Excellence in ambulance services through improved portfolio and programme management capability.

Client

Industry

Health Services and Hospitals, Public Sector, Emergency Services and Public Safety

Our Role

Measure and design portfolio management capability

Services

Assurance Framework, P3M3® Maturity Assessment, Portfolio Management Framework,

Overview.

Delivering value to the community, through timely, patient focused ambulance services.

The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) is an integral part of the primary healthcare sector in Queensland through the delivery of timely, patient- focussed ambulance services. The QAS operates as a state-wide service within Queensland Health, and is accountable for the delivery of pre-hospital ambulance response services, emergency and non-emergency pre-hospital patient care and transport services, interfacility ambulance transport, casualty room services, and planning and coordination of multi-casualty incidents and disasters.

The QAS vision is ‘Excellence in Ambulance Services’ and its mission to ‘Deliver value to the Community, through timely, patient focused ambulance services supporting a healthier Queensland’. To achieve this the QAS Digital Strategy – Toward 2027 seeks to realise the overarching QAS strategic objectives through high performing, integrated statewide services as the enabler for delivery of Excellence in Ambulance Services.

Business need.

Establish a structured, consistent and robust approach for ICT portfolio and project delivery.

At the time, The Queensland Ambulance Service (as part of Queensland Health) depended on a virtual portfolio, programme and project organisational structure. The structure provided a limited level of governance and framework for the delivery of the Queensland Ambulance Service-centric portfolio of projects resourced in-house, or for the additional technology services and tools funded by the Queensland Ambulance Service and delivered by the Queensland Public Safety Business Agency.

The Queensland Ambulance Service had an immediate need to align to their present ICT strategy and business vision to address a Queensland Government internal audit report, which highlighted a number of areas of concern, including the need for an established formal ICT portfolio and programme management capabilities and project level assurance.

Queensland Ambulance Service had an absence of a formalised portfolio management framework, and limited definition of roles and responsibilities for the management of the Queensland Ambulance Service ICT portfolio and responsibilities for the management of the whole Queensland Ambulance Service ICT portfolio. To enable the Queensland Ambulance Service to establish an Enterprise Portfolio Management Office, a current-state assessment of portfolio, programme and project management maturity was required.

Challenges.

The framework and processes needed to be supported by a very new ICT portfolio office.

As a priority, the Queensland Ambulance Service needed to address the findings recommendations emanating from the of the the PM Solutions P3M3® maturity assessment in parallel with recommendations from the Queensland Government Audit Office.

There was a need to work in close partnership with Executives and the Service ICT Planning and Performance division, so as to co-design business requirements for short and medium horizons. There was a critical need to establish a portfolio management framework that included the development of enabling processes, which were to be supported by a newly established and maturing ICT portfolio office.

Results.

High performing, integrated statewide services as the enabler for delivery of excellence in ambulance services.

P3M3® Maturity Assessment

The assessment of portfolio and project level capabilities across a dynamic and fast moving emergency services organisation.

Successfully delivered against an agressive timeframe of only 21-days. The customised assessment incorporated fifteen interviews and the analysis of key portfolio and project-level delivery and governance artefacts.

The detailed maturity assessment report included comprehensive findings and established a clear foundation for the development of a prioritised maturity roadmap and further insight into the areas of strength across portfolio and project management, and the practices which would yield tangible benefits from targeted improvementments.

Portfolio Management Framework

PM Solutions developed a portfolio management framework to enable the establishment and operationalisation of an enterprise portfolio management office for the ICT portfolio. PM Solutions worked in partnership with Queensland Ambulance Service to co-design and establish a bespoke framework which incorporated:

  • Portfolio, programme and project management frameworks
  • Benefits management framework and standards
  • Assurance framework
  • ICT portfolio management RACI model