Examining the engagement of health services staff in change management: modifying the SCARF assessment model

Background: SCARF (Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness and Fairness) is a neuroscience model based on reward and threat that has been used in a number of areas, such as coaching and group facilitation including practice development, performance management and leadership development.

Aim: The aim of this article is to understand readiness for transformation in the workplace by considering the impact of a new philosophy of care called ‘reablement’ on behaviour change in health services staff, using a modified SCARF questionnaire.

Methods: The quantitative survey was nested in a larger health services project to introduce the philosophy of reablement to 166 staff members of a regional community care organisation. The data collection instrument was modified to combine the five SCARF domains into statements related to reablement. Data were collected from participants at six timepoints before and after project staff training.

Results: The results show that for each SCARF domain, staff responses remain relatively stable. Results indicate a consistently positive response to the philosophy of reablement, reflecting a high level of comfort and engagement with the change-management process.

Conclusion: Evaluating reflection and change over time using SCARF can support training and other methods of change management in the context of a community care organisation. Further development is needed with different groups, and different change-management projects within health services.

Implications for practice:

- The SCARF model can be applied to organisational change in health and community care with benefits for clients, staff, stakeholders and the organisation as a whole

- This model has previously been used to improve organisational communication and collaboration but this article suggests it also has a positive impact on overall change management, with a particular focus on understanding the factors related to behaviour in health and community care