Since Your Ideas Matter went live, more than 45 ideas have been submitted through the quick online form
Suggestions have come from teams right across NHS Lanarkshire – from acute and clinical services to corporate teams and our health and social care partnerships.
Your Ideas Matter is part of Better Value Together, our approach to improving services, working more efficiently and making the best use of our resources. The programme supports the goal of bringing NHS Lanarkshire into recurring financial balance over the next five years.
Director of Finance Fiona McEwan (pictured) said: “What has stood out is the thought and care staff have put into their submissions. Rather than one-line comments, people have set out what their idea is, the difference it could make, and what would be needed to make it work – both within their own team and across the organisation.”
The ideas submitted so far group around a number of common themes, including:
- digital patient communications, such as text reminders and digital appointment options instead of posted letters
- reducing agency and locum spend, including making it easier for our own staff to pick up extra shifts through the staff bank
- right care, right place, such as bringing minor injuries into treatment room services to ease pressure on emergency departments
- non-pay and estates efficiency, from reusing furniture and equipment before buying new, to simple wins on heating and lighting
- workforce wellbeing and development
While almost every idea highlighted opportunities to save money or improve efficiency, many also pointed to better patient care, improved safety and a better experience for staff. That reflects exactly what Better Value Together is about – not simply finding savings, but improving services at the same time.
Fiona McEwan said: “I have been really encouraged by the response so far. It is clear there is a real appetite to be part of how we improve and do things differently.
“This programme is not just about finding savings. It is about giving staff the confidence, support and opportunity to help build a stronger, more sustainable NHS Lanarkshire – and no one knows better than the people doing the job where we can work more efficiently. These ideas are exactly what we hoped for, and we want to keep them coming.”
Every idea is now being shared with the relevant workstream leads and directors. They will consider whether each suggestion is a quick win that can be progressed straight away, something that should be tested through a pilot, or a bigger, longer-term opportunity.
Where an idea leads to a change – or to a saving – we want to be able to come back and tell staff what their idea helped to achieve.
It is not too late to get involved. Whether it is a small change on your ward or in your office, or a bigger opportunity you have been thinking about for a while, we want to hear it.
Visit Your Ideas Matter to share your suggestion, or contact lan.nhsldof@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk if your team or department would like to find out more about Better Value Together.
Better Value Together is about building a stronger, more sustainable NHS Lanarkshire – with staff playing a key role in shaping the future.
