Planning for quality focuses on what you need to do.
What is it
Planning for quality is a proactive process to plan and prioritise the design and redesign of processes and services. It requires a relentless focus on customer need, staff wellbeing and culture. It is informed by internal and external feedback and learning.
Planning for quality occurs in two main contexts:
Annual or multi-year planning cycles – organisations engage in these cycles to:
- define their goals
- outline their intended actions
- determine the resources required to achieve them
Change management planning – this involves:
- planning activities associated with implementing changes
- conducting reviews
- making improvements or designing new services and models
Why is it important
Planning for quality supports effective allocation of resources to address population needs. It helps to ensure that decisions and priorities are informed by feedback, learning and aligned to purpose and vision.
What are the key activities
The activities undertaken during planning for quality include:
- understanding the needs of your population group or local community
- understanding the relevant national and local policy direction and ambitions
- being clear about vision and purpose
- understanding the current provision
- analysing and understanding the gaps between people’s needs, the direction you are heading and your current position
Assessing what is and is not fit for purpose, this includes:
- identifying and appraising options to meet the needs of the population and the vision and purpose
- planning how you deliver the chosen option. Identifying the enablers of quality and change you need in place and the necessary resources to support it
Planning for quality during change
Plan for quality early:
When initiating change, it is essential to have a solid plan. The level of detail in your planning will depend on the scale of the challenge or change you are facing.
Planning for quality during change is key. Understanding and assessing your options is also important. This will ensure you consider all crucial planning steps.
Understand what is working
It is important to pay attention to where you are getting your sense of what is and is not working. Check if you are getting insights from the right places and a variety of sources. This can help guide your planning.
Involve the right people
Involving the right people in the planning stage is important. The stakeholders to include are often a wider group than you think. Include those who will experience the effects of your change. Consider those you need to influence to impact your organisation or service.
Planning for quality is a good time to connect with people and communities about change.
Choose the best path forward
Planning helps you identify how you might have the biggest impact. You have many options but picking the right one can make a big difference. Planning helps with this choice.
Practical support
Find tools and resources to support planning for quality.