York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has partnered with Patchwork to trial a new clinical staffing solution for their medical workforce.
The technology is set to increase bank fill rates, reduce staffing costs and reduce administrative processes with its solution that instantly connects clinicians to vacant bank shifts through an app, enabling Trusts to reduce costly reliance on locum agencies.
York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust manages eight hospital sites, and has a workforce of almost 9,000 staff. The app is currently being trialled at both the Scarborough and York hospital sites.
Polly McMeekin, Executive Director of Workforce and Organisational Development at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, commented “Patchwork is a welcome solution to help us manage our medical workforce. The app allows staff to browse and book shifts in real time, anytime and anywhere.”
“We are hoping that the trial will demonstrate that Patchwork can help us reduce our agency spend by engaging with our existing workforce and expanding our staff bank.”
The Patchwork system automates elements of the bank shift booking process, allowing it to be streamlined. Patchwork also gives clinicians who book through the Patchwork app priority over agency staff who might have put themselves forward for the same shift, meaning the most cost-effective solution is always prioritised. The overall process reduces the administrative burden for staff and clinicians, whilst enabling better financial controls for the Trust.
The platform was created by two NHS junior doctors who wanted to modernise how clinicians could seek out and book temporary shifts. The technology is already being used in seven other NHS Trusts across the UK.
Chelsea & Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust saw between 85% and 90% of shifts filled directly through the hospital’s own staff bank as a result of the Patchwork platform, compared with 35% when using their legacy systems. That represented a cost benefit for the Trust of £1.2m+ per year.
Dr Anas Nader, NHS doctor and CEO of Patchwork Health, commented “We’re delighted to partner with York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. It’s clear that this is a Trust which cares passionately about the wellbeing of their staff and the quality of care given to patients. We are therefore excited to see our technology play a role in making it easier to achieve these aims.”
“Patchwork gives trusts, such as York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the digital tools they need to run an efficient and smart temporary staffing service. From recruitment and booking, all the way through to data analytics and payroll, Trust teams can control the whole process. This cuts out the agency middleman, saving the NHS vast amounts of money, creating a more pleasant experience for clinicians, and ensuring wards are staffed safely.”
