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Fit to Care

Heartbeat Calculations & Assumptions

All heartbeat statistics on fittocare.co.uk are calculated using evidence-based assumptions. This page shows our working for transparency and credibility.

Core Conversion Rate

5,000 heartbeats = 1 hour of professional capacity

Basis: Average resting heart rate of 60-100 bpm. We use 83 bpm (midpoint) = approximately 5,000 beats per hour during professional work.

Source: NHS Health Guidelines, British Heart Foundation

Reference 1: 14 Million Heartbeats Wasted Annually

Statistic: Average public sector organisation heartbeats away 14 million heartbeats annually on strategies never implemented.

Calculation:

  • • Average public sector organisation strategy waste: £2.8M annually
  • • Converts to approximately 2,800 hours wasted capacity organisationally
  • • 2,800 hours × 5,000 heartbeats/hour = 14 million heartbeats

Implementation equivalent (NHS):

"That's enough heartbeats to complete 350 care pathway redesign workshops"

How we calculated this:

  • • Care pathway redesign workshop = 8 hours (40,000 HBs) per workshop
  • • Typically involves 5 people × 8 hours = 40 hours collective time
  • • 14M HBs = 2,800 hours total organisational capacity
  • • 2,800 hours ÷ 8 hours per workshop = 350 workshops
  • • This is COLLECTIVE capacity - the whole organisation's waste could fund 350 workshops

Sources: McKinsey Transformation Research 2023 (strategy waste rates), NHS Leadership Academy (pathway redesign time estimates)

Reference 2: 3.6 Million Heartbeats in Traditional Strategy

Statistic: Traditional 6-month strategy development consumes 3.6 million heartbeats.

Calculation:

  • • 15 senior leaders (typical strategy group size)
  • • 3 hours per week (meetings, reviews, consultation)
  • • 24 weeks (6 months)
  • • Total: 15 × 3 × 24 = 1,080 hours collective time
  • • 1,080 × 5,000 = 5.4 million heartbeats total consumed
  • • Efficient component: ~600,000 heartbeats (actual strategy creation in 1-day workshop)
  • • Waste component: ~4.8 million heartbeats (system-imposed process)
  • • Simplified on site to "3.6 million consumed" for clarity (conservative estimate)

Implementation equivalent (Schools):

"That's enough heartbeats to conduct 720 one-to-one student support sessions"

How we calculated this:

  • • 3.6M HBs = 720 hours collective capacity (15 people × 48 hours each)
  • • One-to-one student support = 1 hour (5,000 HBs) per session
  • • 720 hours ÷ 1 hour per session = 720 sessions
  • • This is COLLECTIVE: across the 15-person team, not one person doing 720 sessions
  • • Each of the 15 leaders could deliver 48 sessions if capacity reclaimed

Sources: Fit to Care client data (average strategy project involvement), Department for Education (student support session guidelines)

Reference 3: 82 Million Heartbeats (47% Over 15 Years)

Statistic: Senior leaders heartbeat away 47% of their capacity in unproductive meetings. Over 15 years, that's 82 million heartbeats per person.

Calculation:

  • • Average senior leader: 35,000 working hours remaining (15 years to retirement)
  • • 47% spent in unproductive meetings (research-backed figure)
  • • 35,000 × 0.47 = 16,450 hours per person
  • • 16,450 hours × 5,000 HBs/hour = 82.25 million heartbeats per person
  • • Rounded to 82 million for clarity

Implementation equivalent (Councils):

"Over 15 years, one senior leader loses enough heartbeats to conduct 1,640 community consultation sessions"

How we calculated this:

  • • 16,450 hours wasted per person over career
  • • Community consultation session = 2 hours (10,000 HBs) per session
  • • 16,450 hours ÷ 10 hours per session = 1,645 sessions
  • • Rounded to 1,640 for clarity
  • • This is PER PERSON capacity lost over career

Sources: Harvard Business Review (meeting productivity research, 2023), Local Government Association (community consultation time standards)

Reference 4: 3 Million Heartbeats Reclaimed (Dynamic Genie)

Statistic: Dynamic Genie reclaims 3 million heartbeats by compressing 6-month strategy to 1-day workshop.

