UK hospitals use lean to reduce costs and improve care

Video update!!!

British Healthcare system
The National Health System(NHS) is the publicly funded healthcare system in the UK. The NHS provides the majority of healthcare in England, including primary care (such as general practitioners), in-patient care and long-term healthcare. NHS hospitals are increasingly competing with other private health systems and facing financial difficulties.

Lean applied in Birmingham Heartlands hospital

Recently, the NHS health system and other health systems have adopted ‘lean principles’ that evovled from the Toyota production system to reduce waste. They are primarily focussing on clinical areas such as emergency departments but plan to use it ancillary areas, pharamcy and other support functions.
They have also come up with innovative solutions such as using Nurse practicioners in the ED to treat low acuity patients . They have been able to reduce the number of patients waiting from over 40 to less than 10.