Introduction
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHC) is one of the UK’s largest community healthcare providers, managing a complex estates portfolio across multiple sites. When its existing CAFM contract reached renewal, the Trust saw an opportunity not simply to replace software, but to modernise the way its Estates and Facilities teams operate, improving efficiency, strengthening compliance and establishing a modern digital platform while maintaining uninterrupted support for frontline clinical services.
In partnership with Micad by SINGU, BCHC became the first NHS organisation in the UK to implement the SINGU CAFM platform, pioneering the next generation of NHS estates management.
Challenge
NHS Estates and Facilities teams must deliver safe, compliant and efficient estates services while managing growing operational complexity. Alongside reactive maintenance and planned preventive maintenance (PPM), they are responsible for statutory compliance, asset management, contractor oversight, capital planning and performance reporting, all without disrupting patient care.
BCHC needed a solution that could:
- Modernise legacy estates processes
- Improve operational efficiency
- Strengthen compliance and governance
- Deliver better reporting and business intelligence
- Reduce manual administration
- Improve asset data quality
- Maintain business continuity throughout implementation
“We weren’t simply looking to replace our CAFM system. This was a strategic investment aligned with our future operating model and the ambitions of the NHS 10-Year Plan. We wanted a platform that would simplify estates management, improve the quality of our data and enable better decision-making across the Trust. Working with the Micad by SINGU team, we configured the platform around the compliance, safety and operational requirements of our NHS environment. SINGU gave us confidence that we were investing in the future of our estates services, not just replacing the past,” says Phil Budd, Head of Estates at BCHC.
Implementation
BCHC approached the implementation as an opportunity to modernise estates operations rather than simply replace its CAFM system.
The programme is being delivered through a carefully phased approach to minimise risk and maintain uninterrupted support for clinical services. It includes data migration, user testing, targeted training, super-user champions and ongoing hypercare to ensure a smooth transition to the new platform.
This collaborative approach is helping BCHC modernise estates management while maintaining business continuity and giving users confidence to adopt new ways of working.
“Maintaining business continuity throughout the implementation is essential. Just as important is ensuring our people feel confident using the new platform. The phased rollout, tailored training, support from our super-user champions and the excellent hypercare provided by the Micad by SINGU team are making the transition far smoother than we anticipated,” says Zeeshan Qureshi, EBME & Estates Officer at BCHC.
Scope
By replacing multiple manual processes with a single connected platform, SINGU is helping BCHC modernise estates operations through automation, real-time insight and AI-powered decision-making. Bringing together maintenance, assets, compliance and reporting in one intelligent system, the Trust is improving visibility, reducing administration and increasing operational efficiency.
Intelligent Maintenance Management
Reactive maintenance, PPM scheduling and automated work allocation improve response times and workforce productivity while reducing manual administration.
Asset Lifecycle Management
A centralised asset register provides a single source of truth for estate assets, supporting lifecycle planning, investment decisions and compliance.
Governance & Compliance
Role-based permissions, contractor management, digital audit trails and statutory compliance workflows strengthen governance, improve accountability and simplify statutory compliance.
Reporting & Business Intelligence
Embedded Power BI dashboards provide operational and leadership teams with real-time performance dashboards for faster, better-informed decisions.
Strategic Estates Management
Capital planning, supplier management, ESG reporting and portfolio-wide performance monitoring support long-term estates strategy.
Embedded AI
AI is being embedded into everyday estates workflows, automating ticket creation, job summaries and asset data capture. Predictive maintenance helps identify potential failures before they occur, enabling teams to intervene earlier, reduce downtime and improve asset reliability.
Results
Although implementation is ongoing, BCHC is already realising measurable improvements in productivity, compliance and operational performance, with further benefits expected as the rollout continues.
Operational Benefits
- Up to 40% faster reactive maintenance resolution
- 25–50% improvement in PPM compliance
- Up to 50% reduction in service-related complaints
- 85% reduction in manual administration
Financial Benefits
- Up to 33% reduction in maintenance costs
- 500% projected return on investment over three years
- Supports delivery of the Trust’s Cost Improvement Programme (CIP)
“Every second counts in our helpdesk. SINGU is already helping us work faster and smarter. As the rollout continues, automated job allocation and more efficient ticket management will reduce administration even further, allowing us to spend more time supporting frontline services,” Dawn Clarke, Helpdesk Manager at BCHC.
The project has also provided the opportunity to improve data quality, remove obsolete assets, standardise processes and establish stronger operational governance.
Looking Ahead
As the first NHS organisation in the UK to implement SINGU, BCHC continues to work in partnership with Micad by SINGU to further develop the platform and expand its use across the Trust.
Future phases will further expand AI-powered automation, enhance reporting capabilities and continue optimising estates operations.
The programme is creating a blueprint that other NHS organisations can follow as they modernise their estates operations.
Conclusion
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is demonstrating how a CAFM implementation can become the catalyst for wider estates transformation. Through careful planning, close collaboration and a strong focus on people, the Trust is modernising estates operations while strengthening compliance, improving efficiency and creating a foundation for continuous improvement.
As the first NHS organisation in the UK to implement SINGU, BCHC is helping shape the future of digital estates management and demonstrating what’s possible when technology, people and processes come together.
“BCHC approached this as a genuine transformation programme rather than a software implementation. Their collaborative mindset and willingness to innovate have made them an outstanding partner, and together we’re helping define the future of digital estates management across the NHS,” says Jack Heappey, Account Executive, Micad by SINGU.