PROBLEM
Ashgate Hospicecare provides compassionate, specialist palliative and end‑of‑life care, free of charge, to over 3,000 patients each year across North Derbyshire, supported by approximately 700 volunteers and more than 350 staff.
The challenges created by the COVID‑19 pandemic accelerated the organisation’s need to work more efficiently and effectively in a remote environment. A strategic IT review highlighted several critical issues:
- Key clinical and operational data was locked inside systems that were difficult and time‑consuming to access
- Manual processes were creating significant operational overhead
- Limited integration and automation reduced the organisation’s ability to extract insight from its data
- Reporting relied heavily on manual effort, restricting the ability to make timely, informed decisions
Ashgate Hospicecare needed a solution that could automate data extraction, reduce administrative workload, and lay the foundation for improved analytics and reporting—without disruption to vital frontline services.
SOLUTION
Cooper Parry Digital worked closely with Ashgate Hospicecare to design a phased automation strategy that delivered immediate efficiency gains while supporting a longer‑term data and analytics vision.
Phase one focused on rapid, tactical automation:
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA) using UiPath was implemented to extract information from clinical systems
- Data that previously took days to compile was automatically captured and delivered into structured Excel outputs
- This eliminated repetitive manual handling and dramatically reduced processing time
Phase two established a strategic data foundation:
- Data extraction was further optimised to ensure consistency, structure, and reliability
- An analytics and visualisation layer was introduced to transform raw data into meaningful management insight
- Reporting became faster, clearer, and more accessible to decision‑makers
Throughout the engagement, Cooper Parry Digital prioritised:
- Jargon‑free communication
- Absolute clarity on scope and outcomes
- Confidence in post‑project support to ensure long‑term success
VALUE ADDED
The automation solution delivered immediate and measurable impact for Ashgate Hospicecare, freeing up valuable time and resources to focus on patient care.
Key outcomes included:
- Workload reduced from six days to under 30 minutes for one team member
- 60% return on investment achieved within 24 months
- Significant reduction in manual handling and operational workload
- Improved accuracy, consistency, and availability of data
- A scalable foundation for future analytics and insight
By automating previously manual, time‑consuming processes, Ashgate Hospicecare gained the clarity and efficiency required to operate effectively in a remote and resource‑constrained environment—ensuring staff time is focused where it matters most.
