Herefordshire and Worcs NHS Trust reports five-day reduction in hospital stays following digital patient flow programme

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust has reported improvements in patient flow following the first phase of a digital transformation programme using Alcidion’s Miya Precision platform.

The programme is helping clinical teams coordinate patient discharge planning more effectively across seven community hospitals.

The Trust reports that average patient length of stay reduced by around five days (more than 15 per cent) during the first phase of the programme, alongside improvements in discharge planning and fewer estimated discharge date breaches.

By improving visibility of discharge planning and bed availability within community hospitals, the programme is helping services move patients through care more efficiently and support the timely transfer of patients from acute hospitals into community services.

The improvements reflect a combination of operational changes led by clinical and operational teams, supported by digital tools that provide clearer visibility of patient flow within community hospital services and support more effective discharge planning.

Phase one: improving discharge visibility

During the first phase of the programme, wards introduced Miya Flow digital journey boards configured to reflect the Trust’s community care pathways.

Key discharge information, including transport arrangements, social care provision, take-home medications and destination details, is now presented in a single view for staff, enabling teams to identify potential delays earlier and act more proactively.

Discussing the project, Marisa Manning, deputy associate director at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, said: “We want patients to spend the least amount of time in hospital that is clinically appropriate, supporting their wellbeing and enabling them to return home safely.

“By providing staff with clear and accessible information in a fast-paced care environment, teams can better plan discharges and quickly identify whether medication, transport and onward care arrangements are in place.

“Operational leaders also now have greater visibility of patient flow across wards, enabling teams to coordinate care more effectively and address potential delays earlier.”

Phase two: improving operational oversight

The Trust has now entered the second phase of the programme, introducing Miya Command, which provides operational leaders with a live view of bed capacity, discharge activity and patient flow across services.

Instead of reviewing data ward by ward, teams can now access a consolidated view of trends, delays and operational pressures across the organisation.

Bed management capability within the platform also provides clearer visibility of bed availability across wards and specialist areas, helping teams plan capacity more effectively as patients transfer from acute hospitals into community services.

Jane Howells, digital PMO manager at the Trust, said: “Working closely with Alcidion, we have configured the technology to reflect the way our services operate.

“Digital tools supporting patient flow are helping reduce administrative burden and support clinicians to spend more time focusing on patient care.”

Karen Hancocks, senior IT business analyst at the Trust, added: “The benefits that Miya Precision can give around visibility, efficiency and capacity are especially important.

“Digital tools that support patient flow help teams respond more effectively during periods of increased demand.

“For example, Winter pressures create additional bed demands, making this an imperative for our ability to support neighbouring organisations and as many patients as possible.”

Paul Deffley, chief medical officer and UK managing director for Alcidion, said: “Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust is a pioneer, as the first community trust to use our platform.

“The impact achieved is a testament to the work of staff, who have shown a willingness to embrace technology and to collaborate. We have worked together to ensure that technology responds to real needs, learning lessons that will undoubtedly be transferable to many community trusts in the NHS.”

Looking ahead

The Trust plans to extend the use of the Miya Precision platform further, including introducing digital patient flow tools within mental health services during 2026.

Improved visibility of beds and patient movement is expected to support better capacity management and help reduce out-of-area placements.

Interoperability with the Trust’s evolving electronic patient record is also planned, supporting alignment with wider integrated care system priorities.

The Trust is also sharing insights from the programme with other organisations exploring digital approaches to improving patient flow across community and mental health services.