This case study shows the approach to engaging and involving employees at Circle. It describes the rationale for engaging and involving the workforce, the means by which this is done, and the impacts and benefits. Circle is a social enterprise delivering healthcare in the UK. It is co-owned by its employees, forming a partnership of clinicians and professionals. It operates a number of independent sector treatment centres and hospitals.
There are six broad strands to Circle’s approach to engagement and involvement identified by this report, these being: ownership, recruitment, management and leadership, decision making, voice, and reward. Each of these components has an effect on the impacts and benefits Circle experiences due to the approach. This case study notes that due to engaging and involving their employees, Circle profits from: continuous improvement and innovation, productivity, and high levels of patient care.
The report finds that Circle’s approach to involvement and engagement is a significant innovation in UK healthcare. The approach is not distinctive because of its methodology, but because of the extent to which it is integral to the model of healthcare Circle delivers. The breadth and depth of engagement at Circle is considerable, and has impacted on performance, productivity, innovation and patient care across the sites.