Abstract
Objectives: To describe from an academic and practical perspective the process of organisational change associated with the introduction of an innovative child and adolescent mental health service.
Method: The project consultation process is described. Process redesign literature is reviewed and the application of the principles to the project process is discussed.
Results: The project successfully produced a unified, inter-sector recommendation for a new service which had achieved wide endorsement. Understanding and utilising process redesign principles was confirmed to be advantageous. Further, an evidence based approach was found to be helpful in uniting the sectors and in accelerating change. Obstacles to innovation were identified and specifically addressed by the planning process.
Conclusions: Restructuring of services or the introduction of new services in response to policy changes or to changes in available resources is commonplace. Often it is assumed that the benefits expected from proposed changes will automatically flow and little effort is made to employ current knowledge from the literature regarding the successful implementation of organisational change. A rigorous planning process is required for service change, particularly when innovative treatments are being considered.