bigger than themselves, better results are guaranteed. You won’t get these results if cynicism persists on a daily basis."

Patching emphasised the need for NHS project managers to combine the people-focused approach with greater use of IT tools, to ensure accurate project forecasting, scheduling, and risk profiling and management, while optimising real-time resource and budget allocation.

"Organisations need to train their people, including their leaders, establish the right environment and give them the correct tools to do the job," advised Patching.

The spokesman explained that Primavera saw the presentation as an opportunity to give NHS representatives an insight into their work and to learn more about the NHS and the pain points experienced in projects.