Delivering mobile phone savings back into the NHS

At a glance

Category: Digital & Technology Solutions

Initiative: Mobile Phone Efficiency Initiative

Customers: NHS organisations in London and nationally

Delivery partners: Nuvoli and Government Commercial Agency 

Audits completed: 198 - 36 in London and 162 nationally

Savings validated by NHS trusts as of September 2026: £9.7 million

Key benefits: Reduced mobile costs, removal of unused connections, improved tariff value and better visibility and control of mobile estates

 

The challenge

The mobile phone estate can become difficult to manage over time. NHS organisations may be paying for connections that are no longer used, tariffs that no longer reflect requirements, or services that could be purchased more cost-effectively. Large sized estates also make it harder to maintain visibility of devices and SIM cards, creating potential security, resilience and financial risks.

NHS LPP responded to an opportunity to help organisations understand what they were paying for and where immediate savings could be made. The challenge was to make the process straightforward for busy NHS teams. Rather than asking organisations to undertake lengthy reviews themselves, NHS LPP developed an audit programme that required minimal input from the customer while providing a detailed evidence base for action.

Our approach

NHS LPP worked with (and still continues to work with) specialist audit partner Nuvoli to review each organisation’s mobile estate.

The process begins with a short data download session, using billing information from the organisation’s existing mobile provider. The audit then provides a comprehensive picture of current pricing, usage patterns, inactive SIMs and devices, and opportunities to reduce unnecessary expenditure.

Current costs are also benchmarked against the latest pricing available through the Government Commercial Agency RM6261 framework, enabling organisations to understand whether improved tariff arrangements could deliver further savings.

Following the analysis, NHS LPP and Nuvoli present the findings to the organisation and agree which opportunities should be progressed. Where appropriate, NHS LPP supports the organisation through the subsequent commercial process, including accessing the RM6261 framework and support organisations with the contractual arrangements.

The approach does not stop once a new arrangement is established. Review meetings and mid-term audits can help monitor new connections and prevent unnecessary costs gradually returning to the mobile estate.

The impact

The programme has grown significantly from its original London focus and has now completed 198 mobile phone audits across the NHS. Those audits have identified £38.2 million in potential savings, including £19.3 million from mobile tariffs alone.

In London, 36 audits identified approximately £7.7 million in potential savings. A further 162 audits nationally identified around £30.5 million.

As of September 2026, £9.7 million of savings has been validated, with £5.86 million already delivered and released back into NHS organisations to support or invest into NHS frontline services.

The initiative therefore provides both immediate financial opportunities and longer-term benefits. Organisations gain a much clearer understanding of their mobile estate, helping them remove unnecessary connections, improve tariff choices and establish stronger ongoing controls.

The simplicity of the process has also supported its national expansion. The initial data download takes around 15 minutes, followed by a 45-minute session to review findings and recommendations, keeping the burden on participating NHS teams low.

What the customer said

“We did find this a useful exercise which highlighted some issues and some savings. We are certainly appreciating the savings on this new tariff and using this for the purchase of replacement mobile devices. All in all, a worthwhile exercise.”

Mike Wilkes, Head of Digital Operations, South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust 

Why it matters

Small amounts of unnecessary expenditure multiplied across hundreds or thousands of mobile connections can quickly become significant.

This initiative demonstrates the value of using detailed spending and usage data to challenge those costs. Rather than accepting an existing mobile estate as fixed, NHS organisations can identify unused services, test whether tariffs still represent good value and put better controls in place for the future. The result is a relatively simple intervention with the potential to release substantial savings.

As of September 2026, nearly £5.86 million has already been returned to NHS organisations, providing funding that can be redirected towards their own priorities and patient services.

Find out more

To find out how our Digital and Technology Solutions team can help your organisation identify savings through a mobile phone audit, or to discuss any digital technology challenges you are facing, contact gstt.cds@nhs.net.

Notes:

‘Realised savings’ means realised to date and reported on a monthly basis during the term of the tariff. Actual savings cannot be realised until the duration of the tariff is complete.  

‘Identified savings’ means what the audit identified as the potential savings for example, tariff quick wins, high usages and device management.    

‘Validated savings’ means that the NHS trust reviewed for example the tariff savings projected over the 12 months and agreed to them.    

Figures correct at time of publishing: 1 September 2026