There is recognition of the enormity of the challenge of driving out workforce cost while at the same time continuing to improve the quality of patient care. Workforce represents 60-70% of service delivery cost and is a key area for potential productivity gains.
The growth in the NHS workforce in the East Midlands has been 21% between 2001 and 2008 (13, 361 WTEs) with medical staff, excluding GPs, increasing by 41.8% 41.8% (1,866 WTE) and nursing staff by 17.5% (3,492 WTE). This growth is unprecedented and therefore it is essential to ensure we utilise these staff as effectively as possible ensuring at all times and in all locations there is the right capacity and capability.
Initial work has indicated there is potential to make workforce productivity gains in the East Midlands valued at £400 million by 2014.
Regionally work is progressing across four active projects:
Transformation: To match workforce change to service change as quickly and seamlessly
Pay and Benefits – New Deal for Staff: To use pay and benefits as levers to help create a
Utilisation - To strive for productivity gains through improving workforce utilisation; reducing
Workforce Potential - Maximising contribution: To harness the workforce contribution.
In addition the regional team has also scoped the uptake of the NHS Institute's productive care series in the East Midlands and is sharing best practice and outcomes from this.
