Changing behaviours and responding to change can be difficult for some; others relish the opportunity to try new ways of working. The response to change may vary depending on what the driving force for that change is, and where it has come from, that is, is it an internally/externally generated change decision?

For example, consider the following scenarios in relation to a flu vaccination service.

Scenario 1

The pharmacy team reviews the local pharmacy needs in the area and decides to offer the flu vaccination service, as you all feel that it will benefit your local customers.

Scenario 2

Your line manager informs you that you need to offer the flu service as part of the regional strategy.

How might people’s responses to these differ? If the change is internally generated (as in scenario 1), you may find that you and your colleagues have positive feelings about the service, proactively offer the service and engage with customers to ensure it is successful. As you have decided to offer the service, you have planned the timescales and know what to deliver and when, feeling more control over the process and having more awareness of what is involved.

If the idea is externally generated (as in scenario 2), you could feel that you have less control over it and that what is to be done is uncertain. You or your colleagues may identify ways in which it won’t work, or wonder whether or not it is even a suitable service for your customers. There may be more disruption if you don’t have control over the training schedule, for example, and there might be negative feelings about how the service is being introduced and communicated.

Being aware of the potential differences in response to change can be useful to help to understand individuals’ perspectives.

There are many change models describing different stages that people go through when faced with change. We’re going to look at a couple of these and consider how they might relate to pharmacy.