Reducing Length of Stay (RLOS)

In June 2018, a national ambition was announced by the Secretary of State for Health to lower bed occupancy in hospitals by reducing the number of long stays (21 days or more). A reduction target of 40% has been set for 2019/20, with the aim to reduce the risk of harm to patients from physical and mental deconditioning that could be caused by long hospital stays.

The reducing length of stay (RLOS) programme will ensure patients get the care they need in a location best suited to them, improve working environments for staff and reduce crowding in A&E.

NHS England and NHS Improvement, working closely with partners, has developed a staff facing campaign to help reduce length of stay. Campaign materials carry the 'Where best next?' brand and materials include posters, social media assets, action cards, case studies and toolkits.

The campaign will encourage senior leaders and healthcare professionals to foster a ‘Why not home? Why not today?’ mindset.

Further information about the RLOS programme is available at england.nhs/wherebestnext

NHS England and NHS Improvement recently hosted two webinars (one for communications professionals and one for frontline staff / transformation leads) to introduce the campaign and the work happening in the national RLOS programme. Recordings and copies of the slides can be accessed on CommsLink. Please feel free to share through your local internal channels.