This category recognises organisations delivering exceptional tech or digital services to the property sector — with a focus on innovation, value, creativity, and strategic vision. We’re honoured to be recognised, as part of the NHS, among the top proptech solutions reshaping the sector.
NHS Open Space is a pioneering space management solution developed by NHS Property Services (NHSPS) to optimise the use of NHS estates across England. The solution harnesses advanced utilisation data combined with intuitive dashboards and automated booking tools to ensure the NHS estate is used to its full potential — and as a result enable greater access to patient care. By capturing, analysing and sharing granular estate data, NHS Open Space has turned underused NHS properties into active, service-ready locations.
The solution addresses longstanding challenges in healthcare estate management, such as underutilised facilities, inefficient booking systems, and a lack of centralised estate visibility. It combines cutting-edge technology with user-friendly tools, allowing landlords to:
- Understand their estate: One-off or ongoing utilisation monitoring, powered by sensor technology, offering landlords visibility and real-time insights into their estate at various levels — desk, room, building, and portfolio.
- Manage their estate: An easy-to-use internal booking system allowing users to efficiently book spaces across their estate. The system is supported by advanced data and analytics, featuring intuitive dashboards, providing comprehensive insights into estate usage and trends.
- Optimise their estate: A user-friendly external booking platform designed for pre-vetted healthcare organisations. The pay-as-you-go platform enables landlords to monetise underused spaces.
NHS Open Space has delivered measurable improvements in cost efficiency and estate utilisation:
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Value generated for the NHS: £35.8m of value unlocked for the wider NHS system since 2019, with £48.5m forecasted over the next three years. More than £5m in new revenue has been created through external bookings.
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Patient access to care: 9 million patient consultations across 165 service types, booked by over 7,000 active users, delivered in familiar NHS settings — closer to patients. Pre-vetted healthcare providers can access more than 1,400 rooms across 253 NHS locations.
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Increased space utilisation: NHSPS’ estate’s space utilisation increased from 22.4% in 2021 to 41.2% in 2024 — nearly doubling efficiency without new construction.
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Cost recovery: Since 2022, use of data insights has enabled £548,000 of billing recovery for non-booked use.
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Data-informed estate decisions: Data insights have enabled conversions of space from flexible use to demised, generating £854,000 per annum in lease revenue since 2019. At the Sudbury Medical Centre, NHS Open Space data avoided a £1.5m extension by revealing the site could accommodate growth within its existing footprint.
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Environmental impact: Reduced energy wastage due to estate underutilisation.
The solution has streamlined estate management and improved access to care, directly impacting stakeholders:
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For estates teams: It replaces spreadsheets and manual processes with automated tools, saving time and improving decision-making.
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For healthcare providers: It offers quick access to compliant space without long-term leases, making it easier to expand services.
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For patients: It improves access to local NHS services, reducing travel and wait times.
NHS Open Space is delivering an operational shift in how NHS properties are managed and used. By transforming estate data into actionable intelligence and removing barriers to access, it improves staff efficiency, reduces estate waste, and expands care delivery — making it a vital tool in the future of NHS operations.
If you’d like to find out more about how NHS Open Space can support you, get in touch via openspacepartnerships@property.nhs.uk.
In the meantime, wish us luck at the Property Awards!
