Navigating Workforce System Transformation with Eli Manas

Meet Eli Manas!

Project Support Officer - Workforce Deployment Systems at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

For our 7th blog of the series, we chatted with Eli Manas from Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (ASPH), who brings a wealth of experience as a Project Support Officer in Workforce Deployment Systems at the Trust. Eli shares his journey through the evolving landscape of workforce management, offering insights on driving change across systems and people within the NHS.

👋 First up, could you tell us a little bit about how you came into your role and what a typical week looks like for you?

Eli: Before I joined the NHS, I actually studied Business Administration and worked in a completely different industry. When I moved to the UK, I started working in a hospital, but in a totally different role, as a Decontamination Technician!

At the same time, I was working on various qualifications, including one in Cyber Security. Eventually, in 2021, I moved to a Project Support Officer role. The biggest hurdle early on was the steep learning curve, understanding the systems, dealing with end user issues, and just figuring everything out. But I made it through that first year, and now my weeks are all about balancing system support, end user training, and troubleshooting day-to-day issues that come up. It’s a mix of learning and doing, every single day.

🎉 What would you say is your proudest success or learning moment?

Eli: I’d say one of the biggest successes has been helping users become more self-sufficient with new systems. As a team, we offer continuous training and support, and it’s been really rewarding to see people grow confident in managing rosters and workforce planning themselves.

We also work very closely with managers to address concerns daily. That guidance and teamwork mean we’re not just supporting individual users, we’re contributing to wider goals like filling vacancies efficiently and ensuring better staffing for patient care.

🤝 From your experience, what’s made system adoption easier for people?

Eli: Stakeholder involvement, feedback and collaboration made a way. When something doesn’t work as expected, we don’t just leave it to the users to figure out. We’ll guide them, support them, even share the tasks if needed.

Internally, we also work with our managers daily and hold weekly meetings with our system provider. It’s a constant team effort to fix, adapt, and improve, while keeping everyone in the loop.

💻 ASPH is one of the most comprehensive adopters of the Locum’s Nest system. What impact has that had?

Eli: Locum’s Nest has really transformed the way we manage our workforce. Before, people had to go directly to the bank office to get things done. Now, we have a streamlined, digital process that improves visibility, control, and efficiency.

Some users struggled at first, as with most changes. But most now really appreciate how much easier things have become. Tasks that used to require a dozen WhatsApp messages or phone calls can now be done in a few clicks.

We’ve rolled it out across most staff groups, nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, facilities staff, admin. It's been a huge step forward.

💡What would you say is the "secret sauce" for making change happen within teams?

Eli: Planning method, communication and stakeholders involvement. It’s everything. Having open lines between the team, the system providers, and the end users is key. Getting feedback from users, and acting on it—makes people feel seen and heard. That’s how you get real buy-in.

To make things manageable, we offer hands-on support. It’s not just “their” problem, it’s ours too. We share the load. We also keep open communication with all system providers and have weekly meetings to raise and push these issues. It’s not always smooth, but we keep pressing. It's all about persistence, with a bit of diplomacy!

We did a recent survey and received good positive feedback. That was a big moment. It showed that even though change is hard, we’re on the right path.

❤️ Last one! What do you love most about your job?

Eli: Honestly? The job itself. It’s fulfilling. Every day I get to help people solve problems, and I get to think ahead about how we can make their lives easier.

Also, no two days are the same. I get to meet and support so many different people. That variety, and knowing we’re making a real difference is what keeps me going.

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Thank you Eli, for sharing your story and giving us a glimpse into the heart of ASPH’s workforce transformation. Your work behind the scenes is making a huge impact, and it doesn't go unnoticed!

We’d love to feature more of our NHS workforce’s stories, so contact us if you’d like to have a chat!