Background:
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust aimed to increase efficiency and patient reach within its Home-Based Treatment services. The service was under pressure to manage rising demand while ensuring care quality, yet lacked the structure and controls needed to optimise workforce deployment. The Trust engaged Meridian to support the implementation of systems that would maximise patient-facing time and reduce operational waste.
Analysis:
Meridian conducted a detailed service assessment, identifying that case allocation lacked consistency, and team structures were not optimised for efficiency. Staff scheduling processes were overly manual and variable, reducing the time spent in direct contact with patients. Opportunities were found to align task allocation with capacity, and to improve scheduling discipline across the service.
Implementation:
A structured management system was introduced to track patient demand, allocate caseloads in a balanced way, and improve operational transparency. Daily scheduling was aligned with forecasted demand, and new reporting tools helped managers monitor utilisation. Training was delivered to support behaviour change and embed the new systems into day-to-day practice.
Results:
The programme delivered a 23% increase in accepted patients and a 34% increase in patient-facing time. Costs were reduced by 4% as a result of more efficient use of staff time. Weekly patient contacts rose by 13%, showing the positive impact on service delivery. These improvements enhanced both staff effectiveness and patient access, while ensuring value for money for the Trust.
