Organisational Structure and Culture: NHS, Government Impact

This report delves into the organisational structure and culture of the National Health Service (NHS), a prominent public sector organisation. It begins by defining organisational structure and culture, highlighting the NHS as a case study. Task 1 explores different types of public sector organisational structures, including functional, product-based, geographically-based, divisional, and flat structures, alongside the concept of collaboration and human interaction within the NHS. Task 2 examines organisational culture, explaining various types such as power, role, task, and person cultures, while also outlining the NHS's vision, mission, values, and communication lines. Finally, Task 2 also discusses the impact and role of central and local government on public services, emphasizing how local governments improve local health and well-being and how the central government supports effective regional coordination and integrated service delivery. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the NHS's structure, culture, and the significant influence of government policies.

Organisational Structure and
Culture

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Explain the different types of public sector organisational structure....................................1
P2 The concept of culture as it applies to public sector organisations........................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3 Explain the impact and role of central and local government in the public services.............5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Organisational structure is the outline of certain activities and these are directed to
accomplish goals and objectives (Huczynski, Buchanan and Huczynski, 2013). Activities involve
rules and responsibilities of particular person. Moreover, it also determined that how information
and other data flow in the company from level to level. Whereas, organisational culture is the
underlying beliefs , values, assumptions and way of interaction that contribute to the social as
well as psychological environment of the enterprise. This report is based on National Health
Service which is providing health services to public. Below mention assignment is describing
structure of NHS along with its culture. NHS is public sector enterprise in this central as well as
local government giving wide impact it is also enlighten.
TASK 1
P1 Explain the different types of public sector organisational structure
Public sector can be defined as a part of an economy which is majorly controlled by
government. Mostly, emergency services, military, security/welfare, governmental agencies are
being considered as some public organisations that are controlled and managed by government
of United Kingdom or of any other nation. In present context, description of different public
service organisation are being done beneath :
Emergency services : Police, fire, ambulance, coastguard, mountain rescue department
mainly delivers safety services to citizens of United Kingdom. On the other hand, it has also
been analysed that availability of these kind of services depends on location and number of
citizens that are living in a particular area (Pettigrew, 2013).
Military : There are some of public services organisations like army, navy, air force,
marines, territorial army are being considered as professional armed forces which delivers safety
services to citizens of United Kingdom and these are formally authorized by sovereign state of
UK in order to use lethal or deadly weapons so that to support interests of state.
Security and welfare : This is being considered as another type of service which is
majorly being given by government of a country to its citizens so that they can stay secured, safe,
healthy, and confidently live their own life with no fear. Education, employment, healthy and
social security are some of major factors on which welfare state of United Kingdom relies on. In
present context, courts, prison, probation, NHS, Revenue and Customs, Border Forces are some
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of public service organisations that delivers number of services so that living standards of
citizens can be improved.
Other government agencies : Another public service sector of United Kingdom which
includes central, regional, local supporting organisations like charities, social enterprises,
voluntary groups, that delivers supporting services to citizens who are in need. Mostly, these
voluntary organisations delivers services free of cost and works for improving welfare and living
standards of whole citizens of United Kingdom.
In present context, National Health Service (NHS) which is delivering its health related
services mostly in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. NHS was established in year of 1948
and major reason for formulation of this public organisation was Second World War. Firm
mostly delivers free of cost health related services to citizens of United Kingdom on the basis of
requirements of the needy (Zingg and et. al., 2015).
On the other hand, it has been analysed that different types of firms follows various
organisational structure and these are discussed beneath:
Types of organisation and structure:
Functional organisational structure: Functional structure can be defined as an action
which divides operations of an organisation on the basis of functional areas. IT, finance, R&D,
marketing and etc. are some of functional areas which are divided within an organisation
depending on their purpose and work. This type of structure is mainly followed by most of
organisations in modern world.
Product-based organisational structure: This is being considered as an organisational
structure in which framework gets sets or outline different responsibilities of organisation
depending on products, activities, projects or geography and etc. It has been analysed that firms
implement product-based organizational structure to take advantage of the multiple product lines
within the business.
Geographically-base organisational structure: Another organisational structure that is
widely used among larger organizations that are dealing in different areas. Away from this, this
type of top-down organizational structure may include a single administrating division which can
control over manufacturing, sales and service divisions located in different geographical areas.
