5 data-driven insights to improve NHS trusts equipment tracking

2. Staff time lost searching for equipment

Time is the most valuable resource in healthcare. A peer-reviewed study in the Future Hospital Journal found that doctors spent about 13% of their time searching for equipment and paperwork. Across a Trust, this quickly adds up to many clinical hours.

Recent NHS pilots show what can be recovered. In 2024, as part of NHS England's Wireless Trials programme, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust received funding to install wireless trackers on medical equipment and hospital beds for real-time monitoring and location tracking.

The aim is to help staff easily find what they need when they need it, ultimately freeing up more staff time to spend with patients.

Every minute spent looking for a device is a minute not spent with a patient. Real-time visibility changes that equation.

3. Proven savings from NHS pilots

When Trusts can see where equipment is and how it moves, costs start to fall. The Scan4Safety programme across six demonstrator Trusts reported impressive results: 140,000 clinical hours released to care, £5 million in recurrent inventory savings, and £9 million in non-recurrent inventory reductions over the two-year programme period.

Individual Trust results were equally compelling. At University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, cumulative benefits of £3.2 million were realised by December 2018 following the introduction in April 2016. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust reduced average product recall time from 8.33 days to less than 35 minutes, with estimated annual savings of £84,411 on recalls alone.

There is also fresh evidence of real-world deployments outside the UK. At the University Medical Centre Groningen in the Netherlands, Systematic's Search and Find platform is being implemented to locate equipment, beds, and personnel in real time through mobile devices. The hospital expects gains in faster location, optimised stock levels, and automated maintenance and cleaning workflows.

4. ROI and payback timelines

Procurement teams need to know when an investment will pay for itself. Evidence from NHS pilots points to rapid payback. The Scan4Safety evidence report documents substantial non-recurrent and recurrent savings within the two-year Scan4Safety programme period. Individual site results show strong returns: Derby Teaching Hospitals realised £3.2 million in cumulative benefits, while Leeds Teaching Hospitals reported £2.3 million in cumulative savings.

The visualisation demonstrates the typical two-year payback pattern that NHS Trusts can expect when implementing equipment tracking systems, based on the verified Scan4Safety evidence.

Trusts that phase deployments tend to see quicker returns. Start with high-value mobile assets, use existing Wi-Fi infrastructure, and expand as the data shows what to optimise next. The financial case strengthens as duplicate orders fall, rentals reduce, preventive maintenance is scheduled on time, and clinical space is used more effectively.

See what ROI could look like in your own Trust. Our team can tailor a demo based on your environment and priorities. 

5. Patient safety and compliance benefits

The case for tracking is not just financial. In urgent scenarios, delays in locating equipment can affect outcomes. Systems that make device location and status visible reduce delays and increase confidence that the right equipment is where it is needed.

Regulation supports this approach. The Care Quality Commission requires equipment to be suitable, maintained, and stored securely under Regulation 15: Premises and Equipment. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency sets expectations for systematic medical device management, including accurate device usage records, maintenance, and incident reporting. Real-time visibility makes compliance simpler by building evidence into daily workflows.

Recent European deployments show how the same principles apply outside the UK. UMCG's Search and Find rollout is designed to ensure that critical devices are available and clean when needed, with automated triggers for maintenance and cleaning that reduce risk and support patient safety.

Technology choices for NHS Trusts

Most Trusts will benefit from a hybrid approach. Barcodes are low-cost and effective for basic inventory control, although they rely on line-of-sight scanning. RFID increases automation and accuracy and is well-suited to mobile assets. IoT and real-time location systems provide continuous monitoring across large estates and can integrate with EHRs and CMMS. Start with the problem you must solve, then choose the data and technology that best fit the workflow.

Conclusion

The combined evidence from FOI investigations, national audit work, case studies, peer-reviewed studies, and NHS pilots shows that equipment loss and wasted searching remain persistent problems.

Digital tracking reduces waste, returns time to care, and simplifies compliance. NHS Trusts that start with clear objectives, phased deployments, and measure results unlock the most outstanding value for patients and staff.