NHS Highland has turned to car giant Toyota to help it tackle a looming £9million-plus overspend at its flagship hospital.
The health board plans to use techniques developed by the Japanese manufacturer to launch a major efficiency drive at Raigmore in Inverness.
Bosses are pinning their hopes on the “kaizen” philosophy easing the ongoing financial crisis – but are also urging patients to play their part by turning up for appointments.
The hospital’s forecast overspend will be more than £9million by the end of the current financial year and the biggest burden is the cost of employing locum doctors.
Every aspect of the facility is coming under scrutiny as senior managers battle to save money.
Last night, the health board was praised for its radical approach by a patients’ group and a north politician.
The ongoing financial crisis at Raigmore contributed to the departure of hospital boss Chris Lyons at the end of last year.
Linda Kirkland is acting as interim director of operations until his replacement is recruited.
She was one of three senior members of NHS Highland’s team who visited Seattle in US to learn about the methods used by the Virginia Mason Medical Centre. It changed its healthcare delivery in 2002 and began using methods based on the Toyota production system.
It aims to improve healthcare by eliminating waste – or in Toyota’s case, lost productivity.
The trip to Seattle cost NHS Highland £18,300 in 2012.
Ms Kirkland, director of human resources Anne Gent and director of operations Gill McVicar visited the US city twice.
Since then, they have been involved in training other members of staff to adopt Virginia Mason’s methods. Their visits also inspired the health board’s own efficiency drive – Highland Quality Approach.
Margaret Watt, of the Scotland Patients Association, said it was “encouraging” to hear about NHS Highland’s new approach.
She said: “It seems sensible. It is refreshing to hear that they are trying to do something to protect services and make the best of the money they have got.
“It doesn’t matter what method they adopt as long as it is going to work for patients and staff. But they have got to watch it and, if it’s not right, they have to stop it. I wish them all the luck.”
And Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant said: “Anything that can drive efficiency and better patient care is a good thing. But we need to look at what happens in practice.”
Health board chairman Garry Coutts said the Toyota methods were proven to work in healthcare.
He added: “The hospital which lifted the system from Toyota has been nominated as the best hospital in the US for the past five years.
“People might be surprised but this actually creates quality improvement for patients.”
Fellow board member Michael Foxley said it was a “forensic examination” of waste within the system. One area under particular scrutiny at Raigmore is missed appointments.
Ms Kirkland said ensuring that every clinic and theatre slot was filled could help the hospital save money. She meets senior managers every morning to examine scheduled events around the hospital and ensure things are running efficiently.
Ms Kirkland said: “We are focusing on getting things to run properly. That means making sure that all our clinics are full and there are no vacant slots in-theatre. It is not scientific. It is the small things.”
Ms Kirkland said providing extra clinics for those patients who missed appointments cost money.
There will also be a review of the use of locums in the hospital, which have cost £2.6million.
There is uncertainty about how much this bill could be cut as recruitment to some positions is proving difficult for the health board.
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