The best NHS HR Analytics initiatives of 2021
Earlier this year, we announced that Locum’s Nest is an official sponsor of the 2021 HPMA Excellence in People Awards. This renowned ceremony celebrates the achievements of HR, OD and healthcare professionals in the UK - an occasion that is even more paramount following the outstanding work of the NHS since the start of 2020.
As ambassadors for digital healthcare innovation, we’re proud to sponsor this year’s HR Analytics Award, a category that recognises the value of workforce data to deliver insights, better decision-making and, ultimately, safer wards and improved patient care. Many submissions were received, each demonstrating the creativity and commitment of HR & OD teams across the country.
After an in-depth virtual judging, the shortlist has now been revealed and we’re super excited to share our three finalists for the Locum’s Nest HR Analytics Award...
HPMA HR Analytics Award 2021 shortlist
1. Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is one of the UK’s largest acute Trusts, with over 20,000 employees within nine hospitals and six separate sites. Formed in 2017, MFT serves a population of 750,000 people across Manchester and Trafford and is the single biggest provider of specialised services in the North West.
Staff absence/availability analytics and forecasting during a pandemic
Manchester Foundation Trust’s submission (in partnership with Camburg Collective) showcased an innovative programme of work that supported local staff and wider Trusts across Greater Manchester to predict the unprecedented numbers of employees absent due to Covid-19.
The Trust used real-time, high-quality analytics to plan, manage and forecast the impact of the pandemic on staffing levels at an exceptionally accurate level that was clearly action-driven. Findings were shared with other Trusts to ensure resources could be planned for across a regional level, demonstrating a key collaborative spirit with cooperation between multiple functions and teams.
2. Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust combines Stepping Hill Hospital with a number of specialist centres, health clinics and community health services. Over 5,000 staff work among the sites, supporting over 500,000 patients each year.
HR Analytics - The Way Forward
After facing the significant challenge of triangulating Trust datasets to easily obtain meaningful information, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust implemented an advanced HR/workforce analytics programme. This addressed one of the most important obstacles in NHS analytics - having various ‘sources of truth’ - allowing them to cut through the noise and avoid scattered data.
Their submission highlighted how achieving analytical excellence is a long term journey - not a simple one-off project - and proactively addressed the needs of end-users to ensure they were empowered and positively impacted throughout the process.
3. Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust
Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust is the leading provider of integrated healthcare services to a population of 765,000 people across Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, Whitby, Scarborough and Ryedale. The Trust works closely with major academic partners Hull York Medical School and The University of Hull and employs over 2,800 staff across 79 sites.
Workforce Scorecard and Insight Report
Humber Teaching Trust’s application revealed a simple yet highly effective approach to having one source of truth. After a drive to improve organisational and HR services in 2018, it became apparent that there was no central point within the workforce function where data could be collated and presented in a meaningful way. In response, the Trust established an official Workforce Information team who worked to consolidate complex information into the Workforce Scorecard.
This innovation not only identifies areas of improvement within the Trust but also celebrates successes. The team have quickly been able to quantify the impact this has had so far which includes a reduction in sickness, increased turnover and improved staff survey scores.
HR Analytics - now and in the future
Each entry illustrates a chain of key trends that are vital to the success of the NHS. Resources can be planned for more effectively which leads to empowered staff and, therefore, increased morale through the celebration of success. Having the crucial single source of truth also removes the risk of costly mistakes that NHS teams don’t have the time to fix.
Whilst these factors have always been front of mind, their importance was highlighted even more so during the pandemic. Covid-19 exacerbated many challenges faced in the NHS, including reduced staff engagement and overall wellbeing through increased absences and limited resources. With even less time to spend pulling together different data sources, the need for better and more proactive planning was heightened.
Maria Elisseou, Locum’s Nest Chief Operating Officer, who was part of the judging panel, shares:
“Analytics is an activity that might not be immediately perceived as an obvious priority during a global pandemic. However, these entries have proven the immensely positive impact they can have. Supporting the wider ecosystem and enabling better decision making and planning through HR analytics is crucial to enable healthcare professionals to do their job and save lives. This is one of the reasons why it was important for us to keep supporting and celebrating the HR analytics work achieved during this difficult time. These initiatives represent a true testimony that all our NHS people, from admin to frontline have been true heroes throughout the pandemic.”
The finalist Trusts have shown that with excellent HR analytics, pre-collected data can be consolidated and made sense of - rather than being a resource that is not only overwhelming but time-consuming to analyse. Users can begin to understand key metrics such as training efficiency, drivers of engagement and turnover, without the need to collect raw data.
With data-driven tools and individual insights, NHS HR teams are enabled and empowered to focus on and take positive action in overcoming their Trust’s specific workforce challenges.
The winners of the 2021 HPMA Excellence in People Awards will be announced at the virtual ceremony on 7th October 2021.
You can also find out more about each finalist and their initiatives in our upcoming ‘Meet the Finalist’ webinar on 9th September 2021, which will be chaired by our Co-Founder, Dr Ahmed Shahrabani, alongside a representative from each Trust. Register for the webinar here.