Published date: 11 September 2020
NHS Open Space wins at Estates Gazette Tech Awards
The flexible room-booking programme developed by NHS Property Services has been recognised at the Estates Gazette Tech Awards for the innovation it brings to the NHS estate. Christopher King, Principal Strategic Asset Management and programme lead for NHS Open Space, shares an update on the programme and how it's supporting the NHS.
This week I was delighted to accept, on behalf of the NHS Open Space team, the ‘Big Picture’ Awards at the Estates Gazette Tech Awards.
It is the result of incredibly hard work from the team over the past three years, from first launching the pilot in 2017, to now operating in 20 sites and preparing to expand to 40 more later this month.
In this time, we have grown the programme to over 1,000 users booking across 20 properties, accounting for hundreds of thousands of hours of crucial patient service delivery. We have welcomed a range of services, from mental health to diabetes treatment, widening access to healthcare for communities. A large majority of our recent registrations are also from private organisations, meaning we’re generating new revenue for the NHS by using space that was previously underused.
The potential for NHS Open Space to transform the NHS estate has become ever more apparent during COVID-19, as services seek flexibility and visibility over how space is used. The intuitive booking system means that users only pay for the time and space they need, which could provide much-needed relief on finances for independent and small businesses in the midst of the pandemic. It also makes better use of the NHS estate, driving money back into the health service at a critical time.
We will expand this support as we launch in 40 more properties later this month and start a steady stream of onboarding throughout 2021, spanning the NHS Property Services portfolio.
It’s fantastic to see NHS Open Space get industry recognition at such a crucial time for the programme, and I'm excited to see how it grows and evolves. As NHS Property Services strives to help the NHS get the best of its estate to enable excellent patient care, I think it will prove to be a cornerstone of our future business as we adapt to and drive changes in the NHS estate.
To find out more about NHS Open Space and the properties and rooms on offer in your area, visit: https://www.openspace.nhs.uk/, and if you have any questions for the team please get in touch.
Christopher King, Principal Strategic Asset Manager
