NHS trusts face numerous challenges that impact administrative efficiency and staff welfare. Peter Williams, CEO of SMS Tech, explains how the company’s solutions can streamline administrative burdens, reduce burnout, and support sustainability goals
The NHS faces various challenges, requiring innovative solutions to maintain operational efficiency, deliver high-quality care, and meet regulatory requirements. From staff workload and disconnected systems to sustainability targets and compliance, NHS trusts need adaptable, future-proof solutions. SMS Technology’s operational management software, now available on the G-Cloud 14 framework, provides a comprehensive, easily procured platform designed to tackle these issues and enhance healthcare delivery.
Challenges faced by NHS trusts
Staff shortages and burnout: Staff shortages remain a critical concern for NHS trusts. Overworked healthcare professionals are burdened by excessive administrative tasks such as compliance record-keeping, manual data entry, and maintaining paper-based documentation. These non-clinical duties consume valuable time, detracting from patient care and leading to burnout, low morale, and higher turnover rates. Trusts need tools to streamline administrative processes and allow staff to focus on their core responsibilities.
Maintaining CQC compliance:
Adhering to Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards is a priority for NHS trusts, as it directly impacts patient safety and the reputation of healthcare providers. However, compliance processes are often hindered by outdated manual systems that make tracking and managing audit data cumbersome and prone to errors. This lack of real-time visibility can leave trusts unprepared when the CQC conducts inspections, creating risks of non-compliance that could result in reputational damage or operational penalties.
Siloed systems and fragmented data:
Many NHS trusts operate with disconnected systems across departments, leading to data silos that hinder operational efficiency. These fragmented systems prevent healthcare professionals from accessing critical information when needed, delaying decisions and complicating communication. The lack of system interoperability is a major barrier to creating a unified view of trust operations and patient care metrics.
Sustainability goals and environmental responsibility:
As the NHS targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2045, trusts are under pressure to reduce waste and adopt sustainable practices. Traditional methods, including paper-based processes and disposable consumables, increase operational waste and conflict with environmental targets. NHS trusts require solutions that align with sustainability goals while maintaining operational efficiency.
Procurement complexities:
Acquiring new technologies can be a slow and complicated process for NHS trusts. Complying with procurement regulations and finding reliable solutions that meet quality and budget requirements often delay implementation and hampers innovation.
SMS Technology’s solutions
Streamlining administrative burdens and reducing burnout:
SMS Technology’s software automates time-intensive tasks such as compliance record-keeping, audits, and data entry. By digitising these processes, the platform saves healthcare professionals up to four hours per week, allowing them to focus on patient care. The software’s intuitive interface, designed for use on mobile devices, ensures ease of adoption, improving staff morale and reducing stress. By lightening the administrative load, SMS Technology empowers healthcare professionals to dedicate their expertise to clinical responsibilities, enhancing job satisfaction and reducing burnout.
Real-time CQC compliance monitoring:
SMS Technology takes CQC auditing digital, providing NHS trusts with real-time insights into their compliance status. The software generates internal compliance ratings based on the latest data, offering a clear, up-to-date view of areas requiring attention. Trust administrators can access audit trails and performance metrics at a glance, ensuring preparedness for CQC inspections and reducing the risk of non-compliance. This proactive approach simplifies compliance management, streamlines the auditing process, and builds trust with regulators, ultimately enhancing the quality and safety of care.
Breaking down silos with open API:
Disconnected systems are no longer a barrier to operational efficiency with SMS Technology’s open API. The platform integrates seamlessly with existing NHS digital infrastructure, pulling data from NHS data lakes and consolidating it into customisable dashboards. This integration eliminates data silos, providing a unified view of trust-wide metrics and enabling better communication between departments. By fostering interoperability, SMS Technology enhances decision-making and improves the overall coordination of care.
Supporting sustainability goals:
The platform’s digital-first approach eliminates the need for paper-based processes, significantly reducing waste and cutting costs associated with consumables. By transitioning to SMS Technology’s software, NHS trusts lower their environmental impact and contribute to achieving net-zero goals. As a net-zero company, SMS Technology ensures its platform has no Scope 3 emissions impact. Additionally, the software quantifies the environmental benefits of its implementation, helping trusts track their progress toward sustainability targets.
Simplified procurement through G-Cloud 14:
SMS Technology’s inclusion in the G-Cloud 14 framework simplifies the procurement process for NHS trusts. The G-Cloud framework provides a pre-approved marketplace of cloud-based solutions, ensuring that products meet rigorous standards for quality, security, and value. Trusts can procure SMS Technology’s software quickly and confidently without the delays associated with lengthy tendering processes. This streamlined procurement process accelerates the adoption of innovative technologies and ensures compliance with public sector regulations.
SMS Technology’s operational management software offers a transformative solution to the challenges faced by NHS trusts. From reducing administrative burdens and ensuring CQC compliance to fostering interoperability and supporting sustainability goals, the platform addresses critical operational needs. Its inclusion in the G-Cloud 14 framework streamlines procurement, making it easier than ever for trusts to adopt this innovative tool. By enhancing efficiency, improving compliance, and promoting sustainability, SMS Technology empowers NHS trusts to deliver exceptional care in a modern healthcare landscape.
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International.
![Figure 1. Systemic immune responses elicited by oral dmLT-saponin combinations compared to injected vaccines (A) Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) image of the dmLT and saponin formulation demonstrating the formation of acid-stable micelle particles upon the addition of saponin to dmLT. (B) Preclinical evaluation of systemic serum IgG and IgA antibody responses following prime/boost vaccination. Antibody levels against the microbial protein antigen included in the vaccination were assessed two weeks post-final vaccination in immunized mice. Groups were stratified by vaccination route (intramuscular [IM] or sublingual [SL]) and adjuvant formulation (dmLT [D] and/or saponin [S]). Comparisons with unvaccinated controls (white bars) are shown. Statistical significance between groups is indicated (*P < 0.05), with the SL D+S group achieving the best IgG and IgA responses to vaccine antigen.](https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Figure-01-100x70.jpg "New strategies for an old problem – Oral vaccines research")
