Project Initiation

Getting the right team together and setting out clear roles and responsibilities is crucial to any transformation project. The project team see the process through from the very early stages of planning, to implementation and eventually maintenance of the system. Read these suggested steps to take to ensure you build the right team for your project.

The team you need

Commissioners, Clinical Execs, Operational Director, CXIO

What to do

  • Write a project outline

    Your Project Sponsor or Project Lead should develop a high-level project outline, better known as the Project Initiation Document (PID). Your PID should detail the steps and structure of an implementation.

    Tip:

    Have a look at Southampton’s NHS Trust PID as they have covered the scope of the ePrescribing project, its risks, benefits & project structure.

  • Build your project team

    The project team will need a Project Manager, a Clinical Lead, and vitally end-user representatives from a variety of professions. Involving several individuals with different knowledge and skillsets on both technical and clinical sides ensures a more rounded perspective of how best to develop the project.  

    Tip:

    Have a look at Pennine Acute’s project team here. They have described who you will need to recruit and what they will be required to do during an implementation project.

  • Roles and responsibilities

    Roles and responsibilities need to be clearly established 

    Tip:

    Keep in mind that the role and the composition of the project team are likely to change after implementation and as the system becomes embedded

  • Get senior buy-in

    Ensuring you have either executive or very senior clinical leadership or sponsorship of the project will give visibility to the project and will sustain motivation to see it through

  • Get endorsement at all levels

    The engagement of pharmacists, doctors and nurses on the ground as early as possible in the process is critical. This can be easily achieved by communicating the vision and inviting feedback, or ensuring that the implementation is a local strategic priority. Ensure your Communications team are present through the process and ready and briefed to support you with messaging to staff.

What to read

Connect

Want to hear more about the different approaches that Trusts are taking to build their own ePMA project dream team?  Then head on over to our collaboration platform NHS Futures to ask questions and pick our network’s brains via the discussion forum.  

Or find colleagues sharing their insights on this topic on Hexitime.