Table 4

Study sample: characteristics and resourcing

HospitalType of acute hospitalRegion in EnglandImplementation period (start date and duration)Wards implemented/ total wardsExternal funding/supportProductive Ward dedicated staff
ATeachingMidlands and East2007
4 years		72/72

  • External funding from the NHSI for 2 years for 4 PWFs

  • NHSI also funded provision of external support from external delivery partner who helped to plan implementation strategy, trained Productive Ward team, and offered face-to-face support and challenge

  • No backfill for ward staff time

  • A hospital-wide PWL, a project support officer/data manager (these two posts funded by Trust) and 4 PWFs; all full-time on Productive Ward for at least 2 years

  • Two of the 4 PWFs remained in post for a further 2 years (funded by hospital)

BSpecialistLondon2008
2 years		13/13SHA funding of approximately £250 000 for:

  • ‘accelerated membership support package’ from NHSI (provided support for up to 10 staff, including 4 days training from NHSI for PWL, executive sponsor & eight ward managers from the early cohorts)

  • A PWL for 2 years

  • Backfill for ward managers implementing Productive Ward

  • Contribution to new equipment costs

  • 1 PWL for 2 years working full-time on Productive Ward

CLargeSouth2007
3 years 2 months		38/40

  • 6 months support from Lean Enterprise Academy funded by NHSI

  • External funding from the NHSI for 1 year for PWL and backfill for ward staff

  • Additional 2 PWFs after first year funded by NHSI for 6 months

  • 1 PWL (funded by NHSI) and 3 PWFs (funded by hospital) full-time for 12 months

  • Additional 2 PWFs for 6 months (funded by SHA)

  • 1.7 PWFs (funded by hospital) for 14 months

DSmallNorth2009
2 years		25/25

  • No external funding

  • Training in Lean from Unipart Expert Practices

  • 1 Unipart facilitator for 1 year.

  • 1 PWL and 2 PWFs (1 from Unipart) working full-time for 1 year (funded by hospital)

  • One full-time PWF for second year (funded by hospital)

  • Ad hoc support from QI team but no ward staff backfill funding

EMultiserviceSouth2008
2 years 7 months		34/34

  • Three posts (PWL, PWF, administrator) funded by SHA for 18 months); then extended from charitable funds for a further 12 months

  • No funding for ward staff backfill

  • 1 PWL, 1 PWF and 1 Productive Ward administrator working full-time on Productive Ward for 2½ years.

FLargeSouth2011
1 year 9 months		40/47

  • No external funding

  • No NHSI training or networking events running by this stage

  • 1 PWL and ‘mentor’ with Productive Ward as part of their remit; and 2 PWFs working full-time (all funded by hospital) for 2 years

  • No funding for ward staff backfill

  • NHSI, NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement; PWF, Productive Ward Facilitator; PWL, Productive Ward Leader; SHA, Strategic Health Authority.