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Human Resources for Health
Published in: Human Resources for Health 1/2013

Open Access 01-12-2013 | Research

Implementing large-scale workforce change: learning from 55 pilot sites of allied health workforce redesign in Queensland, Australia

Authors: Susan A Nancarrow, Alison Roots, Sandra Grace, Anna M Moran, Kerry Vanniekerk-Lyons

Published in: Human Resources for Health | Issue 1/2013

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Abstract

Background

Increasingly, health workforces are undergoing high-level ‘re-engineering’ to help them better meet the needs of the population, workforce and service delivery. Queensland Health implemented a large scale 5-year workforce redesign program across more than 13 health-care disciplines. This study synthesized the findings from this program to identify and codify mechanisms associated with successful workforce redesign to help inform other large workforce projects.

Methods

This study used Inductive Logic Reasoning (ILR), a process that uses logic models as the primary functional tool to develop theories of change, which are subsequently validated through proposition testing. Initial theories of change were developed from a systematic review of the literature and synthesized using a logic model. These theories of change were then developed into propositions and subsequently tested empirically against documentary, interview, and survey data from 55 projects in the workforce redesign program.

Results

Three overarching principles were identified that optimized successful workforce redesign: (1) drivers for change need to be close to practice; (2) contexts need to be supportive both at the local levels and legislatively; and (3) mechanisms should include appropriate engagement, resources to facilitate change management, governance, and support structures. Attendance to these factors was uniformly associated with success of individual projects.

Conclusions

ILR is a transparent and reproducible method for developing and testing theories of workforce change. Despite the heterogeneity of projects, professions, and approaches used, a consistent set of overarching principles underpinned success of workforce change interventions. These concepts have been operationalized into a workforce change checklist.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Implementing large-scale workforce change: learning from 55 pilot sites of allied health workforce redesign in Queensland, Australia
Authors
Susan A Nancarrow
Alison Roots
Sandra Grace
Anna M Moran
Kerry Vanniekerk-Lyons
Publication date
01-12-2013
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Human Resources for Health / Issue 1/2013
Electronic ISSN: 1478-4491
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4491-11-66

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