Sir Gerry Robinson is man on a mission; he has 6 months, no money and 1 NHS hospital. His goal is to reduce waiting lists in Rotherham General Hospital. The task is the ultimate test of Sir Gerry’s belief; that any organisation, big or small can be made to run well.

Gerry is shocked to discover that despite waiting lists and complaints that there’s never enough operating time, some theatres are lying empty. The situation is exacerbated when he learns that there’s almost no operating on Friday afternoons. With over three thousand people on the waiting list for operations, Gerry wants answers.

It doesn’t take him long to work out that management in the real sense isn’t happening here and that the real power lies with the Consultants. There’s also strained relations between the Consultants and the managers. As a result it is incredibly difficult to get anything to happen. But by the end of the first 2 months, Sir Gerry has shown that when things are managed properly and people’s ideas are supported, even the NHS can be a ‘can do’ organisation.

Explore the inside story behind the first programme in the series with our interviews with both Gerry Robinson and Brian James (Chief Executive), along with perspectives from our panel of experts in management and health care.

The management guru

What were the frustrations felt by management guru Gerry Robinson when two management cultures met? Find out in our interview with Gerry Robinson.

 

The man at the top

What's it like to have a management guru look at your management structure and style? What are the issues a Chief Executive has to balance to ensure patients get what they need? Go behind the desk of an NHS Chief Executive in our interview with Brian James.

 

What needs to change?

What needs to shift to overcome the challenges to the NHS?

 

It's simple - isn't it?

Why do some organisations resist change? Why can changing something simple be so tricky? Why is change so hard?