For an example: organisation doing business in 3 different countries where a manager is
controlling sales, production and services in three areas (Binder, 2016).
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Divisional organisational structure: In this type of organisational divisional structures
where functions of a company gets divided on the basis of product, regional and other contexts.
This approach is useful when decision-making should be bunched at the division level to react
more quickly to local or different number of conditions. The divisional structure is especially
useful when a company have many regions, markets, products and services.
Flat organisational structure: This sort of structure contains a flat structure with minimal
levels of management and employee levels. This type of organisational structures helps when an
organisation in having less employees when a company is promoting their (staff) involvement in
the decision-making process (Fullwood, Rowley and Delbridge, 2013).
Collaboration/cross-collaboration : NHS did collaboration with a number of public
service organisations like acute care team so that it can directly improve number of healthcare
services along with quality as well related to health services.
Human interaction : Technology which is a human invention has been one of an
effective element that has helped NHS in delivering high quality based services to employees as
per the needs and requirements of citizens of United Kingdom.
P2 The concept of culture as it applies to public sector organisations
Organisational culture is based on the values, assumptions and beliefs which govern how
people are behaving in the company. These sharing values give strong influence on employees
within the enterprise and prescribe how individual have to act, dress, talk and perform their jobs.
Apart from this, culture of NHS give wide impact on their clients in positive as well as negative
manner. Thus, it is the responsibility of administration to create positive and unique culture
within organisation (Carlos and et. al. 2014). The same directly effect productivity,
performance, quality of goods and provide guidelines related to customer care as well as services
etc.. there are different type of organisational culture description of these are as follows:- Power culture – This type of culture is mainly founded in small scale organisation. In
simple term it can be said that, power culture rely on the central control because small
enterprises have small number of employees and decisions are taken by the owner. In
simple term it can be said that, under power culture responsibilities are given to small
number of peoples. Role culture – this can be described as that it is one of the famous as well as popular
organisational culture because in this roles and responsibilities of individual is described
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by the top level management. Thus, role culture flow from top to the bottom level which
is hierarchical. Mainly large scale organisation Like NHS are following respective
culture. Although, individual in these enterprises are role occupants with the job
description specifying responsibility, requirement and boundaries (Seba, Rowley and
Lambert, 2012). Task culture – this is task and action oriented organisational culture. There is an
importance mainly to problem solving, taking action and achieving goals. Task culture is
flexible in nature because in this activities can be performed or re-performed as per the
task at hand. Person Culture – This organisational culture is not common and can be founded in
specific area of the company. Person culture is that in which group of people is formed
according to there skills and knowledge for performing particular task. Along with this,
decisions are taken by personal negotiations or through bargaining within individuals. Forward-looking culture – organisations which are said to be forward looking have
embrace change, risking taker and entrepreneurial spirit. Moreover, entrepreneurial
business having short life span because of there risk taking habit but they expand easily if
their innovation approach get succeed. These are centred with profit and following task
culture (Poksinska, Swartling and Drotz, 2013).
 Backward-looking culture – This organisational culture doesn't embrace modifications
and it is led by system as well as procedures. Backward-looking culture don't take risk
and less adaptable.
Hence, NHS is following role organisational culture because it is large scale organisation
and top level management give responsibility of individual which they have to follow.
Vision of NHS – Enabling persons in living healthier as well as more independent life by
high quality seamless care.
Mission of NHS – To provide better care and services that individual want to use.
Values and beliefs of NHS – Major values are to listen person and then provide services,
treat with respect as well as dignity. For NHS what they are doing is not important the way of
doing thing matters enormously.
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Typically behaviour – It can be describe as culture within the organisation which gives
direct impact on performance of National Health Services. Because it also give wide impact on
people who are joint and belong to the company.
Organisational terms: Description of these are mention below :- Lines of communication – there should be proper pathway of communication in the
organisation so information and data can be transfer from top to the bottom level to each
and every employees. NHS share there goals and objectives with the employees who are
working with them so they can perform in better manner and result in achieving
objectives (Gupta and Kumar, 2013). Chain of command – In National Health Service there cis chain of commands because
role and responsibilities of individual within organisation are given by top level
management which have to be followed by the employees. Apart from this, they are
following role organisational culture in this duties is assigned to everyone through top
level.
 Subordinates – There are large number of subordinates in the National Health Services
and every individual have there own roles and responsibilities which is given by top level
management. These are assign on the basis of particular skills and knowledge.