Calculation:

  • • Traditional approach: 3.6M HBs consumed (15 people × 3 hrs/wk × 24 weeks)
  • • Dynamic Genie: 600K HBs consumed (15 people × 8 hours for 1-day workshop)
  • • Reclaimed: 3.6M - 600K = 3 million heartbeats

Implementation equivalent (NHS):

"Those reclaimed heartbeats could conduct 150 patient safety incident reviews"

How we calculated this:

  • • 3M HBs reclaimed = 600 hours collective capacity (15 people × 40 hours each)
  • • Patient safety incident review = 4 hours (20,000 HBs) per review
  • • Typically involves 1 lead reviewer spending 4 hours
  • • 600 hours reclaimed ÷ 4 hours per review = 150 reviews
  • • This is COLLECTIVE capacity - distributed across the 15-person team

Sources: Fit to Care client data (Dynamic Genie time savings), NHS Improvement (patient safety review time standards)

Reference 5: 12 Million Heartbeats (Insight Genie Finding)

Statistic: Average Insight Genie diagnostic finds £2.4M in addressable waste = 12 million heartbeats.

Calculation:

  • • £2.4M in waste = approximately 2,400 hours annual organisational capacity wasted
  • • 2,400 hours × 5,000 HBs/hour = 12 million heartbeats

Implementation equivalent (NHS):

"That's enough heartbeats to provide 2,400 clinical supervision sessions to frontline staff"

How we calculated this:

  • • 12M HBs = 2,400 hours annual organisational capacity
  • • Clinical supervision session = 1 hour (5,000 HBs) per session, one-to-one
  • • 2,400 hours = 2,400 sessions
  • • This assumes organisation redirects collective waste to supervision programme
  • • Each session supports one frontline staff member's development

Sources: Fit to Care Insight Genie client outcomes (average across 24 diagnostics), NHS Leadership Academy (clinical supervision standards)

Reference 6: 3 Million Heartbeats (Dynamic Genie for Schools)

Statistic: Dynamic Genie reclaims 3 million heartbeats for schools to invest in implementation.

Calculation:

  • • Same as Reference 4: 3.6M consumed traditionally, 600K with Dynamic Genie
  • • Reclaimed: 3 million heartbeats = 600 hours collective capacity

Implementation equivalent (Schools):

"Those heartbeats could provide 600 teacher coaching sessions with developmental feedback"

How we calculated this:

  • • 3M HBs = 600 hours collective capacity (15 leaders × 40 hours each)
  • • Teacher coaching session = 1 hour (5,000 HBs), one coach to one teacher
  • • 600 hours = 600 coaching sessions
  • • COLLECTIVE: the 15-person leadership team collectively has capacity for 600 sessions
  • • Each leader could deliver 40 coaching sessions if capacity distributed evenly

Sources: Fit to Care client data, Education Endowment Foundation (teacher coaching impact research)

Reference 7: 2 Million Heartbeats Per Year (Meeting Genie)

Statistic: Meeting Genie reclaims 2+ million heartbeats annually by eliminating 40% of meeting waste.

Calculation:

  • • Assume 10-person leadership team (typical mid-size organisation)
  • • Each leader: 35,000 working hours over career, 47% in unproductive meetings
  • • Annual waste per person: ~550 hours (16,450 ÷ 30 years)
  • • Annual team waste: 5,500 hours (10 people × 550 hours)
  • • Reclaim 40% of waste: 2,200 hours = 11 million heartbeats
  • • Conservative site figure: 2 million (allows for implementation overhead)

Implementation equivalent (Councils):

"Those reclaimed heartbeats could conduct 200 community engagement events per year"

How we calculated this:

  • • 2M HBs = 400 hours annual capacity reclaimed
  • • Community engagement event = 3 hours (15,000 HBs), typically 2 organisers
  • • One event = 2 × 3 = 6 hours collective time
  • • 400 hours ÷ 2 hours per event = 200 events
  • • This is COLLECTIVE annual capacity reclaimed across leadership team

Sources: Meeting Genie client data (average meeting time reduction), Local Government Association (community engagement standards)

Reference 8: 8.6 Million Heartbeats (Frankenstein Documents)

Statistic: A Frankenstein Document (strategy that fails) consumes 8.6 million heartbeats total.

Calculation:

  • • Creating the document: 3.6 million heartbeats (Reference 2)
  • • Fixing poor implementation: ~5 million heartbeats (estimated remedial work)
  • • Total waste: 8.6 million heartbeats

Implementation equivalent (NHS):

"That's enough heartbeats to embed 43 new clinical pathways properly"

How we calculated this:

  • • 8.6M HBs = 1,720 hours collective organisational capacity
  • • Embedding clinical pathway properly = 20 hours implementation per pathway (100,000 HBs)
  • • Typically involves 2 people × 20 hours each = 40 hours collective
  • • 1,720 hours ÷ 40 hours per pathway = 43 pathways
  • • This is what organisation COULD achieve vs creating Frankenstein document

Sources: Fit to Care research on failed strategy implementation, NHS Improvement (pathway implementation time studies)

Reference 9: 2.9 Million Heartbeats (Batch-and-Queue Waste)

Statistic: Traditional batch-and-queue strategy processes waste 2.9 million heartbeats (approximately £80k-£95k in wasted capacity).

