Making better use of the NHS estate

This issue of Health Business contains some really important and varied articles that I hope will be of interest to you.

Firstly, as shown on the cover of this issue, Henry Rex of techUK has written an article for us on the organisation’s Ten Point Plan for Healthcare and why
digital technology must be at the forefront of improving patient outcomes. You can read the piece on page 37.

On the pages following Henry’s article, we look at some of the new innovations being promoted by NHS England, a new Medical IT framework, as well as plans to improve hospital discharge efficiency from NHS Shared Business Services’ Phil Davies.

However, in this issue I would most like to draw your attention to Christopher King’s feature on page 21. As he writes, the flexibility of allowing NHS Property Service’s spaces to be hired on an hourly or daily basis has not only helped to make much more efficient use of the NHS estate over the last 12 months, but has also enabled health and well-being providers to offer much needed services at the heart of local communities.

The work of the NHS Open Space scheme has been a highlight within a difficult year for the health service.

Michael Lyons, editor