Developing successful business cases for Midlands STP Pathology collaboration

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust

4 Pathology

departments consolidated

£672M spend

over 10 years consolidated

£52M savings

identified over 10 years

Challenge

The Lifecycle team supported The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust in the development of business cases for their STP pathology collaboration.

Approach
Lifecycle staff provided full support and development of all business cases, including the final FBC which included detailed analysis of finances, logistics, IT, infrastructure and investment. The support from LCS staff included the application for funding for the implementation of the target operating model. The partnership was awarded £9.5m of funding and the project from SOC to FBC delivered in 9 months, including detailed engagement with suppliers of equipment, logistics and IT systems.

Following the successful approval of the FBC and investment plan, LCS staff supported the Trusts with the development of transition and implementation plans, architectural and layout design of the facilities and overall implementation tasks.

Outcomes

The partnership is now in transition where all staff have TUPE transferred to the host, contracts are signed, IT LIMS procurement has been completed and implementation of the TOM has started. As part of the work performed by LCS, early savings were identified of which the Trusts realised value higher than planned and at an earlier stage. The project was delivered and approved within 9 months, covering all three stages (SOC, OBC and FBC). The project and the team received a commendation at the HSJ Awards for its success and fast delivery.

“The Lifecycle team were able to rise to the challenge of moving our organisations from SOC to FBC in 9 months. They were able to efficiently engage with all Trusts at all levels of the organisation and help us reach an agreed model for a shared the service that was externally challenged and verified and which has translated in early wins and cash-releasing savings. Without the Lifecycle team we would not have been able to get our organisations to work together in such a challenging timescale.”

Graham Danks

Black Country Pathology Group Manager

Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust