Re-thinking space in healthcare estates

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Clean, lean, safe and green are this year’s themes for the Healthcare Estates annual IHEEM conference where Nightingale is presenting a paper.

Richard Mazuch, director of Design Research and Innovation, will be talking about ‘Re-thinking space – Innovative approaches for inpatient accommodation’.

The last 12 months have seen unprecedented changes in our political and economic situation, making the challenges facing healthcare estates bigger than ever before. The paper will describe three innovative approaches developed by Nightingale Associates for the provision of Inpatient accommodation for both existing and new build healthcare settings.

Re-use and refurbishment within the existing estate

BedPod

Developing a lean estate is now more important than ever. Trusts have to find more affordable ways of upgrading their existing accommodation.

Nightingale Associates, with partners SAS International and Billings Jackson Design, have developed the BedPod as part of the Design Council ‘Design for Patient Dignity’ programme funded by the Department of Health. To provide same-sex accommodation, the current solution involves major ward or hospital refurbishment at significant capital cost, downtime and loss of beds. By utilising existing space within wards, the BedPod provides same-sex accommodation at a fraction of the cost.

The BedPod offers a uniquely flexible solution for providing Inpatient bed space. Developed for minor or major works and as a temporary or permanent measure, the BedPod is a prefabricated, modular product that offers simplified procurement, minimal disruption and no loss of beds. Manufactured to the highest quality, its modularity enables choice in initial specification and facilitates replacement and upgrade over time to minimise obsolescence.

Moreover the BedPod aims to create a sense of patient empowerment, offering increased control and improving patient dignity. It is also designed to improve the healing environment by increasing sensory engagement and helping to control the spread of infection.

Providing the right Inpatient accommodation is about understanding the context and applying the right solution. This approach provides the Estate Manager with flexible solutions that respond to reoccurring issues, whilst making the most of any investment.

100% Single room accommodation

Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan, aerial sketch perspective

As the debate continues as to whether single bed accommodation is the future of the NHS, Nightingale Associates (with their Supply Chain Partner, BAM) are about to complete the first purpose designed 100% Single Room hospital in Wales. The 96 bed hospital in Ebbw Vale for The Aneurin Bevan NHS Trust, delivered via the Designed for Life: Building for Wales Framework, will be receiving patients by October 2010. The proposed ward layouts were developed in close consultation with the Trust team, patient groups and stakeholders to ensure cost effectiveness, staff efficiency, optimal observation, patient control, as well as patient privacy and dignity. Best practice, current guidance and full scale mock-ups have been utilised during the design development process.

Multi-bed bay accommodation

Cruciform ward layout

Nightingale Associate’s experience in the healthcare market underlines that providing 100% single room accommodation is often unaffordable or inappropriate for the intended purpose or patient group. To address this problem, Nightingale’s havedeveloped the cruciform ward to provide a cost effective, staff efficient and patient centred alternative to current multi-bed bay models.

The cruciform ward layout is configured to emphasise individual bed heads for each patient, thereby creating a sense of personal space and controlling the spread of infection. The innovative layout provides for the integration of en-suite sanitary accommodation as well as areas for informal seating and/or patient dining. The ward can be deployed with varying percentages of single room accommodation. The cruciform ward has been successfully developed for the recently completed Phase V, Princess Elizabeth Hospital, Guernsey and the new Peterborough City Hospital due for completion in the autumn 2010.

Healthcare Estates is the largest and most influential institution in the UK. The conference is taking place in Manchester Central from 5^th-6^th October 2010.

BedPod unveiled at Design Council ‘Design for Patient Dignity’ exhibition

This blog will soon be relocated to: blog.nightingaleassociates.com

Created for the ‘Open Brief’ category of the Design Council’s ‘Design for Patient Dignity Challenge’ and for the Department of Health, the BedPod was unveiled last week.

The aim of the Design Council scheme is to improve patient experience in hospital with particular emphasis on the separation of male and female patients through innovative product and service design. If you missed the Design Council’s exhibition from 23-25 March 2010 of the resulting designs, here is a collection of images and video of the event and the design process.