Project Management Tools

In order to navigate the social prescribing referral pathway to a successful project completion, it is crucial to apply some basic project management approaches to support the project manager (or lead for the project) and the supporting project team:

• Governance Structure – to outline reporting throughout the project lifespan
• Communication and Engagement – this is a key document outlining the methods and approaches to communication and engagement throughout the lifespan of the project. An example of a communication and engagement plan can be found within the Communication and Engagement section.
• Project Tracker – this is a useful tool it can include a Daily Log if this level of recording is required recording activity throughout the project. Otherwise it should include a record of Decisions to be made or have been made by the action against them to follow up with. To include a record of Actions this helps the project lead to understand who has an agreed action against follow up. To also include a record of identified Risk and Issues and escalation process and finally a place to record Lessons Learnt. An excel spreadsheet with the different tabs is an easy way of having all these types of tracking in one place similar to a dashboard.
• Work Breakdown Structure – to help visualise the packages of work required to complete the project. It may also be helpful to start to identify who within the project team will be the point of contact/lead for the work package.
• Process Maps – to facilitate the design of the new social prescribing referral pathway, this will aid with Information Governance arrangements.