By Nigel Robinson – UK General Manager, Service Works Global
UK General Manager Nigel Robinson spoke to HEFMA Pulse about how National Health Service England (NHS) trusts looking to move towards digital maturity need to look beyond CMMS software to connected built environment technology.
The NHS is evolving, aiming to turn static buildings into smart digital environments where data flows freely and drives meaningful change. A move towards digital maturity is expected from all facility management teams, and while the majority are using CMMS software to manage their estate, basic functionality is no longer enough to meet ambitious NHS targets. Taking digitalization to the next level may require a mindset change – but not necessarily a technological upheaval.
Raising expectations: what a connected estate should deliver
A connected, data-driven estate is more than digital work orders – and FMs should expect more than this from their CMMS tool. Think lifecycle projections to maximise asset value, space planning to improve patient flow or optimize clinic space, even integration with patient administration where discharge notices trigger room cleans for faster turnaround. Many FMs are only using a small proportion of their existing system’s capability. Where this falls short, it may be time to consider a more future-ready solution. Integration is a must – whether with BAS, finance, or compliance software like SFG20. IoT sensors are becoming increasingly accessible and can feed live operational data directly into CMMS systems, reducing manual intervention and freeing up valuable time for estates teams already under pressure.
But crucially, in this AI age, the mantra of ‘rubbish in, rubbish out’ remains very relevant. Before progressing digitalization, FMs should assess their foundations. How reliable is the operational data? Are all assets in the register? Can workflows and checks be implemented into the software to maintain data quality? It is also worth reviewing whether additional data should be captured – or existing data streamlined – to support evolving priorities such as sustainability, compliance and performance tracking.
From reactive to predictive: the role of BIM, IoT and digital twins
Smart buildings, digital twins and IoT-powered maintenance schedules are no longer the distant future of FM, but the reality. And this modern technology isn’t just for modern buildings. In fact, it can have the biggest impact in older sites: 20% of NHS buildings are older than the NHS itself [1] but still having to meet the same compliance, sustainability and performance standards as modern estates.
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, part of University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, is 130 years old yet leading the way in digital innovation. Chief Engineer Edward Payne started by improving how data was collected and analyzed with his CMMS software, QFM from Service Works Global, saving around £4,000 per week, alongside integrating with SFG20 to improve Kettering’s PPM schedule which led to a 20% reduction in reactive requests.
This paved the way for further innovation using BIM (building information modelling), which began with a pilot project where a single building was laser scanned to create a BIM model. This included all asset data and CMMS integration for full operational visibility. BIM is now being added retrospectively to Kettering’s new Energy Centre – a key, £58m, sustainable development for the hospital which will help the Trust support the Trust’s Net Zero by 2040 target.
“For us, BIM wasn’t just about creating a model – it was about building a reliable, digital record of our estate. By linking that with our CMMS data in QFM, we’ve been able to further move away from a reactive approach and start making more informed, predictive decisions about how we manage our buildings,” comments Payne.
Kettering is now journeying towards a digital twin by integrating BIM and sensor data within SWG’s connected built environment platform, Geminus. Starting with automating the ventilation of 16 operating theatres in line with operating hours, the Trust expects to make a saving of £100,000 in the first year, with a target to further reduce energy savings thereafter. Through the platform, Payne and his team will be able to see sensor data from any asset, identify performance issues before breakage occurs, and start to implement a data-driven maintenance strategy.
[1] https://www.hfma.org.uk/articles/nhs-numbers-capital-and-nhs-estate
From PPM to DDM: using AI to drive smarter decisions
With sensor data, comes the opportunity for AI. Large volumes of data can be produced from sensors – controlled using triggers and acceptable ranges in CMMS software, but AI can uncover hidden insight and recommend the best course of action. A platform like SWG’s Geminus analyzes information from multiple sources such as sensors, weather feeds (for assets affected by the elements), maintenance history, previous breakages, downtime, and even other installations of the same asset elsewhere to identify operating patterns and predict when maintenance is required.
For a hospital this represents a significant shift. Estates teams can steer away from unnecessary services, and assets will become more reliable leading to fewer clinic cancellations or unplanned downtime.
Unlocking the full potential of the NHS estate
Ultimately, the direction of travel for NHS estates is clear. Connected, data-driven environments are no longer a future ambition, but an operational expectation. Trusts should be looking beyond basic CMMS functionality towards integrated, intelligent systems that provide real-time visibility, support better decision-making and enable a shift towards predictive, rather than reactive, operations.
The good news is that this evolution does not require a complete reset. As demonstrated by organizations such as Kettering, meaningful progress can start with strengthening existing CMMS foundations, improving data quality and taking a targeted, phased approach to innovation. From there, integrating BIM, IoT and digital twin technologies can unlock measurable gains in efficiency, compliance and sustainability.
As pressure continues to mount around cost, performance and carbon reduction, estates teams have a growing opportunity to play a strategic role within the NHS. By embracing data, integration and emerging technologies such as AI, they can move from maintaining buildings to actively optimizing them – creating estates that are not only smarter and more efficient, but better equipped to support patient care both now and in the future.
About Nigel Robinson
Nigel Robinson is the UK General Manager at Service Works Global (SWG), leading digital transformation programmes across smart buildings, estates management, and data‑driven operational performance. With over 20 years of experience delivering technology‑enabled solutions in complex asset environments, Nigel specialises in integrating BIM, IoT, building analytics, and facility management systems to help organizations optimize performance and achieve sustainability goals. He works closely with universities, public‑sector bodies, and global enterprises to design future‑ready digital estates strategies that improve energy efficiency, enhance user experience, and streamline asset lifecycle management.
About Service Works Global
Service Works Global (SWG) is a leading international provider of facilities, property and workplace management software with offices in the UK, Sweden, Canada, Australia, and a partner in the Middle East. SWG is a wholly owned subsidiary of Addnode Group, listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
Established in 1994, SWG is certified with ISO 9001 for quality management and ISO 27001 for information security management, and has a wealth of expertise in computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), public-private partnership (PPP), and building information modelling (BIM) software.
We invest substantial resources into product research and development to ensure functionally rich solutions that meet the needs of an evolving profession. Some of the clients that we support include Honeywell, Mitie, BNP Paribas Real Estate, Melbourne Cricket Ground, University of Worcester, Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust and NHS Trusts across the UK.
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