Background:
A large healthcare trust faced increasing pressure to meet Cost Improvement Plan targets while maintaining safe, high-quality inpatient care. However, inconsistent discharge planning, inefficiencies in patient flow, and a lack of structured capacity controls limited the Trust s ability to manage demand. Meridian was brought in to support the transformation of inpatient care planning and delivery.
Analysis:
A three-week operational review conducted by Meridian identified key performance barriers across staffing models, discharge processes, and ward-level planning. The study found average length of stay had grown to 47 days, and bed occupancy frequently exceeded 100%, leading to unsustainable patient pressures and excess spend.
Implementation:
Meridian introduced a suite of management tools to support more structured planning. These included daily multidisciplinary discharge meetings, forecasting models, and structured escalation processes to ensure delays were promptly addressed. Staff received support to adopt new behaviours around capacity tracking and discharge prioritisation.
Results:
The average length of stay was reduced from 47 to under 30 days, and bed occupancy dropped from 102% to below 90%. These improvements unlocked £3.4M in annual savings and enabled better access to inpatient care for patients in crisis. The Trust is now better positioned to meet both operational targets and quality standards.
