Shropshire hospitals' US lessons help to save £1.8 million
A partnership between hospitals in Shropshire and America has helped Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust to save £1.8 million in a year.
SaTH says the savings have been achieved by using 'lean methodology' to help reduce waste and the value of stock held in store rooms.
Now, three years into the partnership, with the Virginia Mason Institute (VMI) in Seattle, SaTH says it is reaping the rewards of its own Transforming Care Production System (TCPS).
The trust says the procurement team has made savings of £1.8 million in the last financial year.
Paula Davies, head of procurement at SaTH, said: “To have saved such a significant amount of money, which can now be put into improving patient care, is an amazing achievement.
"I wish we had started the process years ago as it is radically improving the way we deliver healthcare to patients in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales.
"New operating systems and new ways of working have unleashed hidden potential in our staff.
"We have itemised all the products that we order and have put the details into a catalogue, much like you would find in a store such as Argos or Screwfix.
"It’s not rocket science, but it does mean far fewer mistakes are made and clinicians are able to spend more time with patients as opposed to ordering stock for their wards and departments.”
Significant
As well as making financial savings, SaTH says it has made significant improvements to patient care over the past three years.
Simon Wright, chief executive of the trust, said: “Since starting in the summer of 2015 we have trained over 2,900 staff and we now have over 800 staff in using the techniques every day.
“Our TCPS work has saved over 3,770 miles a year of clinical staff walking, which equates to approximately 944 hours of time released back for patient care each year, alongside 57,000 safer patient journeys.
“We currently have eight value streams under way, releasing our people to identify and implement the changes necessary to improve care.
"These are looking at the areas of highest risk facing the trust and the improvements I hear at the regular Report Outs and Huddles never ceases to impress me.
“Our organisation is taking huge strides forward in clinical leadership and genuine involvement at all levels of the trust. It’s an exciting time at the trust.”
