Working with Navenio to introduce this technology has given valuable time back to clinicians, allowing them to focus more on patient care. The results demonstrate how innovation and people together can transform NHS services.

Adam Mitton, Managing Director, Healthcare, Mitie

Transforming Operational Efficiency and Patient Care at Cumberland Infirmary

Cumberland Infirmary, part of the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, faced growing operational pressures due to increasing demand on services and constrained resources. Addressing these challenges became critical to improving patient flow, reducing backlogs, and ensuring staff could focus on delivering high-quality care.

To modernise operational workflows and streamline task management across the hospital estate, Cumberland Infirmary partnered with Mitie, a leading UK facilities management provider, and Navenio, a global leader in AI-powered location technology and intelligent workforce solutions.

The Challenge

Like many NHS sites, Cumberland Infirmary relied on traditional, manual approaches to allocate and manage non-clinical tasks such as portering, cleaning, and patient transfers — processes that were often time-consuming and inefficient. These inefficiencies contributed to slower response times, increased pressure on clinical teams, and challenges in maintaining patient flow.

Solution: AI-Powered Intelligent Workforce Technology

In November 2022, Mitie integrated Navenio’s Intelligent Workforce Solution across Cumberland Infirmary. This infrastructure-free system uses smartphone sensor data and advanced algorithms to deliver:

  • Real-Time Task Allocation: Automating job assignment so tasks are sent to the most appropriate staff member based on location and workload.
  • Smart Tasking: Chaining related tasks (e.g., patient transfer then room cleaning) to reduce manual handovers and idle time.
  • Instant Visibility: Providing live insight into task status and response performance for managers and clinical teams.
    The result was a significant shift from manual dispatching and radio-based coordination to an intelligent, automated system that quickly matched capacity with demand.

The result was a significant shift from manual dispatching and radio-based coordination to an intelligent, automated system that quickly matched capacity with demand.

Key Outcomes

Since deployment, Cumberland Infirmary has reported measurable performance improvements, including:

  • 58% reduction in overall task response times enabling quicker support across departments.
  • 65% decrease in porter task times, improving patient movement through wards and reducing delays.
  • 247% increase in daily cleaning tasks completed, boosting environment turnaround and overall hygiene efficiency.
  • More than 8,000 staff hours saved in the first six months alone, time that can be refocused on clinical priorities and direct patient care.

These enhancements have directly supported better patient flow throughout the hospital, helping to reduce backlogs and enhancing overall operational resilience.

Staff & Leadership Feedback

The integration of Navenio into our existing systems has fundamentally improved how we manage tasks at Cumberland Infirmary. Thanks to the Smart Tasking feature, we’ve seen significant improvements in response times and operational efficiency, leading to better patient care.

Elizabeth Klein

Chief Nursing Information Officer, North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Looking Ahead

The success at Cumberland Infirmary highlights the power of AI-driven workforce optimisation to improve operational performance in healthcare settings. The Trust and its partners continue to explore further opportunities to extend smart tasking solutions and drive even greater value from digital transformation efforts.