NHS Property Services (NHSPS) has released a new NHS Estate Optimisation Guide to help NHS leaders and estate managers navigate one of the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare: making the most of the places and spaces that support patient care.
As the NHS continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of communities, the ability to deliver care in the right environments is becoming just as critical as funding – and is something which the Government’s much anticipated NHS 10-year Health Plan is expected to touch on. From high street drop-in centres to digitally enabled diagnostic hubs, the future of healthcare delivery depends on transforming existing spaces and creating new ones that are flexible, sustainable, and fit for purpose.
Simon Taylor, Director Estates Policy, Strategy & Capital Projects at NHSPS, explained: “Estate optimisation is now critical to meeting patient need and NHS reform. This guide provides NHS leaders with the right practical steps to unlock the full potential of their estate, using the expertise and knowledge of the property experts across NHSPS and the wider system.”
The newly released guide developed by experts at NHSPS outlines a clear, flexible framework for:
- Assessing space demand and property supply
- Understanding space utilisation
- Weighing options for transformation, savings, and reinvestment
It also includes expert insights from across NHSPS teams and partners, with contributions from Jenny O’Donnell, Infrastructure, Capital, Estates and Sustainability Lead at NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB, and Vissy Plati, Senior Designer at Ryder Architecture.
“Simply better understanding current space utilisation can often lead to transformative estate opportunities,” Simon added. “In some cases, buildings thought to be in constant use are only 40% utilised. In others, strategic lease negotiations or repurposing office space can unlock significant savings to fund future care delivery.”
The NHS Estate Optimisation Guide is now available to NHS leaders and estate professionals, offering a timely and practical resource to support the ambitions of the forthcoming NHS 10-Year Health Plan.
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