Want an insider take on what’s next for NHS estates management? In our recent podcast, we chatted to Fiona Daly, Director of Estate Sustainability and Workforce, and National Deputy Director of Estates for NHS England. She shares the thinking behind the Premises Assurance Model (PAM) and how it’s evolving to meet changing needs. It’s all about improving spaces to protect patient safety, enhance service delivery and elevate staff experience. Discover everything from the big-picture themes to the nitty-gritty of getting the right data in place.
Taking care of the NHS estate is a big responsibility. Spanning 27 million square meters across more than 10,000 buildings, the estate is managed by over 120,000 dedicated staff. With a reported backlog maintenance bill of £13.9 billion, estates professionals face unprecedented challenges.
So, as an NHS leader, how do you navigate the complexity of the estate? And what new initiatives and technologies are on the horizon to support you? This blog shares highlights from the podcast to give you an insider take.
Putting together the estates jigsaw
If you’re an NHS estates professional you’re likely familiar with the push to submit PAM, but do you know about the wider context? PAM was designed to complement and fill in the gaps in existing data. One of three core data collections for NHS estates, it sits alongside and complements ERIC (Estates Return Information Collection) and PLACE (Patient-Led Assessment of the Care Environment).
While ERIC provides statistical data about estate size, location, backlog maintenance, and energy usage, and PLACE captures patient perspectives on care environments, PAM is the crucial bridge between them. It offers comprehensive assurance for trust boards and national oversight. The model examines everything from safety compliance to policies, procedures, and governance. It’s like putting together the pieces of the jigsaw to see the bigger picture.
It’s about more than just buildings. The state of the estate shapes service delivery and staff experience. PAM is of real strategic importance and should be part of board-level discussions. Its importance is reflected in its inclusion in NHS England’s Insightful Board – a guide that ensures trust boards have visibility of critical areas. This elevation of estates reporting to board level demonstrates the growing recognition of its role in healthcare delivery.
The Data Quality Dilemma
What’s the one thing you would change about PAM management? Daly’s answer was unequivocal: data quality. Even with the most advanced technology and intelligent processing, it’s only as good as the data you put in. While the NHS has achieved a 100% response rate for PAM returns over the past five years, the focus now is on ensuring consistency and accuracy across organisations.
NHS England is helping trusts across the country improve data quality. It’s established a PAM user group where trusts can provide real-world feedback on reporting challenges and suggest improvements. This collaborative approach helps refine definitions and ensure organisations have a shared understanding of reporting requirements.
Embracing Digital Transformation
The Labour government announced three big shifts for the NHS, including a move from analogue to digital. This presents enormous opportunities for NHS estates. Emerging technologies are reshaping estate management.
Predictive maintenance is replacing traditional approaches, allowing more efficient resource allocation. For example, a system might flag issues with a piece of kit so that you can replace it before it becomes a bigger problem. Building Management Systems are becoming more sophisticated. Interoperability is key to harnessing the value of this data.
AI is also set to transform estates management. But it’s not just about the technical capabilities, Fiona emphasises the need for people to be comfortable with the tech and the importance of communicating the benefits. With good leadership, many of the technologies that seem innovative now like AI will increasingly become embedded in the mainstream and part of everyday estates management.
A Balancing Act
Today’s estates directors face the complex task of juggling numerous demands. With 30 million more patients coming through NHS doors compared to two years ago, estates teams must maintain basic safety requirements while responding to changing clinical needs, implementing new care models, and driving net zero. PAM helps organisations maintain this delicate balance while ensuring board-level visibility of estates performance.
Looking to the Future
As the NHS estate continues to evolve, PAM remains a vital tool for ensuring safety, efficiency, and compliance. The future promises exciting developments in automation and AI, but success will always depend on maintaining high-quality data and developing or hiring the right skills.
The message is clear: while technology will play an increasingly important role in estates management, the focus must remain on using these tools to deliver better, safer, and more efficient healthcare environments. It’s not just about collecting data – it’s about understanding it, using it effectively, and ultimately improving the estate for both patients and staff.
Whether you’re managing a large acute hospital or a network of community facilities, the evolution of PAM offers new opportunities to enhance your estates management approach. Taking a data-driven approach can support smarter decision-making and help secure the long-term future of the NHS.
See the bigger picture with Concerto
Concerto is the UK’s leading CAFM and estates management system. Built by property geeks who loved playing with Lego as a kid, the software is modular, meaning you can pick the parts of the system that best match your needs.
Winner of two PFM awards for Experts in Partnership, Concerto is trusted by clients including NHS England, HMRC, the University of Oxford, the London Fire Brigade, and many more.
To listen to the podcast episode click here
If you want to talk more about PAM, or are interested in what we are doing with other public sector organisations, then reach out to our team. Just complete the form below, or give us a call: 01925 989 500
