National evidence reports
As well as individual case studies, two independent reports bring together evidence on Scan4Safety’s impact across the NHS.
- GS1 UK Scan4Safety Report 2026: Accelerating Scan4Safety adoption for safer, smarter healthcare — an independent evidence report drawing on 40 interviews with 29 health organisations across the UK and Ireland, alongside national cost data analysis. It sets out the safety, productivity and financial benefits being achieved where Scan4Safety has been implemented, and the scale of the opportunity still to be realised.
- GS1 UK: A Scan of the Benefits (2020) — the original Scan4Safety evidence report, covering the outcomes achieved by the six NHS demonstrator sites (Derby, Leeds, North Tees and Hartlepool, Plymouth, Royal Cornwall and Salisbury) during the 2016 to 2018 demonstrator programme.
Featured case studies
- Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust drives interoperability in pathology and medicines administration — Royal Papworth Hospital integrated its EPR system with neighbouring Cambridge University Hospitals to automate pathology results sharing, eliminating manual transcription and saving an average of 24 hours per result. Implementing electronic prescribing and medicines administration (EPMA) saved the trust over £50,000 in the first year while improving drug safety alerts and creating a full audit trail for prescribing and administration.
- One million scans: NHS trust sets a new standard in patient safety and efficiency — North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust becomes the first trust to reach one million Scan4Safety scans, marking a significant milestone in patient safety and operational improvement.
- Lost tissue samples a thing of the past with new innovative tracking system at Leeds Teaching Hospitals — Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has implemented an innovative tracking system that promises to eliminate the issue of lost tissue samples. Using barcode scanning technology, the new system allows staff to track tissue samples accurately from the point of collection through to laboratory analysis.
- How clinical engagement and change management enabled Scan4Safety benefits in theatres at Doncaster and Bassetlaw — How Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust implemented Scan4Safety across 28 theatres in 18 months, using clinical leadership and structured change management to deliver sustained benefits.
- End-to-end product traceability enables safer, more efficient care for Lancashire — A GS1 UK case study examining how NHS trusts in Lancashire used Scan4Safety to achieve full product traceability across the patient pathway, improving safety and supply chain efficiency.
- Vein to vein project to improve blood transfusions across East London – Barts Health Trust Vein to Vein project, is fully digitising blood transfusion processes in hospitals, reducing human error and improving patient safety and experience. It includes barcoded wristbands, scanning devices and mobile printers, as well as bedside-electronic transfusion checks (BETC) training for staff. Also read this blog on Implementation of bedside electronic transfusion checks at Barts Health Trust
- Scan4Safety using GS1 standards at the core of the patient pathway — Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s approach to building a connected, continuous Scan4Safety implementation with the patient at the centre, self-funded and driven by local leadership.
- More than stock management: the benefits of having a robust IMS during a pandemic — How Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust used Scan4Safety inventory management to track equipment and supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic, demonstrating the resilience benefits of real-time stock visibility.
- Harnessing the clinical benefits of point-of-care scanning — How Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust introduced Scan4Safety to make electronic observations and patient transfers safer and more efficient, capturing patient and location data at the point of care.
Share your Scan4Safety story
Every NHS organisation implementing Scan4Safety has a story worth telling. Whether you are at the beginning of your journey or have years of experience, sharing what you have learned helps others across the NHS to implement more effectively, expand Scan4Safety into new areas, avoid common pitfalls, and make the case for investment.
We are looking for case studies covering a range of topics and experiences, including:
- Approaches to implementation — how your organisation planned and delivered Scan4Safety, including governance structures, phasing, and lessons learned along the way
- Staff training and engagement — how you brought clinical and operational teams on board, built confidence in scanning workflows, and sustained compliance over time
- Impact and benefits realised — patient safety improvements, financial savings, time released to care, or operational efficiencies your organisation has achieved
- Staff and patient perspectives — how scanning has changed day-to-day working for nurses, pharmacists, theatre teams, or other staff groups, and how patients feel about the care they receive when Scan4Safety is in place
- Expanding Scan4Safety across your organisation — how you moved from a pilot or single use case to broader adoption across clinical areas or sites
- Innovative applications — new or unexpected ways you have applied barcode scanning beyond the core use cases
- Overcoming challenges — how you addressed barriers such as supplier compliance, WiFi infrastructure, workarounds, or cultural resistance
If you have a case study to share, or would like the Scan4Safety team to work with you to write one, please get in touch with the Scan4Safety team at NHS England by emailing patientsafety.enquiries@nhs.net.