Benefits Blog Part 4 - "EPR Benefits Reflections"

In addition to the original blog you may be interested in my EPR Benefits Reflections as published on LinkedIn as shared below including some specific benefit types and examples.

This is taken from my experience in identifying and developing an approach to EPR benefits as part of the Nervecentre EPR journey at Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust and also partly drawing on some of the earlier work and exemplars at University of Leicester NHS Trust.

In addition, I gave a presentation at a QRP Belgium international online PMO event which was focused as an overview of the challenges of EPR benefits realisation where a copy of the full presentation (including hidden slides with guidance notes) is also being shared here for 2 Stellar Clinical Consultants visitors and clients.

EPR Benefits Realisation reflections.

Having taken the opportunity for a recent break including some study and networking, I wanted to reflect before starting a new role (as well as share some EPR benefits ideas and examples). As a starting point - we all need to appreciate that the reality of the landscape across the NHS in terms of benefits knowledge experience and resources verses the expectations in terms of resources and responsibilities within the APMG Managing Benefits manual is VERY different. Therefore for anyone seeking to support or manage EPR benefits a key focus needs to be on prioritisation as part of any strategy or approach, so in terms of what is the best use of YOUR time and resources in exploring benefits, e.g., in any baseline activity, in development of dashboards or reporting etc. What CAN realistically be achieved, where can you add value and demonstrate benefits amidst a sea of change still strongly focused on technical implementation but with some excellent examples of people driven change and cultural shifts and with Frontline Digitisation support. Also for most Trusts there is an understandable focus on cash releasing benefits in seeking to deliver the figures in the original EPR business case - but where this can be a wholly different landscape and a massive challenge for any benefits manager - moving on a few years from funding and where during implementation the SROs and key stakeholders, so essentially the Trust's knowledge of what the impacts really are, (current vs future state) and working with their chosen supplier are STILL growing and developing

For an EPR benefits manager, you are trying to meet a broad and sometimes competing range of challenges and expectations and looking at all benefits types across the breadth of the programme - not just on a modular/project level - but only you may hold this view, so seek early and regular leadership engagement, ideally in the form of a champion to support your approach, network with other benefits managers, keep sense checking priorities and actions, and vitally keep the conversations going regularly across all digital, clinical and operational leadership💡 benefits as an activity should sit across the whole timeline of delivery from the preparation of the business case right through into BAU.

Cash releasing benefits

Consideration should be made on whether the depth of clinical coding can be enhanced through the availability and quality of the data provided by new functionality as part of any EPR journey and/or specific EPR modules, and lead to additional Trust funding as an attributable EPR benefit. Paper/print/post/photocopying costs is one of the most obvious EPR benefits but requires alignment to modules or deliverables to make it feasible to track and monitor. A paper picnic and the as is process maps as part of the early EPR. Transformation activity can support this, as well as an understanding of the trust’s current supplier and procurement processes, with potential for addition savings through changes in the delivery/storage and disposal of paper related waste. The replacement of any historic systems should be considered as part of the EPR benefits but this may change significantly between the early EPR business case estimates and the reality sometimes several years later.

Non-cash releasing benefits 

Gaining insights from SROs, leaders and technical experts most closely involved in the development of the future EPR can provide a more holistic view and aid in the development of benefits models (where individual benefits are grouped collectively) with a stronger focus on BAU areas and processes rather than relating benefits to specific EPR technical modules. Such areas can include Ward Rounds, Theatres, Pharmacy and Pathology – where early identification of and engagement with EPR benefits owners and key BAU contacts is vital to obtain both anecdotal and historical input as well as planning any baseline observations.

Societal benefits

The national Frontline Digitisation Programme offer support and tools specifically to allow Trusts to calculate their QALY (quality adjusted life years) benefits in respect of the impact in monitoring areas such as Sepsis/AKI to support their EPR business cases, as well as to calculate the C02/sustainability paper/print related benefits. Patient safety benefits should be captured and shared for communications and staff engagement as well as in respect of clinical audits.

Quality benefits

For unmonetisable but important benefits such as Trust or Directorate reputation and staff morale, surveys to incorporate or focus on digital and EPR changes can offer valuable before and after comparisons, either using simple MS forms-based surveys or in alignment with Trust Communications or Readiness for Change.

Presentation User Group 18 March 2025 - full presentation and guidance notes.pptx

Download PPTX • 9.69MB