Research

NHS spends the equivalent of 3,000 Junior Doctors' salaries on post

The real cost of the NHS' post output

The NHS is spending millions of pounds on print and post while doctors are striking and the UK is falling behind on its carbon reduction targets.

Doctors and nurse in hospital corridor

The problem

A staggering reality

Our research highlights significant postal spend across NHS Trusts, revealing a major opportunity for digital efficiency. It's time to address the inefficient allocation of resources and explore ways to redirect funds where they matter: supporting nurses and frontline staff while protecting our environment.

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The facts

The numbers
speak volumes

We submitted freedom of information requests to 215 NHS trusts on the use of postal services and received responses from 72 trusts.

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£103 million in 5 years

NHS Trusts have collectively spent an astonishing £103,684,199 on post in the last 5 years alone, resulting in over 100 million individual items being sent.
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3,000 doctors' salaries

Expenditure on post over the past 5 years equates to approximately 3K Junior Doctors per year, based on an average salary of £34,012 p.a.
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£500K annual average

An NHS Trust typically spends around £512,547 on post annually. This would result in an estimated average yearly NHS expense of £110,197,700.
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Top spenders on post

The trusts that spend the most on post are University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (£9.3 m) and Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust (£8.5 m).
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£98m potential savings

Digitising just a portion of their communications by utilising secure email could save the NHS an estimated £98m over 5 years.
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504 tonnes less carbon

By shifting from post to secure email, the NHS could achieve 504 tonnes of carbon savings every year (that's 1.6 million km in a petrol car!).

The question

A call for change

With ongoing pressures on NHS budgets and the healthcare workforce, it's time to assess whether current communication practices are fit for purpose. In a digital world, can their volume of post and the resource it requires be justified?

Senior doctor talking on phone next to computer

The answer

The journey needed

The NHS must consider how to leverage available digital communications solutions and minimise their postal usage. By optimising communications, we have the opportunity to redirect funds towards areas that truly matter - enhancing the compensation of our dedicated Junior Doctors and frontline staff, addressing staffing shortages, and making progress in environmental sustainability.

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Quote

Modernising NHS communications is vital to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and align with our goals

A robust transformation strategy is needed. This aligns with NHS England’s Long Term Plan and Greener NHS goals to reduce carbon emissions and improve digital engagement.

Paul Holland CEO, Beyond Encryption
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Methodology

Beyond Encryption submitted FOI requests to 215 NHS Trusts. Of these, 57 disclosed expenditure on post since 2018, and 39 provided data on the volume of post sent. In total, 72 Trusts responded to at least one part of our request. Post spend equivalent calculated using the 2023 NHS Foundation Year 2 Junior Doctor salary of £34,012. Salary figures may vary slightly by location and contract.
Leader thinking about postal savings

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