UK
The NHS has begun its long-term plan to optimise and rationalise its estate by merging existing NHS trusts in line with occupancy, reducing costs and regaining value from the repurposing, sale, and development of surplus NHS land. Since the start of the project, over 8,000 new housing units have been delivered through the release of excess NHS land, with £907million of new capital investment to improve the NHS estates and future-proof the buildings.
Consolidating estates can deliver great benefits and continue to aid the NHS in its service development. However, when integrating multiple systems into one, there are various operational considerations which must be addressed. The main challenge is that multiple estates often have individual systems for facilities management, meaning data, jobs, records, and other important documentation is held disparately across the estates. Pulling together this data can become an extremely time-consuming job, making the project more complex.
By introducing a centralised CAFM (computer aided facilities management) system across all NHS estates, facilities managers will significantly minimise the work needed when merging sites, reduce down-time and ensure no data is lost in the process. Having a centralised system also allows for the proper co-ordination and control of maintenance across estates to ensure the ongoing provision of high-quality health services.
Southern Health NHS Trust and SWG
SWG worked with the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust to do just this. Southern Health provides specialist mental health and learning disability services for people of all age groups across Hampshire and the surrounding area. The Trust operates across 280 sites and the Works department is responsible for ensuring the timely delivery of facilities and maintenance services across its portfolio as well as the third-party NHS institutions they work in. QFM software is used to manage both internal staff and contractors with the extensive reporting features making the running of the help desk easier.
The efficiencies created through centralisation go beyond what could have been previously achieved. QFM software manages all reactive and planned maintenance events, from the smallest minor improvements to the largest capital projects. The Works department has full visibility and control of costs, performance, and service delivery all through one integrated system.
As NHS Trusts across the country continue to merge their estates, departments will be under increasing pressure to rationalise their processes, centralise information, improve efficiencies and reduce operational costs. To complete this successfully, an approach like that of the Southern Health team is the best way forward.
Creating Value
Together with a successful centralised CAFM software for asset and maintenance management, additional functionality can further aid estates consolidation. For example, introducing a centralised room booking tool across the estates will help managers see where and how rooms are used, how often they are booked, the impact this is having on maintenance and how the latter can be improved.
By introducing a centralised CAFM system across a healthcare estate, users can enhance the standard of work that is performed there, whilst remaining compliant with stringent sector-specific legislation, through comprehensive maintenance workflow, task and lifecycle management and accessibility of business-critical information. These benefits allowed the Trust to deliver high levels of patient care and value to surrounding community.
For more information or to speak to Service Works Global about how QFM can help with challenges within your company, please get in touch with us here.
Keep up to date on the latest industry and technology developments. Sign up to receive SWG’s blog delivered straight to your inbox:
