Background
A large Foundation Trust in the West Midlands faced significant financial pressure, with Monitor intervention and tight controls on expenditure. The Outpatient Department had ceased extra clinics to reduce costs, but lacked visibility into the real impact of this decision. There were no systems to assess resource utilisation or income potential.
Analysis
Meridian conducted a 3-week study focused on outpatient slot utilisation, consultant job plans, clinic templates, and booking practices. Utilisation of clinic time was just 68% on average, with many sessions underbooked or poorly configured. The lack of short-term booking focus meant many slots were going unfilled close to clinic dates, resulting in substantial lost income.
Implementation
A detailed management control system was introduced, including a capacity plan, utilisation KPIs, and a bespoke empty slot viewer. Engagement workshops with clinicians and managers helped redesign clinic templates and align session plans with demand. Weekly reviews were implemented alongside variance tracking to ensure accountability and short-term action on booking gaps.
Results
Patient throughput increased by 12.5%, leading to £2.53M in additional income. The ROI was 15.9:1. The average patients per clinic rose from 6.87 to 7.33, and managers now had real-time access to utilisation data. Reduced reliance on additional clinics led to more efficient use of existing resources, supporting long-term financial sustainability for the Trust.
