Addressing the sizeable NHS maintenance backlog is driving the need for service partnerships that provide insight to support uptime and map out a path to modernisation and Net Zero, says Kas Mohammed, VP of Services for the UK and Ireland at Schneider Electric.
Healthcare facilities face unique challenges when compared with other types of facility, as they need consistent high availability of assets and systems so that patient care is never compromised. At the same time, the NHS faces a maintenance backlog of £11.6 bn, a figure which is currently growing. This puts strain onto teams as they strive to maintain complex systems alongside legacy assets.
Alongside this full-time responsibility, healthcare estates and facilities management teams also face intense pressure to increase efficiency, improve sustainability, and bring outdated systems up to modern standards within limited budgets. One way to reduce the strain is to use a service-partner to provide technical expertise and insight where and when it is needed. This will extend the reach of in-house teams without taking them away from their 'day jobs'. A partner can advise on the status and condition of existing equipment, map out a route to increase automation or save energy, support modernisation of key assets, provide 24/7 data-driven support, deliver training, and supply spare parts.
Such a service-partner can overcome the skills gap, especially in niche areas where it is difficult to recruit, train, and retain skilled workers. As they cover a wide range of facilities and industries, a service-partner will have a large team of technical experts — and this gives them the scale to provide a career path for people in specialist areas.
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