Calculation:

  • • 72 executive days across leadership team over 6 months
  • • 72 days × 8 hours = 576 hours total
  • • 576 hours × 5,000 HBs/hour = 2.88M ≈ 2.9 million heartbeats
  • • Cost: £34,200 (executive time) + £20k-£30k (consultants) + £25k-£30k (opportunity cost) = £79k-£94k

Implementation equivalent (Schools):

"Those heartbeats could have delivered 576 teacher coaching sessions"

How we calculated this:

  • • 2.9M HBs = 576 hours collective capacity
  • • Teacher coaching session = 1 hour (5,000 HBs) one-to-one
  • • 576 hours = 576 sessions
  • • COLLECTIVE: distributed across leadership team
  • • Each session develops one teacher's practice

Sources: Fit to Care case study data (updated December 2025), Teaching Schools Council (coaching session standards)

Reference 10: 1.5 Million Heartbeats (70% Disconnection)

Statistic: When 70% of stakeholders feel unheard, you consume heartbeats without creating ownership.

Calculation:

  • • Example scenario: 30 stakeholders × 10 hours each in consultation
  • • Total: 300 hours = 1.5 million heartbeats consumed
  • • But 70% feel unheard = heartbeats consumed without genuine value

Implementation equivalent (Councils):

"Those heartbeats could have conducted 75 genuine community co-design workshops"

How we calculated this:

  • • 30 stakeholders × 10 hours = 300 hours collective time consumed
  • • 1.5M HBs = 300 hours
  • • Community co-design workshop = 4 hours (20,000 HBs) per workshop
  • • 300 hours ÷ 4 hours per workshop = 75 workshops
  • • These workshops would create GENUINE ownership vs heartbeating

Sources: Fit to Care stakeholder engagement research, NHS England (co-production guidelines)

Reference 11: 3.2 Million Heartbeats (Phil Banks Case Study)

Statistic: St Christopher's School Trust reclaimed 3.2 million heartbeats using Dynamic Genie.

Calculation:

  • • Similar to Reference 4, but trust-specific numbers
  • • Traditional approach would have consumed 3.8M HBs (slightly larger team)
  • • Dynamic Genie consumed 600K HBs
  • • Reclaimed: 3.2 million heartbeats

Implementation equivalent (Schools):

"Those heartbeats enabled 640 one-to-one student support interventions across the 21-school trust"

How we calculated this:

  • • 3.2M HBs = 640 hours collective capacity across trust leadership
  • • One-to-one student intervention = 1 hour (5,000 HBs)
  • • 640 hours = 640 interventions
  • • COLLECTIVE: distributed across schools and leaders in the multi-academy trust
  • • Each intervention supports one vulnerable student

Sources: St Christopher's School Trust case study (verified with Phil Banks), Ofsted (student intervention time standards)

Reference 12: 12 Million Heartbeats (Insight Genie ROI)

Statistic: Insight Genie finds 12 million heartbeats being heartbeated away.

Calculation:

  • • Same as Reference 5: £2.4M waste = 12 million HBs

Implementation equivalent (NHS):

"Those heartbeats could conduct 600 patient experience interviews annually"

How we calculated this:

  • • 12M HBs = 2,400 hours annual organisational capacity wasted
  • • Patient experience interview = 1 hour (5,000 HBs), conducted by trained staff
  • • 2,400 hours = 2,400 interviews theoretically possible
  • • Conservative site figure: 600 (assumes 25% of waste redirected to interviews)
  • • Each interview improves care for one patient and informs service design

Sources: Fit to Care Insight Genie outcomes, NHS England (patient experience standards)

Reference 13: 3 Million Heartbeats (Dynamic Genie for Councils)

Statistic: Dynamic Genie reclaims 3 million heartbeats for councils to invest in implementation.

Calculation:

  • • Same as Reference 4: 3M HBs reclaimed = 600 hours collective

Implementation equivalent (Councils):

"Those heartbeats could properly embed 15 new community services"

How we calculated this:

  • • 3M HBs reclaimed = 600 hours collective capacity
  • • Embedding new community service properly = 20 hours implementation (100,000 HBs)
  • • Typically 2 people × 20 hours = 40 hours collective per service
  • • 600 hours ÷ 40 hours per service = 15 services
  • • This is PROPER embedding, not just launching

Sources: Fit to Care local government client data, LGA (service implementation guidelines)

Reference 14: 2 Million Heartbeats (Meeting Genie for Schools)

Statistic: Meeting Genie reclaims 2+ million heartbeats annually for schools.

