NHS Property Services (NHSPS) has announced it will be relaunching its award-winning space management system, NHS Open Space, to benefit customers, landlords, and patients across the entire health system.

First launched in 2016, NHS Open Space was developed by the NHS for the whole healthcare sector.

The complete space management system provides all NHS and public sector landlords with a suite of specialist estates management, booking, and analytics tools, complemented by expert support and guidance from healthcare sector specialists.

NHS Open Space helps landlords to better understand how their estate is being used, at a room, property, or portfolio level, through one-off utilisation studies or ongoing monitoring.

Landlords can then use the tool to better manage their space, using it as either an internal booking system, or making the rooms available to other organisations to monetise underutilised space.

This enables landlords to drive maximum value through new revenue streams and reduces ongoing costs.

The self-service booking platform remains at the heart of the NHS Open Space estate management system, providing users with the ability to search, book, and use space quickly, saving valuable administration time and resources.​

Since its launch, around 7,000 users have successfully provided more than 160 services to patients over a staggering 3.5 million consultation hours.

Community Health Partnerships, which is head tenant in 308 health care buildings across England, is currently working together with NHS OpenSpace on a pilot scheme using the platform across 18 buildings in the Midlands and London regions.

Chris King, nead of Open Space for NHSPS, said explained: “We have enhanced NHS Open Space based on what our customers told us they needed, and it now provides them with clarity and control to assess, manage, and evaluate their estate.

“It will help provide meaningful utilisation data collection and reduce administration time, increasing cost recovery for our NHS customers, which is critical as they focus on forecasting and budget management as we enter a new financial year.

“We’re also thrilled to be welcoming CHP onboard this month and look forward to collaborating with them as part of a pilot scheme to create an improved experience for their tenants and customers.”

Phil Brenner, strategic estates advisor at Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Integrated Care Board, added:  “We are pleased to see the extension of NHS Open Space to our estates colleagues and landlords across the NHS, having experienced for ourselves the benefits and positive outcomes it brings to our estates management strategy.

“We look forward to working with NHSPS to further improve and develop the work we are doing together, to ensure our clinicians and patients experience the efficiencies brought about by the recent system enhancements and feel assured that the new offer will further improve access to the excellent care delivered to patients across our estate.”

Some added benefits to customers created by the new NHS Open Space platform include:

• One-off or ongoing utilisation studies and monitoring to understand their estate
• Decide on either an internal booking system for staff or allow other organisations to book and use space
• Functionality on a room-by-room basis giving customers full flexibility
• Self-service portal to manage properties, pricing, users, and access a suite of utilisation and financial reports
• Intuitive user interface to streamline management time and maximise usage
• Easy access from any device giving on-the-go flexibility.
• Wide range of room types including clinical and non-clinical space, across 200+ locations
• Transparent pricing and room availability data
• Further strategic estates management advice available through NHSPS’ additional service provision
• Expert UK based technical support