NHS weekend-working risk management document

The list describes each risk and gives it a status of red, amber or green, with red being the gravest risks.

Brexit

There is a risk that the planned exit from the EU may impact upon the delivery of the seven-day services programme particularly with regards to workforce and finances. The precise impacts will become clearer as a settlement is agreed upon. Status: red

Outcomes

Because the objectives and scope are not fully agreed upon, but delivery has started, it is possible that the programme delivers the planned outputs, but this does not result in the desired change (deliverying against the plan but missing the point). Status: red

Scope creep

The planned objectives and scope of the programme do not meet the expecations of No10/Cabinet Office, meaning that they may continue to change. This could lead to an inability to deliver the desired outcomes to the agreed timescales. Status: red

Public perception

Because we do not understand fully what aspects of the programme would impact patients’ and their visitors’ experience of the care they receive, there is a risk that the programme delivers the required outputs, but patients do not report any difference/ improvement in their experience out of hours and at the weekend. Status: amber

Publication

Risk that we are unsighted on publication of R&D commissioned research which challenges the case for 7DS and are unprepared to respond. Status: red/amber

Siloes

Different work strands of the project have different views on what is required, or only focus on their own deliverables, leading to a silo approach that does not meet the overarching 7DS programme objectives. Status: amber

Backloaded delivery

Availability of profiled funding increases significantly towards the end of the SR period for both the GP Access and Hospitals work strands which could result in ‘back loaded’ delivery increasing the risk that deadlines for completing roll-out are missed. Status: red/amber

Plans

Delivery in the first year of the programme is put at risk because work strands do not have robust, quality assured plans in place early enough in 16-17 resulting in lack of ability to respond to delays. Status: red

Tracking

It is not possible to track performance against core objectives in 16-17 because the required data/information e.g. STPs is not available or complete. This could result in a lack of early awareness and response if programme delivery is off track, putting overall delivery at risk. Status: red/amber

Workforce overload

Due to the scale of the change being delivered through the 7DS programme it is not possible to fill all roles (consultants, doctors in General Practice and AHPs) with sufficiently skilled/trained staff to agreed timescales, meaning the full service cannot be delivered. [Escalated risk from all work strands] Status: red

Equalities

The lack of an overarching equality impact assessment means that we are unaware of the combined impact of the whole programme on protected groups and cannot respond effectively, leaving the policy open to criticism and challenge. Status: amber

Negative publicity

Programme delivery to the agreed timescales is put at risk because stakeholders and the workforce (including consultants, GPs, junior doctors and allied health professionals) act as a barrier to delivery, because they do not believe in the case for change and / or are swayed by negative media. Status: amber

Performance Management

Risk that heavy performance management of initial cohorts across the programme could discourage organisations from signing up to the second wave. Status: red/amber

NHS weekend-working risk management document