TASK 2
P3 Explain the impact and role of central and local government in the public services
Impact of Local Government
Local government has a significant role in improving local health and well being of
people for many years, the Health and Social Care Act 2012 significantly highlights its powers
and duties. They work within the powers laid down under Acts of Parliament and after the
Localism Act 2011, they now also have a General Power of Competence giving councils the
exact same powers like an individual to do anything unless it is prohibited by statute. Local
government councils work with local partners like charity organisations, business entities, other
public service providers like the police and and their communities to identify and provide
services of local priority. They make strategies and policies for provision of public sector
services. To execute these strategies, it makes laws at local level and formulate its execution.
Local government provide a wide variety of services, either directly themselves or by
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commissioning services from other organisations. They assess the needs of community and
formulate collection of local like council tax. With the aid of Central government, it also sets
business rates. Local government, at local level, communicate the changes that take place in an
organisation.
Impact of Central Government
Central government plays a vital role in supporting effective regional co-ordination and
integrated service delivery to public. The government is responsible for deciding how the
country is run and for managing things, day to day. They set taxes, choose what to spend public
money on and decide how best to deliver public services. Departments at the central level set
standards and make policies for provision of services to community. National policy and
strategies are developed by the government that fosters the effective delivery of services. Central
government makes a budget determining the fund that would be needed for the development of
country. It also administers and manages the fund allocated to development and maintenance of
public sector services. Policy work is required at the central level to rationalise the large number
of government agencies, the inconsistency of service boundaries and the fragmentation of
funding pools in order to reduce duplication and improve consistency. Also, it makes strategies
that aim at benefiting the public at whole.
Police and Crime Commissioners – These government sections impacts on NHS as they
guide the organization rules should be followed by every workers of the firm. It influences
organisation to focus on statutory duties that must be followed by every individual with in an
organisation. They ensures health and well bing of their members if organisation put them in
hazardous conditions then police and crime commissioners needs to protects them. These
bureaucratic bodies do not work partially they have to work on according to the situation. They
need to provide an effective judgement and control the criminal activities within organisation.
Police complaints body – Police complaint system has several purposes that ranges
from stakeholders to general public. An effective police system protects against the culture of
the freedom. As there are some rules that have to be follow by people so that they need to
establishes such legislation that needs to be protect from criminal activities. The complaints
needs to identify there standards of misbehaviour of within the organisation that can impact on
NHS performance and culture.
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Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services
(HMICFRS) : This is being considered as effective services related to fire and rescue of
European people. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
(HMICFRS) independently assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire &
rescue services – in the public interest. It has impacted on NHS as well where whenever National
Health Service faces a case related to fire where people who caught fire in both artificial or
nature disaster gets paid with a satisfactory amount as compensation (Morello and et. al., 2013).
This has helped NHS is delivering health related services to people who have faced issues.
Public authorities: There are a number of authorities like fire and rescue, independent
Monitoring Board (prisons), government departments which plays a crucial role for NHS
(Grijalva and Newman, 2015).
CONCLUSION
From above mentioned report, it has been concluded that organisational behaviour is
based on their key employees as well as their productivity. For them, firm needs to provide them
quality services as well as a healthy environment in which they can perform effectively. Through
this they can attain higher profitability and growth. For services sector organisation, it is required
to provide quality services to their customers on the basis of their requirement and need. These
can be the beneficial approaches that assists in building long term relation with a services uses
for effective growth. These kind of approaches assist in getting higher opportunities for a firm
for the betterment of business expansion.
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REFERENCES
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Infectious Diseases. 15(2). pp.212-224.
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across borders. Routledge.
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Carlos Pinho, J., Paula Rodrigues, A. and Dibb, S., 2014. The role of corporate culture, market
orientation and organisational commitment in organisational performance: the case of
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knowledge sharing in the Dubai Police Force. International Journal of Information
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Gupta, S. and Kumar, V., 2013. Sustainability as corporate culture of a brand for superior
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Morello, R. T., and et. al., 2013. Strategies for improving patient safety culture in hospitals: a
systematic review. BMJ Qual Saf. 22(1). pp.11-18.
Grijalva, E. and Newman, D. A., 2015. Narcissism and counterproductive work behavior
(CWB): Meta‐analysis and consideration of collectivist culture, Big Five personality,
and narcissism's facet structure. Applied Psychology. 64(1). pp.93-126.
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