In 2012, Birmingham Solihull Mental Health Trust (BSMHT) began to have concerns with its existing cleaning audit software. After conversations with Asckey and a few demonstrations, in 2013 BSMHT signed a contract with Asckey for our fmfirst® Cleaning application.
As with all Trusts, requirements change and grow, and in 2020 we began exploring new features with the Trust. We began working together to develop a room inspection feature, utilising a very early version of what you may now know as fmfirst® Tasking.
Then in June 2021, their Head of Facilities Management contacted us about a project to bring their internal estates team on board, using the already existing information in the two systems. We provided costs and a demonstration of where we had moved on development-wise with the Task system. In line with our development process, we set up a trial system for the Trust to test and feedback on any changes that may be required.
Moving forward
Then in May 2022, the project was picked up once more – it was at this point we could showcase our newest application, fmfirst® Tasking. This new application was able to support their existing requirements but could offer more functionality to them.
We set up a trial of the system which ran for a few months and in December 2022, the Trust purchased the system. The next 6 to 9 months were spent populating the system with the required elements which included:
-
- Location information
-
- Creation of assets
-
- SOP
-
- Risk Assessments
-
- Task surveys/worksheets, and
-
- Development of the system to meet the requirements/demands of the Trust.
The above involved the Trust sending Asckey copies of all their PPM paperwork which our developers then processed and uploaded into the system. We converted all the information given into the asset register, which equated to over 6700 assets, across all sites.
Asckey has also helped the Trust to create Task Management user accounts, set profile constraints, and configure access, as well as import their contract/contractor data into the system.
The system went live in February 2024 with reactive works followed by planned and contractor work being added on April 24.
The trade staff are now working completely paperless. Contractor worksheets are instantly uploaded into the system. Thus, provides real-time feedback on compliance requirements for scheduled work and it can quickly identify any missing paperwork for record-keeping purposes.
What next?
The Trust is further expanding its portering and logistics team, and we are working with them to incorporate the fmfirst® Portering module into their system.
About the Trust
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust provides a comprehensive health care service to those people living in Birmingham and Solihull who are experiencing mental health problems.
The Trust serves a culturally and socially diverse population of over a million, spread over 172 square miles. They have a dedicated workforce of more than 4,000 staff – making them one of the largest and most complex mental health Foundation Trusts in the country.
