Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) is embracing a new doctor-built platform to help ease staffing pressures and transform the way doctors’ timetables are organised.
The e-rostering system was designed by NHS doctors Anas Nader and Jing Ouyang, and allows medics to view their shifts in advance and book annual leave more easily.
MTW hopes that the platform, which was built and delivered in partnership with healthcare workforce specialists Patchwork Health, will give medics more control of their time and help ease the overreliance on external agencies to fill any major staffing gaps.
Dr Nader believes that data-driven rostering is ‘essential’ to developing sustainable staffing arrangements which support medics’ independence, while making healthcare provision as efficient as possible.
He explained: “It was so important to us to build a rostering platform that unlocked this level of flexibility, while being simple and enjoyable to use for clinicians and managers alike.”
Patchwork Health’s products are estimated to have saved at least £80million in NHS workforce costs to date, helping organise nearly 7.5 million hours’ worth of shifts since 2022 alone.
Speaking about the introduction of the app, Sean Briggs, Chief Operating Officer at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, said: “The roll-out of the e-rostering system has already had a significant impact – reducing agency spend and improving cover in key clinical areas. Consistent engagement and support from the Patchwork team has ensured a smooth and effective implementation.
“We’re excited to continue this collaboration and expand the use of the system and the benefits across additional departments.”
