Sandwell NHS Trust up for safety award
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust has been shortlisted for a major national award in recognition of its use of data to improve patient safety and reduce hospital stays.
Recognised for data-led care
The Trust is a finalist in the Advancing Patient Safety with Data and Analytics category at the HSJ Patient Safety Awards, following the success of its Medicines Length of Stay Programme, which has driven measurable improvements in patient flow and discharge processes.
At the heart of the programme is the Patient Flow Insights Tool (PFIT), a real-time dashboard developed in 2024 to help clinical and operational teams manage inpatient journeys more effectively. Drawing on data from multiple systems, PFIT allows staff to monitor adult inpatients by length of stay, patient pathway, and discharge criteria.
Measurable results across wards
Since its rollout, PFIT has significantly improved bed occupancy and reduced delays from A&E to inpatient wards. During the 2024/25 winter period, average patient length of stay dropped by 6% compared to the previous year.
The number of patients in the admissions unit for more than two nights fell from 86% to 63%, while long waits for short-stay patients awaiting transfer to specialist wards were cut to 42%.
The Trust credits the multidisciplinary team behind the programme for identifying opportunities to use analytics to better manage discharge readiness and resource allocation. As a result, PFIT has become a core tool for ward managers, discharge planners, matrons and flow coordinators across the organisation.
Leadership praise and wider impact
“We’re incredibly proud to be shortlisted for the HSJ Patient Safety Awards,” said Justine Irish, Deputy Group Director of Nursing, Medicine and Emergency Care. “The Medicines Length of Stay Programme was launched with the aim of ensuring patients didn’t remain in hospital longer than necessary. This recognition reflects the dedication of our team to improving patient outcomes and delivering safer, more effective care every day.”
The impact of PFIT has extended beyond medicine wards. It has now been adopted by surgery and community services teams, and discussions are underway with other NHS trusts across Birmingham and the Black Country to explore further rollout.
National spotlight in September
By reducing unnecessary hospital stays, the Trust is minimising the risk of harm to patients and supporting smoother transitions through the health system, key priorities for patient safety and operational resilience.
Winners of the HSJ Patient Safety Awards will be announced on 15 September at a ceremony in Manchester.
