CINXE.COM
Stretched to the limit: tackling the NHS productivity challenge
<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>Stretched to the limit: tackling the NHS productivity challenge</title> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <link href="/css/digitalFirst.min.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <script src="https://use.typekit.net/ijz2rjt.js"></script> <script>try { Typekit.load({ async: true }); } catch (e) { }</script> </head> <body class="publication dark-theme" data-gtm="GTM-KTC7WL4" data-ga="UA-32595257-1"> <div class="container site-aside-container"> <aside class="site-aside "> <a href="/"><img src="/images/nhs-providers-logo.svg" alt="NHS Providers Logo" class="site-logo" /></a> <div class="site-navigation-container"> <a href="#" class="menu-button" id="menuButton"> <span class="burger-icon"></span> </a> <nav class="site-navigation"> <ul> <li class="active"> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit">Home</a> </li> <li> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/introduction">Introduction</a> </li> <li> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/key-points">Key points</a> </li> <li> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/what-has-the-nhs-been-tasked-with-and-what-is-being-delivered">What has the NHS been tasked with and what is being delivered?</a> </li> <li> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/what-are-the-barriers-to-improving-performance-and-productivity">What are the barriers to improving performance and productivity?</a> </li> <li> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/the-financial-task">The financial task</a> </li> <li> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/what-are-trusts-doing-to-improve-productivity">What are trusts doing to improve productivity?</a> </li> <li> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/what-do-trusts-need-from-government-and-national-bodies">What do trusts need from government and national bodies?</a> </li> <li> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/conclusion">Conclusion</a> </li> <li> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/references">References</a> </li> <li> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/resources">Resources</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <a href="/" class="nav-other-link" aria-label="Back to NHS Providers"> <span class="icon icon-arrow-left"></span> Back to NHS Providers </a> </div> <div class="share sticky-share"> <a href="https://facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit" target="_blank" class="icon icon-facebook" aria-label="Share on facebook"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet/?text=&url=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit" target="_blank" class="icon icon-twitter" aria-label="Share on twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit&title=&summary=&source=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit" target="_blank" class="icon icon-linkedin" aria-label="Share on LinkedIn"></a> <a href="#" class="icon icon-print print-handle" aria-label="Print"></a> </div> </aside> </div> <header class="site-header " style="background-image:url('/media/696065/epub-hero-finance-22-1.png');"> <div class="container"> <div class="site-header-inner"> <div class="header-date">Stretched to the limit: tackling the NHS productivity challenge</div> <h1>Stretched to the limit: tackling the NHS productivity challenge</h1> <div class="header-subheader header-subheader--small">July 2023</div> </div> </div> </header> <article> <div class="container"> <div class="article-outer"> <div class="share top-share"> <span>Share</span> <a href="https://facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit" target="_blank" class="icon icon-facebook" aria-label="Share on facebook"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet/?text=&url=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit" target="_blank" class="icon icon-twitter" aria-label="Share on twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit&title=&summary=&source=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit" target="_blank" class="icon icon-linkedin" aria-label="Share on LinkedIn"></a> <a href="#" class="icon icon-print print-handle" aria-label="Print"></a> </div> <div class="article-inner"> <div class="publications-grid"> <div class="row"> <div class="column-4"> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/introduction" class="box-outer"> <div class="box" style="background-image:url('/media/696079/stretched-boxes-1.jpg');"></div> </a> </div> <div class="column-4"> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/key-points" class="box-outer"> <div class="box" style="background-image:url('/media/696080/stretched-boxes-2.jpg');"></div> </a> </div> <div class="column-4"> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/what-has-the-nhs-been-tasked-with-and-what-is-being-delivered" class="box-outer"> <div class="box" style="background-image:url('/media/696081/stretched-boxes-3.jpg');"></div> </a> </div> </div> <div class="row"> <div class="column-4"> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/what-are-the-barriers-to-improving-performance-and-productivity" class="box-outer"> <div class="box" style="background-image:url('/media/696082/stretched-boxes-4.jpg');"></div> </a> </div> <div class="column-4"> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/the-financial-task" class="box-outer"> <div class="box" style="background-image:url('/media/696083/stretched-boxes-5.jpg');"></div> </a> </div> <div class="column-4"> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/what-are-trusts-doing-to-improve-productivity" class="box-outer"> <div class="box" style="background-image:url('/media/696084/stretched-boxes-6.jpg');"></div> </a> </div> </div> <div