New research from Schneider Electric has revealed that almost one in five NHS Trusts are now spending more than half of their maintenance budgets on emergency repairs.
The research – The Hidden Cost: Unveiling inefficiencies in the NHS – is based on Freedom of Information (FOI) data from 66 NHS Trusts in England and highlights the growing need for sustainable infrastructure improvements. The FOI data shows that nearly half (41 per cent) of Trusts report limited visibility into infrastructure. When faults occur, fewer than a third (27.45 per cent) can repair equipment within one working day, increasing the impact of unplanned outages. Only around one in six Trusts (17.65 per cent) have improved equipment monitoring as part of their Net Zero initiatives.
According to Schneider Electric: ‘As hospitals modernise, digital tools are increasingly being used to make equipment performance visible through real-time data. By connecting assets to sensors and software, estate teams gain a clear, continuous view of how equipment is behaving – providing insight comparable to an engineer diagnosing issues around the clock. This enables more proactive, planned maintenance and helps reduce avoidable disruption.’
Kas Mohammed, vice president of services, Schneider Electric UK & Ireland, said: “NHS estates teams work tirelessly to maintain essential infrastructure, often without the asset visibility needed to prevent faults before they disrupt services. Digital insight can help shift maintenance from reactive to planned, easing pressure on teams and supporting more resilient, energy-efficient estates.”
