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Careers in management
This page introduces management in the NHS. It describes the organisation of the NHS into strategic health authorities and trusts, and outlines the responsibilities of managers in delivering healthcare through the management of hospital, general practitioner and community health services.
Management - an introduction
Management can be defined as "the act, art or manner of managing or controlling something". It can also sometimes be seen as "organising" a resource. This might be people, money or resources (e.g. buildings, transport, food or supplies).The NHS is the largest employer in Europe. It employs approximately 1.3 million staff and provides an enormous range of services to over 57 million people. In 2007, the annual budget was around £90 billion.
The NHS employs the vast majority of health service managers. Typical NHS employers are hospitals, ambulance services, primary care trusts, special health authorities, strategic health authorities and clinics as well as the Department of Health. Opportunities in healthcare management are therefore many and varied - for example, a typical healthcare manager could be a manager running a GPs surgery or a chief executive controlling a large hospital with a budget of millions of pounds.
There have been significant changes in NHS strategic management in recent years. The day-to-day management in England is provided by the strategic health authorities (SHAs). These are the local headquarters of the NHS. Their main function is to hold to account the local health service, build capacity and support performance improvement. Locally run primary care trusts (in England), hold the majority of the NHS budget.
These primary care trusts will be free to purchase health care, with decisions on providers increasingly informed by the patient choice. This could be from primary care (The first port of call for many people when they develop a health problem - e.g. their GP surgery or practice, NHS Direct or walk-in centre) or hospital care, from a local NHS hospital or another NHS hospital, from the public, private or voluntary sectors.
Health service managers are responsible for the delivery and commissioning of local health care, through the management of hospital, general practitioner and community health services. Advances in medical technology, tough expenditure targets and rising public expectations make this a very responsible and challenging job.
Health service managers will liaise with all levels of medical staff and other partnership organisations, whilst considering the demands of health policy and local circumstances.
In addition to strategic level management, there are management positions in many other areas including administration, property management, scientific, therapeutic and technical support, clinical support, and ambulance service support.
There are an increasing number of opportunities for consultancy work for experienced managers.
Working in England
Information on this web site primarily relates to working and training to work in England. For information about opportunities elsewhere in the UK, click hereFurther information
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