BLOCK

Sharing all things network infrastructure, collaboration tools, and smart building technology.

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

What does it take to build a smart hospital?

At the new @NRCrehabUK, @nottmhospitals worked with the Lister Alliance and Block to explore how smart technology could better support patient care.

But the starting point wasn’t the technology.
It was listening to the people using it.

By testing and shaping solutions with frontline teams first, the Trust could see what genuinely improves care before scaling it.

Rob shares what this approach means for the future of smart hospitals:
https://t.co/RustSGj9TD

#smarthospital

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

We were proud to be back at another @UHNM_NHS DAN Day yesterday.

While supporting UHNM with their network transformation, it's great to hear discussions around their ambitious digital plans. It’s clear they’re focused on using technology to improve experiences for both patients and staff by embedding it into everything they do.

During the event, we showcased our Agentic AI demo, giving staff a hands-on look at how AI can help answer common patient questions, from parking information to finding reception desks.

What was particularly exciting was that the demo had been configured specifically for UHNM, demonstrating how AI can provide accurate, organisation-specific information and support better patient experiences.

It was a fantastic opportunity to speak with the people helping to shape the future of digital healthcare at the Trust and to hear first-hand about the challenges and opportunities ahead.

And, of course, our LEGO trophy was a hit! 🏆

#DigitalAdvocacyNetworks

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Freshers’ Week. The annual tradition where:

✔️thousands of students arrive at once
✔️each with multiple devices trying to connect to the network
✔️your Wi-Fi suddenly becomes the most important thing on campus
✔️and everyone’s asking, “how do I log in?”

We’ll help you figure out how your Wi-Fi will cope at #Networkshop2026.

Find us at Stand 22: https://t.co/utBtXZGHmV

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Legacy infrastructure has a way of quietly becoming the biggest barrier to progress.

At first, it’s just workarounds. Then it’s slow systems, rising risk, and increasing pressure from every direction: clinical teams, security, and transformation targets. Before long, innovation starts to stall because the foundations can’t support it.

This is the reality for many Trusts.

@NorthBristolNHS found their infrastructure had become fragmented and difficult to scale. Not uncommon in healthcare, but increasingly unsustainable when you’re trying to support modern care, new digital services, and a growing estate.

So, they rebuilt the foundation.

Working with Block, the Trust overhauled its network to create a secure, resilient platform capable of supporting 24,000 end-points across the organisation, reducing disruption, strengthening security, and creating the headroom needed for future innovation.

It’s the kind of change that doesn’t just improve IT metrics. It changes what’s possible across the organisation, and ultimately, the care that can be delivered.

If you’re facing similar constraints, the full story is worth a read:
https://t.co/2xnDcZ6I82

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Block has achieved Cisco Secure Networking Specialisation status, becoming the first partner in the UK and one of only four globally to achieve the accreditation.

It’s a huge milestone for our team and a strong reflection of the expertise, collaboration and operational excellence across the whole business, alongside the strength of our partnership with Cisco.

As networks become increasingly central to everything organisations rely on, from cloud access and collaboration tools to resilience and security, the need to bring networking and security closer together has never been more important. This recognition reflects our ability to design, deliver and support secure modern network infrastructures that give organisations greater visibility, control and resilience across their environments.

Most importantly, it strengthens how we support clients as they modernise critical infrastructure and prepare for what comes next.

Huge thanks to everyone involved in making it happen.

Read about the accreditation here:
https://t.co/DgvodHIRGE

@Cisco

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Is the risk associated with out-of-date technology worth it?
See what Neil Darvil from @NorthBristolNHS has to say on our FutureNow podcast: https://t.co/Yfejwu1TyA

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

At some point, every Trust faces the same question: do we keep extending our infrastructure, or rebuild it?

A simple way to frame the decision:

If demand is growing, but your infrastructure is still stable ➡️ extend

If demand is growing, and stability is starting to slip ➡️ optimise

If innovation is being slowed, but risk is still manageable➡️ adapt

If innovation is slowing AND risk is increasing➡️ rethink the foundation

Most organisations don’t move until they reach that final stage.

