Reconfiguring the NHS estate

The importance of reconfigurable space within a sustainable estate has been a historically undervalued part of the NHS’ approach to health infrastructure.

Much of the NHS estate predates the creation of the health service itself, the evidence for which is visible across many of the narrow corridors and rigid structures that make up hospital sites.

NHS pandemic response continues to demand flexible, reconfigurable space to allow hospitals to treat patients with Covid while allowing other services to continue safely.

If the government wishes to create robust integrated care systems across the country, they will need an estate which is both flexible, safe and sustainable and that features state of the art technology and ever-increasing digital innovation.

Further, the 40 new hospitals must embody key estate considerations from the Covid-19 pandemic while also reflecting this shift towards integrated care.

Discussing these themes and overall NHS capital strategy is Simon Corben, Director and Head of Profession NHS Estates and Facilities, NHS England, who’s brief accounts for the entire NHS estate.

Key topics

• Key learnings from the pandemic for estate considerations
• How will new hospital build be informed by the Covid experience
• How can space be reconfigured across all parts of the health sector?
• How can we use the estate to facilitate integrated care?
• How must we create an estate that can utilise new digital technology?
• Assessment on NHS capital strategy

Speakers

• Stephen Hammond, MP
• Simon Corben, Director and Head of Profession NHS Estates and Facilities, NHS England
• Jane Hamilton, Chair of NHS Property Services