With healthcare in the election spotlight, industry collaboration is key

We are living in a period of intense pressure on healthcare providers right around the world. The United Nations estimates that the global human population will increase by two billion in the next 30 years, peaking at 10.4 billion by the mid-2080s. And a rapidly increasing population means a growing dependence on healthcare facilities as that population ages.

At the same time, patients’ expectations of the clinical care they require has increased. They want hospital staff to know all about them before they walk in, have access to their data whenever they need it, be offered more advanced forms of care if they choose to take them, and be given timely communication about what comes next without needing to request it. For most healthcare systems, this is a very tall order.

And aside from patient needs and expectations, health services must also contend with compliance measures contained in fresh government initiatives and downward pressure amid a range of elections taking place across the world throughout 2024.

>> Also read: Pre-election briefing: What can we expect for investment in the NHS estate?

>> Also read: How much the next government spends on the NHS estate will be critical to its future

Ahead of next week’s general election, all of the major political parties have promised to change or improve the NHS in some way. Whether it is the Conservatives’ commitment to driving productivity or the Labour ambition of cutting waiting times for GP appointments, healthcare leadership will need to focus on transformation of services no matter the outcome on polling day.

Responding to all these challenges inevitably requires an assessment of healthcare estates and buildings. They need to meet the demands of today and tomorrow, respond to  technological advancements, anticipate the need to decarbonise effectively and accommodate potential changes brought in by a new government.

This is a complex set of needs, but ultimately boils down to a clear and concise objective of improving clinical outcomes while leaving a lasting legacy.

Improving clinical outcomes

Great facilities open avenues to better care. Well-designed and well-built hospitals enable clinicians to serve patients more efficiently, improving productivity, while also being able to offer cutting-edge treatments that underpin better patient care.

Healthcare leaders therefore need to focus on ensuring that their current estates are up to the challenge, while constructing new facilities that increase productivity while addressing patient needs. Indeed, with the UK currently providing 2.4 beds per 1,000 people  – below the EU average of 4.8 – the building of new hospitals as soon as possible will be essential to realising this future.

These new facilities are the cornerstone by which healthcare providers can leave a lasting legacy. However, just looking at the bricks-and-mortar outcomes alone could miss an opportunity to create a stronger healthcare industry overall.

Hospitals are infamously complex structures. They generally take a decade or more to go from concept to operational use, cover a massive footprint, require engagement with vast numbers of stakeholders, face both national and local political scrutiny and require differing teams to work concurrently towards a shared goal.

We therefore need to look closely at how hospitals are delivered, alongside equal effort assessing what such hospitals will look and operate like.

Leaving a legacy through innovative delivery

Getting this right means first involving clinicians and other key stakeholders as early as possible in the design journey. Progressing with a hospital’s design without seeking insights from those that operate within them every day risks designing for obsolescence almost immediately upon use.

In addition, there are significant benefits to be derived from using more innovative approaches to delivery. Building information modelling (BIM) enables healthcare programme leaders to make more informed decisions during the design process, including allowing clinicians and other stakeholders to better influence the final layout.

Meanwhile modern methods of construction (MMC) focus on maximising efficiency and sustainability, with an emphasis on off-site construction of discrete modules that are assembled on-site. MMC can significantly reduce construction timelines, minimise local disruption and cut carbon emissions, all while reducing the personnel hours required on site, improving productivity while increasing safety.

Finally, any delivery team needs to be structured around a mission-focused approach. Given the complexity of hospital construction, requiring multi-faceted teams concerned with differing outputs, there is always the risk of silos forming or failures in cooperation during the lifetime of the programme.

Project leaders therefore need to ensure that their approach is defined by the mission in hand: building outstanding facilities that create the best environment for care possible for local communities. The delivery partner model in particular is centred on driving teams to collaborate effectively, centred on a shared purpose and unity of vision.

If we are to achieve this industry-wide transformation, healthcare leaders must be primed to rise to the challenges they face. Delivering effective infrastructure to meet future needs is no easy endeavour, but one we believe is wholly achievable when approached with the right mission in mind.

Daniel Easthope is managing director for property, UK and Europe, at Mace