That’s where @NorthBristolNHS saw themselves, with a fragmented environment that was becoming harder to scale, secure, and rely on.

They decided to reset.

Working with Block, the Trust rebuilt its network into a secure, resilient platform supporting 24,000 endpoints across multiple sites, reducing disruption, strengthening cyber resilience, and creating the capacity needed for future digital services.

This wasn’t just an infrastructure upgrade.

It was a clearer path forward.

If you’re weighing up the same decision. This is a useful example of what that reset looks like in practice: https://t.co/sjllQVjiTb

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Struggling with legacy infrastructure?
Hear how @NorthBristolNHS transformed their network.
https://t.co/5rehi0JMFy

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Do you know where your data is being gathered, stored, and processed?

We do.

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

@NHSBartsHealth was running on fragmented systems that made staying connected harder than it should be. So, they flipped the script.

Working with Block, they unified their communication to deliver measurable impact across 5 hospitals.

Here’s a snapshot:
• 33.6M calls handled in a year
• 98% reduction in connection costs
• 13.5 days of admin saved in one month
• 300% increase in softphone users

A major transformation with major results.

Want to see how it all comes together?

Get the client story infographic here:
https://t.co/24NkbkiSR4

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Would you like to hear how we connected multiple hospitals with unified communications?

Catch up here:
https://t.co/QOXJj3ZGHY

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Agentic AI in the NHS gives time back to staff. Right now, Contact Centre teams are spending a lot of time answering the same questions:

“Can I reschedule my appointment?”
“Do I need to fast before my test?”
“Where do I need to go?”

Simple questions. But they add up. And they’re slowing down care.

We’ve been working with UHNM NHS Trust to explore how Agentic AI can change that safely, realistically, and without disrupting clinical services.

Here’s what we’re seeing:
- Routine calls handled instantly
- Urgent cases escalated to humans (where they should be)
- Shorter queues, less frustration
- More time for staff to focus on complex patient needs

And importantly better access for patients, including multilingual support and faster answers when they need them most.

There’s a lot of hype around AI in healthcare right now. But this is where it starts to get real.

If you’re curious about what Agentic AI looks like inside an NHS Contact Centre (and the guardrails that make it safe), we’ve broken it down in our blog.

See what Agentic AI can do:
https://t.co/Q6R86cO4rL

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Our Enterprise Network Architect, Peter, shares the secret to deploying large infrastructure.

What are you upskilling next?

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

It starts with a moment. Like a nurse feels a situation escalating.
No time to explain. No time to step away.

They press a button. 🔴

Silently, help is on the way.
Location shared. Response activated. Backup arriving.

That same system is also:
- Helping patients move through care faster
- Showing teams exactly where equipment is
- Making sure the environment is optimal

Because when hospitals can see what’s happening in real time, they can act faster, safer, and smarter. And that changes everything for staff and patients.

See what else you can do with RTLS: https://t.co/lxThwrtnC3

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

@NRCrehabUK Get the room-by-room tour of the NRC's strategy and technology decisions. https://t.co/4jrWvKO79Q

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

This is one of the most ambitious rehabilitation projects in the UK.

Built as part of the New Hospital Programme, the @NRCrehabUK delivers a seven-fold increase in capacity, compared to previous services. With smart technology integrated from day one for better patient care.

Download the NRC eBook for the story behind the strategy and technology decisions.
https://t.co/HtHZpP5L2X

#NewHospitalProgramme #SmartTechnology

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Wi-Fi 7 performance isn’t unlocked by default; it’s engineered.

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Wi-Fi 7 isn’t just about speed; it’s a shift in how networks handle demand.
Jamie, one of our network experts, shares insight into why Wi-Fi 7 is different.

Want to know more? Talk to our experts.

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

No Wi-Fi in the spec. In a modern hospital. @UHNM_NHS changed that, breaking away from a decades-old contract to rebuild their network.

Here’s how it turned out:
https://t.co/v1piJmZWny

[BLOCK @BLOCKSolutions]

Before EPR, there’s one thing hospitals can’t skip…
https://t.co/rE1pKXvEja