Calculation:

  • • Same as Reference 7: 2M HBs = 400 hours annual capacity reclaimed

Implementation equivalent (Schools):

"Those heartbeats create capacity for 400 lesson observations with developmental feedback annually"

How we calculated this:

  • • 2M HBs = 400 hours annual capacity reclaimed across leadership team
  • • Lesson observation with feedback = 1 hour (5,000 HBs) - observation plus brief feedback
  • • 400 hours ÷ 1 hour per observation = 400 observations
  • • COLLECTIVE: distributed across senior and middle leaders
  • • Each observation develops one teacher's practice

Sources: Meeting Genie schools client data, Ofsted (lesson observation standards)

Reference 15: Traditional Consultancy 20% Implementation Success Rate

Statistic: Traditional consultancy projects achieve approximately 20% implementation success rate.

Evidence Base:

  • • McKinsey research: 70% of organisational change programmes fail to achieve their goals
  • • Harvard Business Review: 75% of change initiatives fail to deliver expected results
  • • Public sector context: Implementation rates typically lower than private sector due to complexity, governance requirements, and stakeholder diversity
  • • Conservative estimate: 20-25% of traditional consultancy recommendations actually get implemented and deliver intended outcomes

Why Traditional Consultancy Fails:

  • • Handover model: Consultants leave after diagnosis, organisation left to implement alone
  • • Lack of ownership: Recommendations created externally, not co-created with stakeholders
  • • Complexity: 200-page reports that nobody reads or can action
  • • No capacity: Organisations expected to implement while still doing business-as-usual
  • • Time lag: 6-12 months from diagnosis to recommendations means context has changed

Sources: McKinsey & Company (2008, 2015), Harvard Business Review (2016), Fit to Care sector analysis

Reference 16: Fit to Care 87% Implementation Success Rate

Statistic: Fit to Care's implementation partnership model achieves 87% implementation success rate.

Evidence Base:

  • • Tracked across 23 client projects (NHS Trusts, ICBs, Multi-Academy Trusts, Local Authorities)
  • • Measurement period: 2020-2025
  • • Success criteria: Strategy/plan actively implemented 12 months post-delivery, with measurable outcomes reaching frontline staff/patients/citizens
  • • 20 of 23 projects (87%) met full implementation criteria
  • • 3 projects (13%) achieved partial implementation (some elements delivered, others delayed due to external factors like funding changes)

Why Implementation Partnership Works:

  • • Co-creation: Stakeholders own the strategy because they created it
  • • Speed: 1-day workshops compress 6 months into 1 day, maintaining momentum
  • • AI synthesis: Dynamic Genie processes all voices, nothing gets lost
  • • Stay with you: We don't leave after diagnosis, we partner until change embeds
  • • Capacity focus: Return on Heartbeats methodology identifies where to reclaim capacity for implementation
  • • Actionable outputs: Clear, concise plans (not 200-page reports)

Example: St Christopher's Multi-Academy Trust

Phil Banks, CEO: "A term's work, potentially six months, in a couple of afternoons essentially."

  • • Strategy co-created in 2 afternoons (not 6 months)
  • • 12 months later: Strategy actively implemented across 21 schools
  • • Cost: £12k (vs £100k+ for traditional consultancy)
  • • Time saved: 3 million heartbeats reclaimed for implementation

Sources: Fit to Care client project data (2020-2025), St Christopher's MAT case study, client testimonials

Methodology note: Success measured at 12-month post-delivery checkpoint. Projects assessed by independent client feedback and evidence of implementation (meeting minutes, updated processes, staff surveys, outcome metrics).

Reference 17: 10,000 Heartbeats (2-Hour Meeting)

Statistic: A 2-hour meeting consumes 10,000 heartbeats.

Calculation:

  • • Core conversion: 5,000 heartbeats = 1 hour
  • • 2 hours × 5,000 HBs/hour = 10,000 heartbeats
  • • This is per person attending the meeting
  • • For 8 people: 8 × 10,000 = 80,000 heartbeats collective

Why This Matters:

This simple calculation helps leaders visualize the true cost of meetings in finite heartbeats rather than abstract time.

"That 2-hour meeting that just ticked boxes? 10,000 finite heartbeats you'll never get back; heartbeats that can't now contribute to things that really matter."

Sources: Core conversion rate (Reference: Core Conversion Rate), simple arithmetic

Review & Updates: This page is reviewed quarterly and updated as we gather more implementation data from client projects.

Last updated: December 2025

Next review: March 2026

Questions about our calculations? Contact us →

All calculations are conservative estimates based on sector standards and Fit to Care client data. Actual implementation times may vary based on organisational context.