What will it mean to have a flatter team-based NHS structure?

The Government has identified that the NHS should move towards flatter, devolved structures, more participation and flexibility. This article, the first of a two-part series, has two aims: first, to outline the effects that these changes may have on the organizational structure of the NHS; second, to identify the management 'buzzwords' associated with these changes and to place them in context and demystify their meaning, thus opening up the issues to debate. It also presents an overview of current changes in the NHS and explores their potential future ramifications.