Finance Management and Strategic Decision Making in Healthcare: A Case Study of HCA Healthcare UK

1. Critically evaluate sources of finance for modern healthcare and apply finance management techniques
2. Apply and critically evaluate techniques for budgeting, costing and pricing for healthcare decision making
3. Construct a strategic Business case to obtain funding
4. Systematically analyse information and draw conclusions from such
5. Analysis, critically appraising the validity of such conclusions from the perspective of different stakeholders considering strategic management issues

You have been appointed to the post as the Services Director (with additional responsibility for Occupational Therapy) for HCA Healthcare UK, a national group of private healthcare provision around the UK.

HCA Healthcare UK encompasses a range of clinical and surgical services plus allied services such as Occupational Therapy (OT) for secondary care patients in hospital, outpatients and community based primary care OT referred by local NHS Foundation Trusts.

Task:

1. Prepare a report for the CEO of HCA Healthcare UK as set out in the separate document titled HCA Healthcare UK Initial Brief and the associated documents identifiedwithin that initial Brief
2. Style, presentation, and format (marks: 10%)

Assessment Criteria

The critique must be supported by academic theories and concepts learned during the study of the module and wider research. The report should provide clear evidence of understanding of the issues under consideration with an applied review of the businessprovided in the task scenario. It is essential you apply theories and concepts and not just explain them.

There is no correct number of academic references to be utilised as the student must draw as many references as required to provide a high quality answer. However, a minimum of 12 academic sources are expected, and a majority of these should be current, internationally peer reviewed articles/journals or accredited textbook references. In this style of assessment all external sources and rationales supporting your evaluation must be referenced. Sources such as Wikipedia and the like are not accepted. Sources available only online should be avoided unless they are form a reputable source such as the Kings Fund centre.

You must be mindful that marks are allocated based on your ability to define, critically analyse and apply the key concepts to the case study; the majority of the weighting in the marks is on analysis.

Marks will be allocated in accordance with the applied marking criteria grid set out in the student brief

1. a) Students are expected to set out the strengths and weaknesses of the budget setting process as explained in the brief From this critique students may then explore the options for improving the processes

The OT budget statement requires an initial interpretation following which students may set out their questions

Strong students may design a modified report to show relevant data to the budget holder.

The applied marking criteria grid guides students into the areas they may decide to focus upon.

1. a) Students are expected to critically evaluate the PASH financial positions by exploring the abridged financial statements. Stronger students may compare PAH to another trust and / or consider the entire PAH annual report
2. b) There is a massive amount to data and discussion papers within the public domain, in particular the Kings Fund.