RPA case study: Acute trust

The challenges:

• To reduce the cost of the department.
• To increase efficiencies and increase staff capacity for value-add patient tasks.
• To transform activity to meet the patient backlog accrued during the pandemic.
• To improve the patient experience.

The technical solution:

• Procured Blue Prism and developed in-house automation team.

Processes automated using RPA:

• GP routine, urgent and Fast Track (two-week wait) referrals
• Telederm referrals
• Cancer MDT referrals
• Dental referrals
• Clinic preparation
• Appointment cancellation via online and text
• Patient demographic validation between PAS, eRS and SPINE
• Finance invoices to Web Centre
• Radiology RTT clock stops
• Texting of staff PCR Covid results
• Vehicle tax and MOT status for Northern Ambulance Alliance (which comprises four ambulance trusts)
• Appointment status with primary care.

Benefits:

• Significant WTE savings through redeployment of staff.
• Increased job satisfaction and staff experience for colleagues redeployed from repetitive administrative processes to ‘higher value’ roles.
• Reduced staff turnover
• Reduced human factor errors
• Built NHS processes for the NHS by NHS substantive staff – no expensive consultancies or private providers needed.
• Improved patient experience.
• Cost benefits for patients and colleagues.
• Delivering Trust-wide services in a modern way.
• Inter- and intra-Trust integration; primary and secondary care integration through automation.

Other points to note:

• 20 months after go-live, RPA has delivered six years of time back to colleagues to have a quality experience at work – see graph below.
• Proof of concept is underway with primary care.
• ‘Plug and Play’ with trusts using like-for-like applications in discussions for proof of concept with two regional trusts).

Contact for further information:

• Richard Moyes, Outpatients General Manager, Leeds Teaching Hospitals.
  Email: richard.moyes@nhs.net