class="row"> <div class="column-4"> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/what-do-trusts-need-from-government-and-national-bodies" class="box-outer"> <div class="box" style="background-image:url('/media/696085/stretched-boxes-7.jpg');"></div> </a> </div> <div class="column-4"> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/conclusion" class="box-outer"> <div class="box" style="background-image:url('/media/696086/stretched-boxes-8.jpg');"></div> </a> </div> <div class="column-4"> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/references" class="box-outer"> <div class="box" style="background-image:url('/media/696087/stretched-boxes-9.jpg');"></div> </a> </div> </div> <div class="row"> <div class="column-4"> <a href="/stretched-to-the-limit/resources" class="box-outer"> <div class="box" style="background-image:url('/media/696088/stretched-boxes-10.jpg');"></div> </a> </div> <div class="column-4"> </div> <div class="column-4"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <footer class="site-footer"> <div class="share"> <span>Share</span> <a href="https://facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit" target="_blank" class="icon icon-facebook" aria-label="Share on facebook"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet/?text=&url=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit" target="_blank" class="icon icon-twitter" aria-label="Share on twitter"></a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit&title=&summary=&source=https://nhsproviders.org/stretched-to-the-limit" target="_blank" class="icon icon-linkedin" aria-label="Share on LinkedIn"></a> <a href="#" class="icon icon-print print-handle" aria-label="Print"></a> </div> </footer> </div> </div> </article> <div class="cookie-notification js-cookie-notification"> <div class="container cookie-notification--wrapper"> <h4>Cookie preferences</h4> <p>We use cookies and reporting technology to ensure we offer you the best experience across our website and analyse our traffic. Click 'allow all cookies' if you're happy with this. Alternatively, you can choose the type of cookie you would like to accept by clicking 'manage cookies' below. For more information please see our cookie policy.</p> <div class="cookie-notification__btn-wrapper"> <a href="#" class="btn btn-grey js-manage-cookies">Manage cookies</a> <a href="#" class="btn js-allow-all-cookies">Allow all cookies</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cookie-choices js-cookie-choices"> <!-- We use cookies --> <div class="cookie-choices__item"> <h4>Cookie preferences</h4> <p>We use cookies and reporting technology to ensure we offer you the best experience across our website and analyse our traffic. Click 'allow all cookies' if you're happy with this. Alternatively, you can choose the type of cookie you would like to accept by clicking 'manage cookies' below. For more information please see our cookie policy.</p> <a href="#" class="btn btn--primary js-allow-all-cookies">Allow all cookies</a> </div> <!-- Necessary Cookies --> <div class="cookie-choices__item"> <div class="switch-wrapper"> <h4>Necessary cookies</h4> <span class="always-on">Always on</span> </div> <p>These cookies help make the website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. The website cannot function properly without these cookies.</p> </div> <!-- Statistics Cookies --> <div class="cookie-choices__item js-cookie-row"> <div class="switch-wrapper"> <h4>Statistics cookies</h4> <div class="onoffswitch"> <input type="checkbox" name="onoffswitch" class="onoffswitch-checkbox js-cookie-input" id="stats"> <label class="onoffswitch-label" for="stats"> <span class="onoffswitch-inner"></span> <span class="onoffswitch-switch OVERRIDE_CallbackCTABackgroundColour"></span> </label> </div> </div> <p>Statistic cookies help us to understand how visitors are interacting with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. This helps us to understand where we can improve functionality on the website to provide visitors with a better experience.</p> </div> <div class="cookie-choices__btn-wrapper"> <a href="#" class="btn js-save-cookies">Allow selected cookies</a> <a href="#" class="btn btn-grey js-reject-all-cookies">Reject all cookies</a> </div> </div> <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.6.0/jquery.min.js" integrity="sha512-894YE6QWD5I59HgZOGReFYm4dnWc1Qt5NtvYSaNcOP+u1T9qYdvdihz0PPSiiqn/+/3e7Jo4EaG7TubfWGUrMQ==" crossorigin="anonymous"></script> <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/highcharts/9.3.0/highcharts.min.js" integrity="sha512-AGqzSjFBJrCDeyY5SlkdmE2CUYcs73RIh/JOUjVLwHu21P/Sp2x2pvzJZAxF+9OU78d58r1ysA6svBFLE+nrSA==" crossorigin="anonymous" defer></script> <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/highcharts/9.3.0/highcharts-more.min.js" integrity="sha512-4+honYzC01UIHZNP/thpmg93icJALbQFHGL3qzICwXj8xJpz/fDr3+7MoyMbLYs19VIL8Ze9WO6R5txpbW+vvQ==" crossorigin="anonymous" defer></script> <script src="/Socket/Themes/nhsp_theme.js" defer></script> <script src="/App_Plugins/uSocket/Scripts/usocket.js" defer></script> <script src="/scripts/digital.min.js" defer></script> <script src="/scripts/vendor/cookie.umd.min.js"></script> <script src="/scripts/global.min.js" defer></script> <script> $(document).ready(() => { uSocket(); }); </script> <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery-validate/1.13.1/jquery.validate.min.js" integrity="sha512-XUQUzvzZr8N8nZ86+aK/Ct0tffOmRfj4ROHpdaS95vVsBv/Mc3hdnU4mF3gzHmQ0fUrtSNPnLkRoDilUegt2wg==" crossorigin="anonymous" defer></script> <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery-validation-unobtrusive/3.2.12/jquery.validate.unobtrusive.min.js" integrity="sha512-o6XqxgrUsKmchwy9G5VRNWSSxTS4Urr4loO6/0hYdpWmFUfHqGzawGxeQGMDqYzxjY9sbktPbNlkIQJWagVZQg==" crossorigin="anonymous" defer></script> </body> </html>