NHS Property Services gains visibility, saves time, and ensures fire safety with Smartsheet

The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is one of the world’s largest publicly funded healthcare systems, providing free medical care to millions of people across the country. But delivering that care depends on more than doctors and nurses—it requires thousands of facilities that are safe, compliant, and ready to support clinical work.

That’s where NHS Property Services (NHSPS) comes in. This government-owned organisation looks after more than 3,000 NHS sites across the UK, making sure every building is fit for purpose and meets national healthcare priorities.

One of its most important initiatives is the Fire Compartmentation Programme, which manages fire safety across 1,400 properties. “We make sure that if a fire starts in one room, it stays in that room without spreading to others,” explains Sanjeve Gordhan, Project Management Office Manager at NHSPS. “In a hospital, that kind of control can save lives.”

Juggling hundreds of projects at once

With 1,400 properties to manage, each one is treated like its own project. “Right now, our team of 40 is handling around 550 active projects at the same time,” says Gordhan. 

Every month, they add dozens more—each one needing surveys, fire safety upgrades like new doors or sealed vents, and final checks to confirm everything’s up to standard. Each new site also needs approval from a building manager, leading to back-and-forth that can take days or even weeks.

From the start, the team used Smartsheet to manage the programme—but in a very basic way, treating it more like a spreadsheet than a project management tool. Each sheet contained information for hundreds of properties across a region, with no clear structure, milestones, or task ownership. There was no easy way to track delays or generate reports. 

“We were spending three to four hours a week on contractor calls, reviewing each property line by line,” explains Gordhan. “We needed more visibility, more structure, and a better way to coordinate everything. And from my own experience with Smartsheet, I knew we could get more value out of it.”

A tailored solution

With support from Platinum Partner Invoka Consulting, the team built a bespoke toolkit using Smartsheet Control Center, giving each property its own dedicated workspace. Now, when a new building needs to be launched, an NHSPS employee fills out an intake form, which automatically notifies the building manager for approval. This brings staff directly into the toolkit—a task sheet that outlines exactly what needs to be done for each project. 

“Once a task is marked complete, the next one is triggered automatically and assigned to the right person,” explains Gordhan.

NHSPS also gave each team member a personalised dashboard showing their own tasks, deadlines, and upcoming work—alongside colour-coded indicators that flag what’s on track, what’s at risk, and what needs immediate attention. At the same time, portfolio and regional dashboards give senior leadership a clear, high-level view of progress across the programme.

To make sure the system would be adopted smoothly, NHSPS focused on usability from day one. “We needed to ensure that the system would fit into our colleagues’ workflow and not add time to their day.” NHSPS gathered input and pain points from its stakeholders, and relied on Invoka to offer training sessions and support.  “Now, our project managers confidently use the solution daily,” Gordhan adds.

Operational clarity

Smartsheet gives NHSPS a complete, real-time view of both day-to-day tasks and wider programme trends. “I can see at a glance what’s happening—what’s been launched, surveyed, remediated, and closed,” says Gordhan. “We no longer have to review every project line by line. We can instantly zero in on delays. It’s made the entire process more focused and efficient.”

The team at NHSPS can also pull out the information it needs during leadership reviews and audits. “In the past, management would ask why something was behind schedule. Now, thanks to Smartsheet, we can explain exactly why,” Gordhan adds. “Since every decision is traceable, we can easily show during audits that every site followed the required steps and that all documentation is in place.”

Saving time, increasing impact

For Sanjeve, the biggest win is how much more productive the team has become. “Automatic notifications keep everyone informed and reduce the time spent chasing updates,” he says. “Our weekly meetings now take half as long, saving each person 80 to 100 hours a year. And approving new properties—which used to take up to two weeks—can now take just a few days.”

The improvements go beyond speed. The toolkit has also brought consistency across the board, with standard task assignments, built-in dependencies, and timely alerts. 

“It’s not just that we’re working more efficiently—we’re delivering better outcomes, faster, and helping keep NHS buildings safe for the people who rely on them,” Gordhan wraps up.

To learn more about how the NHS uses Smartsheet, read their customer story.