SCW supported Weston Area Health Trust to deliver on its Cost Improvement Programme, transformation and COVID-19 initiatives through robust programme management.
Challenge
Weston Area Health Trust (WAHT), now part of University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, was struggling with significant sustainability challenges. It had a Cost Improvement Programme (CIP) target of £2.1m and needed support for a number of transformational projects.
Impact
Working alongside clinical and operational teams, we lead a transformation/CIP PMO over a period of 18 months, which included:
- Maintaining CIP delivery momentum, supporting the transition into a new financial year, embedding both strategy and approach, and supporting the identification of schemes
- A range of transformational priorities such as a multi-agency Healthy Weston Programme and a clinically-led Urgent Care Transformation Programme
- Designing governance processes to reduce nursing agency expenditure across Weston General Hospital, to mitigate the impact of vacancies
- Providing project support to the Weston IT project team’s move to the Medway patient administration system, supporting the business change workstream
- Supporting Weston’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including PPE and ICU consumables management, planning for equipment requirements, and the roll-out of Attend Anywhere video consultations
- Planning for the safe reopening of the hospital following a COVID-19 outbreak, managing the re-opening plans and ensuring required processes were in place
- Providing programme support to the recovery of services impacted by COVID-19
- Successfully re-establishing CIP and transformation projects following the COVID-19 pandemic first wave, including progressing the Healthy Weston Programme at pace and developing CIP training and communications for the Weston Division of UHBW
- Supporting the transition of the Weston PMO to the new UHBW PMO, ensuring alignment and understanding of systems and processes.
'The plan was that they would support the planning and delivery of the transformation programme in lieu of an established team. The COVID-19 pandemic has required them to rapidly switch their focus to supporting, establishing and running new processes and services to enable the hospital to manage the pandemic. The team has done this professionally and with great diligence, rising to the challenges of working in what has often been a stressful environment and providing strong support to the staff. They have been greatly appreciated by the many staff they have worked with.'
Associate Director of Improvement and Innovation, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
