ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the results of some empirical work involving the reorganisation of operating theatre management in a large teaching hospital. The theatre suite consists of ten operating theatres, along with several operating theatres in a newly built bespoke Day Surgery Unit. The empirical work forms part of a larger project focusing on the re-engineering of both business and information systems in the operating theatres at Manchester Royal Infirmary. The management information system (MIS) is being developed to have a key role in addressing some of the key causes of delay, in particular the people factors. The MIS is being developed to have a key role in addressing some of the key causes of delay, in particular the people factors. The change programmes that have been instigated although supposedly aimed at reducing the people factors have in fact been mainly communication exercises.
