A key feature of healthcare design is the need for extensive consultation with clinicians, staff, end-user groups and also with representatives from the local community. The early and continuous engagement of our designers with all stakeholders is fundamental to the successful delivery of all healthcare projects. UKIHMA’s architects are ...
Design
A key feature of healthcare design is the need for extensive consultation with clinicians, staff, end-user groups and also with representatives from the local community. The early and continuous engagement of our designers with all stakeholders is fundamental to the successful delivery of all healthcare projects. UKIHMA’s architects are committed to proactive participation in the user consultation process and experienced in the iterative and emerging nature of this interface as projects evolve. It is the primary responsibility of the Architect as Design Team Leader to ensure a full understanding of the healthcare priorities and requirements inherent in any project by listening carefully and responding positively to feedback from this dialogue with stakeholder and end user groups. UKIHMA’s Design Team Leaders take the lead in properly formulating and contributing to this essential user consultation process which will define the route to fully understanding and realising the aspirations and objectives of the Project Team, clinicians and nurses, as well as the priorities and needs of patients, their families, and the wider community. In many cases, stakeholder engagement activities will involve value management workshop sessions, open days, presentations and exhibitions, in addition to a carefully programmed cycle of structured “sign off” meetings and protocols. It is likely that many of these interfaces will require to take place on an “out of hours” basis to suit key decision makers and local needs. UKIHMA is fully conversant with this method of working and able to respond in a flexible and proactive manner in this respect.
UKIHMA’s design teams are market leaders in terms of innovation and best practice in the healthcare sector. Through their long-standing and close contact with the NHS, Hospitals and procurement bodies they maintain full awareness of emerging models of care, new technologies and design research applicable in the UK and abroad. UKIHMA’s teams carry out continuous research and development activities which continue to inform our patient focused and evidence based design philosophy. Our experienced healthcare designers meet regularly to share feedback from live projects in terms of lessons learned relative to all aspects of design, construction and equipping. UKIHMA seek to design and build environments which reinforce the concept of patient centred care by creating welcoming and non-institutional spaces and facilities, which maximise choice for patients with regard to privacy, dignity, comfort and support, in a manner which respects their needs, values, culture and background. UKIHMA designers believe that good design can accelerate the healing process and contribute towards increased patient empowerment, improved care pathways, shorter waiting times and the integration of community outreach initiatives. The integration of evidence based design principles in our work significantly improves the quality and safety of patient care in terms of improving control of infection, comfort, amenity and working conditions,
leading to increased patient satisfaction and staff morale. Much of our evidence which has been based on such topics, has been established from the post project evaluation work which we have undertaken in conjunction with client and stakeholder groups from our recently completed healthcare schemes. UKIHMA’s designers maintain close links with emerging policies and guidance through membership of key organisations within the healthcare sector, as well as presenting, attending and exhibiting at conferences, such as Arab Health in Dubai each year.
UKIHMA’s design teams have a wide range of experience in preparing masterplans for new and existing hospital sites. They have created Development Control Plans for major District General, Acute, Teaching and Community Hospitals throughout the UK and is also currently working with a number of NHS Trusts at a strategic level as their Technical Advisers relative to differing forms of estate rationalisation and procurement. UKIHMA’s masterplanning teams are experienced in end user consultation and stakeholder involvement and we believe that by asking the right people the right questions at the right time we can provide robust masterplans and therapeutic environments which not only meet but exceed expectations. UKIHMA is conscious that it is uniquely positioned as a group of urban designers to shape the future and to reduce the carbon footprint and environmental impact of our buildings. UKIHMA’s design team’s objective is to generate solutions which are of the highest quality, that maximise the health and well-being of building users, and are sustainable and economically viable at the same time. Through this approach, UKIHMA has found that decisions driven by sustainable design guidance in the master-planning process have offered significant improvements in response to climate change and carbon reduction, without increasing capital cost whilst creating major benefits in terms of energy consumption and reduced whole life charges.
Hospitals will increasingly rely on flexible master planning, responsive to future technological, political and economic changes. Master-plans are ongoing designs that make a hospital’s strategic plan a physical reality and provide long term flexibility. Master plans are the most cost effective tools for hospital development. If it is poorly designed, it can end up costing hospitals significant money. A good master plan allows for future horizontal and vertical expansion opportunities for particular hospital departments that will likely require future growth, such as radiology, surgery or emergency services, If such expansion occurs without prior allowance at master-planning stage, a hospital may have to spend money on re-design or possibly move to another site, spending much more than if the master plan had left room for department growth. UKIHMA’s master-planners and architects understand these requirements intuitively.