Cross-department Benchmarking Data

At the 2013 March Management & Training Day (T&M Day) the Rotamap team presented all the benchmark measures previously shown at the September 2012 forum, with the addition of a new productivity deviation graph.

Data for the benchmark reports came from the CLWRota's 'RotaMC' (Rota Management Console) which allows for per-department scoring on productivity measures and for the reassignment of activity between categories where appropriate (such as when certain activity should be ignored in the DCC count).

Each department's name was replaced with a two character anonymisation code.

Department activity

As with previous benchmark releases we generated department line graphs showing the levels of different types of activity stacked on top of each other, with leave shown below the zero line of the graph.

Stacked line chart for department ej for the year to March 2013

The department activity graph is useful for showing how various factors, such as trainee solo sessions or the combined extra and locum sessions, contribute towards the total DCC session delivery. Variations in leave through the year can also be easily discerned, as can the balance of planned, unplanned and study/professional leave.

In the above example it is clear that locum activity has been curtailed after November 2012.

Boxplots

The boxplots presented at T&M Day show values for the preceeding year of data for clients who have been using CLWRota for at least a year. Some departments who have more than six months of data but less than a year are shown in grey.

The boxplots represent the values for 12 months of data for a relationship such as "the percentage of solo sessions as a proportion of all DCC sessions". The boxplots help show not only the range of these values for each department over the year, but also show how each department compares to its peers.

Solo/total boxplots for the year to March 2013

The boxplot above shows trainee led activity as a proportion of total department DCC activity.

Extra/Locum boxplots for the year to March 2013

The above boxplot shows extra and locum (paid-for additional) activity as a proportion of total department DCC activity.

Study/Professional boxplots for the year to March 2013

The above boxplot shows study and professional leave as a proportion of normal Consultant and NCCG DCC work.

Funnel plots

Funnel plots show the same data as the boxplot graphs but with sessions summed over the year. Funnel plots are provided as they reveal the relative sizes of departments, and show the degree to which departments of comparable sizes are similar to each other.

Solo/total funnel plot for the year to March 2013

The above funnel plot shows solo sessions as a proportion of all DCC sessions. The x axis shows total per-annum sessions achieved.

Extra/Locum funnel plot for the year to March 2013

The above funnel plot shows the proportion of extra and locum (paid-for additional) activity as a proportion of department DCC activity.

Study/Professional funnel plot for the year to March 2013

The above funnel plot shows study and professional leave as a proportion of department DCC work.

Each funnel shows a significant amount of overdispersion. This indicates that there is no common practice across trusts (even those of similar size) on how sessions are utilized or study and professional leave is managed. Additionally, policies regarding solo sessions appear to vary widely.

Heat maps

Heatmaps can be used to show the concentration of a particular type of activity within a particular session during the normal working week, summed for each session over the preceding year. Red or "hot" sessions show that particular sessions in the week occur most frequently.

Heatmaps for a department for the year to March 2013

The above heatmap shows that the department in question has a predominance of extra and solo sessions on Fridays. Study leave occurs most frequently on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

P-charts

P-charts show how a particular value or relationshiop changes over time. P-charts show variability in a system and what is down to common fluctuation and if there is a particular value of statistical interest. We have generated P-charts to show the changes in solo sessions, extra sessions and study and professional leave over a 12 month period.

Pcharts for two departments for the year to March 2013

The top pchart shows extra and locum activity as a percentage of all dCC activity for the year to March 2013. The pchart shows that the department in question appears to have changed its policy with regard to purchasing additional resources in Septemer 2012.

The bottom pchart shows solo session activity as a percentage of DCC activity. Solo session activity drops consistently from May 2012, perhaps due to an intake of less senior trainees.

Questions

If you have any questions about the above ideas or would like to know more about how to get reports from your system please contact the CLWRota support team at support@rotamap.net or 020 7631 1555.

Please note that, as with all information on this site, all images and information on this site are copyright © Rotamap Ltd.

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