| The Department of Health's NHS Resilience | | | | and data, this means little to, for example, a care |
| Project is promoting the adoption of the British | | | | home manager whose primary focus is on |
| Standard for Business Continuity Management | | | | feeding, clothing and care of the patients. Whilst |
| (BCM) BS25999 to build collective resilience across | | | | the care sector has become increasingly reliant on |
| the organisation. The recent launch of the NHS | | | | systems, staff, their knowledge and day to day |
| Standard BS NHS25999 further strengthens this | | | | essentials such as personal protective equipment |
| initiative. | | | | remain core. |
| But what are the realities of implementing | | | | A care services Business Impact Analysis should |
| business continuity management within the NHS | | | | also consider multiple and community based |
| and more generally, a care services environment? | | | | working environments, specialist medical |
| How different is a care services setting to a | | | | equipment and priority items for salvage that |
| 'traditional' office environment? What are the likely | | | | may be difficult or expensive to replace. It should |
| challenges and how can the standard business | | | | also make use of relevant impact criteria e.g. |
| continuity management approach be applied? | | | | possibly a greater emphasis on threat to human |
| Over the past two years, Steelhenge has | | | | life rather than lost revenue. |
| supported Primary Care Trusts and a number of | | | | Pragmatic Site Risk Assessment |
| other organisations involved with the care of | | | | Conducting a site risk assessment (or finding out |
| vulnerable people in the delivery of their continuity | | | | whether one has ever been done) as part of the |
| objectives. This article explores our experience of | | | | business continuity programme can be particularly |
| adapting business continuity programmes for care | | | | useful in a care services setting. It is not unusual |
| services. | | | | for services to run out of ageing or problematic |
| Intelligent BCM Programme Management | | | | buildings. A site risk assessment can sometimes |
| Whilst the benefits of BCM in ensuring continued | | | | reveal a whole host of issues, such as |
| delivery of critical services are clear in principle, | | | | inappropriate storage of a hazardous substance or |
| gaining buy-in amongst staff and particularly | | | | a lapse in fire and evacuation rehearsals that could |
| front-line staff, where multiple initiatives, targets | | | | lead to a BC incident. |
| and drives for change frequently take an already | | | | Action Orientated Plan Development |
| overstretched workforce away from the 'day | | | | Care services often encompass a wide |
| job', can be an obstacle. An autocratic directive | | | | geographical area and multiple sites - for example, |
| from the top and allocated resource may be all | | | | district nurses. Therefore the approach to planning |
| that's required in a commercial environment, | | | | has to be applicable and useful for those people |
| however, the care sector may require more | | | | whom the plans support. The plans need to be |
| compelling powers of persuasion. | | | | pragmatic and action orientated covering both |
| This buy-in will be greatly helped by not only | | | | services and the physical locations. |
| senior management commitment to the | | | | A useful way of ensuring key areas are covered |
| implementation of a business continuity | | | | is to focus on key scenarios. Business continuity |
| management system (BCMS) but also gaining the | | | | plan development workshops that explore the |
| same commitment and understanding at the tiers | | | | response to these scenarios can be an economical |
| below this to ensure the resources and people | | | | and effective mechanism to achieve this alongside |
| with the right knowledge are involved in the | | | | gaining ownership of the plans. |
| project. | | | | Build on Existing Strengths |
| Steelhenge has found that having the ability to | | | | Lastly, it is important to remember that the NHS |
| articulate the drivers and lasting benefits of the | | | | has a good record of responding well to 'big-bang' |
| project (beyond the legal requirement) in a | | | | events. The last couple of years have seen many |
| language that staff will understand is essential. | | | | care organisations focused on pandemic flu |
| Patient welfare is at the sharp end of the care | | | | planning. This coupled with experience gained |
| services world and business continuity needs to | | | | during periods of snow and flooding has forced |
| be explained in this context. | | | | many organisations to examine their continuity |
| Meaningful Business Impact Analysis (BIA) | | | | priorities. Many NHS organisations will also already |
| Conducting the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) | | | | have well developed Major Incident Plans and care |
| can be hugely resource intensive. However, the | | | | service staff are often used to dealing with |
| Steelhenge team found a practical, phased | | | | incidents. |
| approach to the BIA process worked well whilst | | | | With a bit of thought and tailoring, all these |
| still gathering the quality of data needed. This | | | | strengths can be built on and applied to a |
| avoids the process becoming an overly onerous | | | | standard business continuity programme without |
| and time-intensive task for the staff involved. | | | | completely reinventing the wheel to achieve |
| Taking the time to tailor the BIA so that it uses | | | | lasting results. |
| relevant language is also important. Where | | | | Special thanks to Rebecca Norton, Project |
| traditional BIA's focus on incremental work area | | | | Manager with Steelhenge Consulting, for her |
| recovery requirements, such as desk spaces, IT | | | | extensive contribution to this article. |