I have published previous notes about some of the twists and turns of the British National Health Service (NHS) and its struggle to computerize healthcare in the UK (links here). Richard Granger is the Director General of IT for the NHS. Prior to taking up this post in October 2002, he was a partner at Deloitte Consulting (link here). We now become better informed about his educational background courtesy of his mum. Here is the link and below is the story:
Richard Granger is one of the highest paid civil servants in charge of a £20billion project to transform the NHS's computer system. But despite his colossal £280,000 a year pay packet, Granger's 'Connecting for Health' project is over-budget, behind schedule and threatening to become the biggest IT disaster in history....His mother revealed that the man overseeing largest civilian IT project in the world failed his computer studies course while at Bristol University....The retired teacher, who hasn't spoken to her son for ten years after a family row, said yesterday: 'I can't believe that my son is running the IT modernisation programme for the whole of the NHS.
Clearly the Granger family does not believe in taking prisoners. However, I find that I must respectfully disagree with Mrs. Granger about one issue. Having deep technical knowledge about computing is not necessarily a requirement for leadership success in healthcare IT. In fact, sometimes it is a distinct disadvantage. In my experience, the most technically sophisticated individuals frequently have difficulty communicating with those lacking a similar technical background and also difficulty in understanding barriers to successful implementation of a system.
However, this does not get the leaders of HIT projects off the hook completely. One must assume that, in order for them to succeed, they must have other stellar leadership qualities. I am not sure if Richard Granger qualifies in this department but this article, and the "support" from his family, makes me want to root for him, at least for a while.
Heav'n has no rage like love to hatred turn'd
Nor Hell a fury, like a mother (and doctors) scorn'd.
Posted by: Narayanachar Murali | November 21, 2006 at 04:52 AM