NHS Open Space extends to landlords and wider NHS

NHS Property Services this month relaunches its space management system NHS Open Space – which will help benefit customers, landlords and patients across the entire health system.

First launched in 2016, NHS Open Space was developed by the NHS for the whole healthcare sector. The complete space management system provides all NHS and public sector landlords with a suite of specialist estates management, booking and analytics tools, complemented by expert support and guidance from healthcare sector specialists.

NHS Open Space helps landlords to better understand how their estate is being used at a room, property, or portfolio level, through one-off utilisation studies or ongoing monitoring. Landlords can then use NHS Open Space to better manage their buildings either as an internal booking system or to make rooms available to other organisations to monetise underutilised space. This enables landlords to drive maximum value through new revenue streams and reduce ongoing costs.

Since launch, around 7,000 users have successfully provided more than 160 services to patients over a staggering 3.5 million consultation hours.

The self-service booking platform remains at the heart of the NHS Open Space estate management system, providing users with the ability to search, book and use space quickly, saving valuable administration time and resources.​

Community Health Partnerships, head tenant in 308 health care buildings across England, is currently working together with NHS Open Space on a pilot scheme using the platform across 18 buildings in the Midlands and London regions.

Chris King, Head of Open Space for NHSPS explained: “We have enhanced NHS Open Space based on what our customers told us they needed, and it now provides them with clarity and control to assess, manage and evaluate their estate. It will help provide meaningful utilisation data collection, and reduce administration time, increasing cost recovery for our NHS customers which is critical as they focus on forecasting and budget management as we enter a new financial year.  We’re also thrilled to be welcoming CHP onboard this month and look forward to collaborating with them as part of a pilot scheme to create an improved experience for their tenants and customers.”    

Nafees Arif, Chief Financial Officer at Community Health Partnerships, said: “In partnership with NHS Property Services, South East London and Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICBs, we are very pleased to be running this pilot scheme and hope that the evaluation will show positive benefits for our NHS customers.”

Phil Brenner, Strategic Estates Advisor at Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Integrated Care Board, who have used the service since 2020, has seen the benefit of NHS OpenSpace in his organisation and the positive impact it has had for colleagues and patients, he added:  “We are pleased to see the extension of NHS Open Space to our estates colleagues and landlords across the NHS, having experienced for ourselves the benefits and positive outcomes it brings to our estates management strategy. We look forward to working with NHSPS to further improve and develop the work we are doing together, to ensure our clinicians and patients experience the efficiencies brought about by the recent system enhancements and feel assured that the new offer will further improve access to the excellent care delivered to patients across our estate.”