Appropriate methodologies and concepts for a critical review of the organisation of the project case study Regardless of the project type, there are some different forms of methodologies and concepts to assist project managers and teams at a given stage of a project from the project initiation, execution to the closure. A project management methodology offers appropriate methods and guidelines to ensure that projects are done in the effective, well-coordinated, and consistent ways that enhance the delivery of quality outcomes on time and within the budget. This report focuses on the application of appropriate project methodologies and concepts for a critical review of the National IT Programme in the NHS. National IT Programme in the NHS Initiating the Project Hoffer and other authors have identified several elements related to project initiation (Hoffer, George, & Valacich, 2002). The project was initiated by the Department of Health, which was the key stakeholder of the Programme. In the fiscal year 2007-08, the Programme had a budget allocation of £1.4 billion with nearly 1,100 employees and consultants. The Chief Executive of the NHS was the main stakeholder responsible for the entire Programme since 2007 (Meredith & Mantel, 2003). The Programme’s responsibility and accountability for implementation were shared with other local members of the NHS. Specifically, the other Chief Executives under the ten Strategic Health Authorities were responsible for the Programme implementation and realisation of benefits in their respective areas. The NHS is accountable to the National Assembly. There were three Local Service Providers to ensure that systems and services delivered reached various regions of the country. This Programme would ensure the development and implementation of “an electronic care record for patients, the NHS Care Records Service to cater to all patients” (National Audit Office, 2008). Specifically, the decision to „go live‟ was left to the Trust while the Chief Executives agree on Programme implementation (National Audit Office, 2008). Scope and aims of the Project The Programme was delivered under extremely complex and constantly changing environment (National Audit Office, 2008). It required substantial “organisational and cultural change for its successful deployment” (National Audit Office, 2008). The Programme was to change how the NHS had used patient data (Hartman & Ashrafi, 2002). The project was launched in 2002. The National Programme for IT in the NHS (the Programme) was planned to transform how the National Health Service in England used data to enhance services and the quality of patient care (National Audit Office, 2008). The Programme went beyond information technology reform to include other several aspects of change within the NHS. It was to bring about “new NHS policy, operational changes and add new programmes” (National Audit Office, 2008). The Programme had substantial impacts on every aspect of the NHS. Therefore, policy and operational changes resulted in some requirements, which were difficult and costly to meet effectively. For instance, in 2004, the NHS Improvement Plan introduced a plan that no patient would wait for “more than 18 wee