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Chapter 14
Tools to help you plan and
support self care
Tool 7
Timetable tasks with a Gantt chart
Why you should use this
To enable you to make a timetabled plan for improving the management of a current service you provide or to set up a new resource on supporting self care in the local community or to your patients.
When to use this
For an interactive workshop or small group work with individuals from different organisations or the same organisation (e.g. a practice, a PCT).
What to do
- Stage 1: everyone contributes all the aspects of organisational management needed
to set up a new service (e.g. an integrated resource to support self care). These are
captured on a flip chart. When the ideas have dried up, the flip chart papers are
displayed.
- Stage 2: participants fix the order that jobs should be tackled to achieve a well
organised and managed service, as a Gantt chart (see Table T7.1).
- Stage 3: compare Gantt charts if more than one. Look at the range and type of
factors considered, and the timing of each aspect. Add new features to the Gantt
chart and change the timing as appropriate.
- Stage 4: the lead reflects on the priorities for organisational management of the
promotion of self care and of setting up a new service or resource to support self
care.
- Stage 5: final review of individual Gantt chart(s) and decide if you wish to extend the contents to add new factors or change the timing of activities.
How it works (insight)
The individuals should move along a spectrum of learning about organisational management from Stage 2 to Stage 4 when they can listen to the lead and consider where their plans are lacking, to Stage 5 when discussion with others addresses gaps and there is a final review.
The Gantt chart is a useful planning aid that forces the PCT or practice team to
identify all the activities that will be involved at any particular time, to ensure that
there are sufficient resources.
Whom to engage
This is an exercise for novices in organisational management.
How much time you should allow
At least an hour to allowtime for discussion, but it depends on how complex the setting
up of the new culture of self care will be.
What a facilitator should do
Demonstrate how to make up a Gantt chart – show that it can be produced on a
computer or by drawing by hand.
What to do next
Encourage participants to put their new-found knowledge into practice by pursuing
their timetabled activity plan.
What makes it work better
- A lead who is content to stand back and let the participants work through their
planning stages.
- Ask people to describe a few current problems with self care. Test out whether the new plan is designed to proactively deal with those particular problems.
What can go wrong
- Participants may be reluctant to co-operate.
- Non-managers (e.g. clinicians) are not interested because they do not consider that organisational management is their responsibility.
An example of a Gantt chart is given in Table T7.1.
Table T7.1:
Example of a Gantt chart – promoting self care support across a PCT or practice
