How to Make Real Service Improvement Where You Work

A lot of clinicians underestimate how much value they can add beyond treating patients. If the only thing you bring to the table is your ability to treat patients, then I hate to break it to you, you are very, very replaceable.

Think about it. As a business owner or clinic manager, would you want to hire someone who just comes in, does the basic physio work, and clocks out? No initiative. No fresh ideas. No effort to help the business grow. Anyone can treat a patient, physio assistants, chiropractors, osteopaths, even GPs with MSK training. But not everyone improves services.

This is why service improvement matters.

In the NHS, recruiters often ask candidates to show examples of how they have improved services in previous roles. You will see this in person specifications, job descriptions, and supporting information sections. It is not just a tick box it is about showing that you can think critically, add value, and drive meaningful change.

So, the question is: how do you write strong evidence of service improvement?

One method I teach in my book, Shortlisted: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Perfect Supporting Information, is the STAR method. But today, I want to share another powerful framework one I use regularly as a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and that is the DMAIC framework.

What is DMAIC?

DMAIC is a structured problem-solving approach used in Lean Six Sigma to improve any process. It stands for:

• D – Define the problem

• M – Measure the current state

• A – Analyse the root cause

• I – Improve the process

• C – Control and sustain the improvement

Example: Reducing Patient Wait Times

Let us say you noticed that new patients in your clinic were waiting too long to be seen. Here is how you could apply DMAIC:

• Define: Long wait times for new patients, sometimes over 2 weeks.

• Measure: You looked at booking logs and found the average wait time was 14 days.

• Analyse: The triage system was slow, and urgent referrals were not prioritised.

• Improve: You introduced a triage screening call and reserved urgent slots each week.

• Control: You set up a monthly report to track wait times and adjust slot availability.

That is a solid, measurable example of service improvement that goes beyond just saying “I helped the service.”

Bonus: Use Root Cause Analysis

When you get to the “Analyse” stage, you can use tools like the 5 Whys or a Fishbone Diagram to identify what is really causing the problem.

Example: A colleague keeps coming to work late.

• Why are you late? → I woke up late.

• Why did you wake up late? → I slept late.

• Why did you sleep late? → I was finishing work reports.

• Why so last minute? → No clear handover system.

• Why no system? → Nobody created one.

Now you know the real issue is not the colleague. it is the lack of structure. That is the kind of insight that leads to meaningful, sustainable solutions.

As a final thought, If you want to stand out as a clinician, whether in a job application, interview, or just day-to-day practice, you need to show that you are more than just a therapist. You are a problem-solver. A service improver. A clinician who adds value.

So next time you are asked about service improvement, do not just talk show structure. Use frameworks like STAR and DMAIC to make your impact clear, believable, and compelling.

Let them know: You are not just doing the job you are moving the service forward.