TrendCare: Matching nurse staffing to patient need

At its core, TrendCare enables a clear view of the nursing hours required to care for patients and the nursing hours available, drawing data from TrendCare Roster or integrated eRostering systems. 

This software system was procured by the HSE to support the implementation of Phase 1 of the Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix (Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix in General and Specialist Medical and Surgical Care Settings in Adult Hospitals in Ireland, 2018).

Since its introduction in 2016, following a national pilot under the Safe Staffing Framework, TrendCare has become a key enabler of safer staffing decisions. A national contract was awarded in 2020, and the Corporate Delivery team continues to work closely with the programme to manage implementation. This includes ICT engagement, planning, testing and deployment, and the coordination of required system integrations.

TrendCare is now deployed in 17 hospitals and is at various stages of implementation in a further 25 sites, including Section 38 organisations. It is important to note that the Mater is not included in the 2026 implementation plan due to the requirement for an upgraded Patient Administration System (PAS).

How TrendCare works

TrendCare brings together patient demand and staff supply to support real-time and forward planning decisions.

On the patient side, data is integrated from the PAS. Each patient is assigned an acuity level using standardised assessment tools, which reflect the intensity of nursing care required. From this, care requirements are calculated in nursing hours per shift.

On the staffing side, data from HR systems and eRostering platforms is combined to show the nursing hours available for each shift.

The system then aligns care demand with staffing supply. Where a gap exists, this is clearly identified at ward and shift level, allowing teams to take action.

Key capabilities

TrendCare supports a wide range of operational, analytical and management functions.

Operationally, it provides real-time visibility of staffing gaps, supports safe allocation of staff based on patient need, and enables workload balancing at shift level.

From an analytical perspective, the system supports demand forecasting and capacity planning. It enables trend analysis across shifts, days and months, and provides insight into skill mix and productivity.

From a management standpoint, TrendCare supports the tracking of agency usage, overtime and absenteeism. It also provides reporting on bed utilisation, patient turnover, supports budget planning, and resource allocation.

Some of the system’s other important features include the ability to:

• Measure patient acuity and the nursing intensity required for care.
• Predict both nursing and non-nursing hours.
• Distribute workloads equitably across teams.
• Identify and analyse variances between planned and actual activity.
• Measure nursing workload using hours per patient per day.
• Set minimum staffing levels for low activity periods.
• Reconfigure rosters to match peaks and troughs in demand.
• Support the development of acuity-based budgets.
• Measure efficiency at ward and hospital level.

Integration, access and governance

TrendCare is designed as a national system with strong integration and governance in place. It interfaces with the PAS for patient data and with HR and eRostering systems for staffing information.

A single national database supports all sites, using a standardised data model that enables consistent reporting and benchmarking across hospitals. Secure access is provided through Citrix and HSE Active Directory, with role-based controls aligned to staff responsibilities. User access is provisioned automatically from HR systems, and data visibility is restricted to individual organisations.

Benefits for patients, staff and the wider system

TrendCare provides clear benefits across multiple areas.

For patient care, it ensures that staffing levels are aligned to clinical need, supporting improved safety and better outcomes.

For the workforce, it enables fairer and more transparent workload allocation, helping to reduce fatigue and improve how staff are deployed.

For organisations, TrendCare supports evidence-based decision making, reducing reliance on estimation or fixed staffing ratios. It also improves cost control through better alignment of resources to actual demand.

At a national level, the system enables consistent measurement of care demand and provides comparable data across hospitals. This strengthens the foundation for workforce planning and policy development, ensuring that decisions are informed by reliable, standardised insights.

Overall, TrendCare represents a significant step forward in how nursing resources are planned and managed, supporting safer staffing and better outcomes across the health service.