NHS Property Services delivered £44.1m in cost efficiencies for the health service during 2021/22 against a target of £31.9m, as well as clearing outstanding shareholder loans of £98m to the Department of Health and Social Care. 

NHS Property Services’ (NHSPS) 2021/22 annual report, published this month, has shown that the business exceeded its initial cost efficiency target by almost £14million and has now delivered a cumulative total of more than £250m in savings to the NHS since 2017.
 
According to the report, NHSPS, which owns and manages around 10 per cent of the NHS estate, delivered total capital investments of £135M in year, compared to £110 in 2020/21, making improvements to the NHS property portfolio to ensure that the estate is consistently fit for purpose.
 
Amid its ongoing commitment to supporting the Greener NHS agenda, NHSPS has undertaken initiatives undertaken across the NHS estate to produce efficiency savings, including improvements in billing, increased customer engagement and the effectiveness of the organisation’s debt management programme.
 
In addition, NHSPS delivered a further 122 estate projects as part of its ‘Healthy Places’ scheme, which is hoped will benefit millions of patients across the country, providing 25,000 sqm of improved space for the NHS.

Further, the organisation’s social prescribing programme fared well in 21/22, creating a further 28 hubs in line with the goals laid out in the NHS Long Term Plan to refer at least 900,000 people to these services by 2023/24.

Key deliverables made during the financial year 2021/22 by NHSPS include: 

  • £44.1m in annual cost efficiencies to the health service
  • £98m shareholder loans cleared in full to the Department of Health and Social Care
  • £135m capital investment made across the NHS – an increase of more than 20 per cent
  • 122 additional healthy places sites completed
  • 28 social prescribing places created

The report also describes how NHSPS has continued to work closely in partnership with NHS colleagues in many of the newly formed integrated care systems across the country to understand their needs and shape future estates projects to tackle health inequalities and care backlogs.
 
Martin Steele, Chief Executive Officer at NHSPS, said: “This set of results and our overall performance during this period is testament to the hard work and commitment of the 6,000 colleagues across the organisation and the core values that unite us – putting customers and patients at the heart of everything we do.
 
“As we move forwards, we remain resolved to continue providing innovative, affordable and practical healthcare estate solutions across the NHS ecosystem, while also protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of our colleagues. I remain incredibly proud of the work our colleagues have done for the NHS and the business remains well-positioned to build a brighter future for our health service by promoting progress in its estate strategy.”
 
Mark Smith, Chief Financial Officer for NHSPS added: “This has been a year of significant financial milestones for the business with our debts to the Department of Health and Social Care cleared in full and achieving the delivery of more than £250m in savings to the NHS since 2017. 
 
“These achievements have been a collaborative effort involving everyone from frontline colleagues to senior managers and I’d like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who’s been involved in making the cost transformation programme a success.
 
“Cost savings will continue to be a vital component, but we will also be driving a more holistic view of the full value we provide for our customers and stakeholders. For example, through income generation, increased efficiencies, and sustainability.”