Follow these tips to help you write successful business cases  
 

 
The strategic case is the first section of a business case for a reason, i.e., form follows function.  You need to start by outlining the problem you aim to solve, determining your key drivers, service requirements, investment objectives, measurable benefits, critical success factors and key risks. Do not move forward until you have these points defined and agreed by key organisations.  

 
Your project should be a priority both strategically and financially. So, engaging with leadership and stakeholders, and getting their genuine commitment, is vital to completing the business case and gaining the necessary funding approvals. If it’s not a priority, then consider whether you should proceed. 

To get buy in and engagement, focus on making the project tangible by inviting stakeholders to the site to experience the problem first hand. Encourage them to talk to the healthcare workers and the community the problem impacts. This first-hand experience will create more support and understanding for your project, leading to better outcomes and more collaborative working.  

Use real life examples when explaining requirements to help people visualise. For example 1200 sqm might be equivalent to an Olympic sized swimming pool; 100 sqm might be a 3 bed house; 850 sqm might be a 10k patient GP surgery or around 15 consulting rooms. 

Before you embark on writing a business case for your proposed project, you need to get to know your project team, including their level of knowledge and experience. Meet them and ask them whether they have done anything similar before. 

Remember that often people only do or are involved in big projects once in their career. So you might know what you're doing, but they might need lots of hand holding regarding the jargon and the steps. 

 
Understand the general cost envelope early on to determine from a high-level perspective whether the project is affordable. We recommend you seek help to make sure you’ve covered all potential costs - things like where the equipment will come from and who will maintain it often get forgotten.  

You need to genuinely be able to explain why the investment is worth it, and what benefits it will deliver. Why should the NHS invest in this project compared to another project? 

Be careful not to commit to spending lots of money early on. Look at high level options using benchmark building costs and running costs to see if you can afford them before you set off. 

Manage expectations and constantly keep the costs and requirements under review. You don’t want to get to the end of a design process and find that you can’t afford the option and are therefore unable to progress to the next stage. 

Consider enabling activities such as site acquisition, asbestos removal, demolition and site clearance, diversion of services – although this may require a separate business case it may facilitate early start on site following approvals. 

You need to take optimism bias into consideration too. Your programme will likely cost more than you think it should. 

Add 30% on to your figures and reduce this over time as the requirements, design/ planning, and costs firm up and you should be 0% at time of delivery.