Work organisation and innovation: Case study: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK

The Productive Ward (PW) programme was designed by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, in partnership with nurse leaders and industry partners, in 2005. The programme was intended to increase the efficiency of NHS working practices, therefore creating more time for staff to devote to patient care. In more recent years, however, it has also been designated an important tool in helping the NHS confront ‘the biggest challenge of its history’ as recent cuts to public spending mean it must make GBP15–20 billion worth of efficiency savings by 2014.