Example

Team working: Quality Assurance Committee in a radiography department

The Quality Assurance Committee (QuAC) in a radiography department brings together first level staff of all types, jointly chaired by a senior clinician and manager. It creates a vehicle for those in the front line to describe what makes their jobs difficult. And to anticipate the implications and problems with any proposed departmental changes.

It is a cliche of organisational life that everyone knows how their job could be done better, if only those above would listen to them. QuAC is an institution for capturing and using that frontline knowledge.

Their comments and proposals go forward to the Departmental Operational Group, composed of all section heads, the senior people in operational management positions. This group also filters the decisions of the department Directorate for potential operational problems.

Together, they create two-way feedback mechanisms between the top and the bottom of a large department. They are forums for discussing concretely what is right and wrong in the ways things are done. And, therefore, they involve all staff in the reform process.