Achieving operational excellence with optimised IT

At Solent NHS Trust we deliver diverse community and mental health services throughout Southampton, Portsmouth, parts of Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight. As the need for our services grows, so does the requirement for a dynamic and unified IT infrastructure that can empower our staff and elevate the quality of patient care.

Identifying the need for modernisation

For more than a decade, our end-user IT support was outsourced to the same provider. While this relationship maintained our operations for twelve years, it became increasingly evident that the service model needed a refresh.

The existing approach was hindering operational performance and our efforts to advance our digital workforce strategy, impacting our team’s ability to deliver and work effectively. Recognising the need to modernise, we opted for a comprehensive overhaul of our IT support. With a clear focus on delivering a seamless, cost-effective IT device and support service and that equips our people with the digital tools needed to deliver exceptional care to our patients.

Fostering continuous service development

Our ambition to achieve a higher level of digitally maturity, promoted us to take a proactive approach to service enhancements. This meant rolling out a new IT support framework and service desk that could simplify existing process while equipping us with current technical knowledge and expertise. Improving our analytical capabilities was also a major focus, as it would allow is to assess outcomes more effectively and support informed decision-making to encourage ongoing improvements.

The goal of the initiative was not only to optimise digital processes but also to deliver direct benefits to our staff. Ensuring consistency across services was essential, along with collaborating closely with our partners to deliver cost-effective solutions. This aim of the project was to make Solent a great place to work and provide staff with more time to care for patients. Establishing this approach allows for continuous adaptation of our digital services to effectively meet the changing needs of our communities.

Overhauling IT support systems

A major part of the transformation involved upgrading hardware and implementing a robust IT Service Management Platform, ServiceNoW. Within just ten weeks, over 4,000 new laptops were deployed across numerous sites, replacing older technology that was in use, particularly in our remote locations. To ensure the success of this initiative, we conducted a staff survey that generated over 2,000 responses and provided valuable insights to our partner, Exponential-e, enabling them to fine-tune the new IT support system

One notable improvement was the introduction of an appointment-based system for IT support, which significantly reduced walk-in requests for IT issues, dropping from 600 per month to less than 30. This change allowed us to deliver more precise and efficient support. Today, all interactions are logged and monitored, and real-time feedback from end users informs ongoing enhancements.

As a result, 75 percent of tickets are now resolved at the first point of contact and there has been a 20 percent increase in user feedback. Our ongoing technology partnership with Exponential-e ensures that the IT infrastructure remains flexible and responsive to the needs of our staff and service users alike. Together, we are building a foundation for sustained digital innovation, enabling us to deliver world-class care across every region we serve.

Entering a new era of IT support

Following the successful transition to the new support function, we have further refined our operations to meet keep pace with evolving needs. The number of service desk personnel has expanded, out-of-hours support is now available, and the roaming tech hub has been enhanced to deliver comprehensive coverage across all our sites. Robust Service Level Agreements and Key Performance Indicators help to ensure that critical issues are resolved promptly, with dedicated teams and a clear escalation process in place.

Our approach goes beyond adopting new digital tools and technologies, it cultivates an innovation-driven culture that empowers staff and enhances the quality of care. By enhancing the IT support experience and providing modern digital tools, we are boosting productivity, data quality and the overall user experience. These ongoing efforts are not just about improving day-to-day operations, they are also about enabling us to deliver more effective and efficient care across the Trust.