The evidence base for best practice in healthcare building design has received a boost with the launch of a new toolkit for pre- and post-occupancy evaluation.
Unveiled at last week’s IHEEM Conference, the toolkit is Government Soft Landings (GSL) compliant and has been put together as part of the ProCure22 Efficiency and Productivity Programme.
It will help NHS clients to fulfil their GSL obligations, while measuring project performance that evidences benefits realisation across a range of measures.
All developments delivered through the newly-launched ProCure22 framework will be put through the system, creating a pool of knowledge and best practice.
Launching the toolkit, Rosemary Jenssen, an architect and lead for the Efficiency and Productivity Programme Working Group, told the conference: “It’s about responding to local and national strategy drivers and giving a before and after comparison so we can see the results that are being delivered from construction projects.
“The toolkit includes outcomes for both new-build and refurbishment projects and the intention is to undertake one of these for every P22 project moving forward.
“It’s not about a one-size-fits-all approach to construction and design, but there are commonalities.”
The toolkit contains a number of sheets to be filled in by the client or project team.
The first two sheets are common, while later sheets are service specific.
“Mental health facilities will have different sheets to acute inpatient accommodation, for example,” said Jenssen.
“They have been tailored and they are now available on the website and are ready to go.
“It’s about looking at the lessons we can learn from projects.”
For example, one building recently put through the toolkit had been refurbished and the new facility was using 30% less energy despite being the same size. The toolkit will capture the reasons for this so they can be replicated in future schemes.
Staff and patient feedback sections are also vital in gauging the direct impact on services.
Jenssen said: “Good design can assist with staff retention and on recovery.
“We have worked really hard when putting the toolkit together to make it intuitive and easy to complete.
“These will help trusts to prepare their business cases and provide a common approach in one place.”
Alan Kondys, healthcare director at Integrated Health Projects, is framework director for ProCure22. He said it would be vital to encouraging increased post-occupancy evaluation – a vital measure currently missing from many construction projects.
“The process needs to start at the launch of a project to provide a benchmark that takes you through to the end,” he said.
“Then, the idea is to review the project at 12, 24 and 36 months.
“By the end of the P22 framework we will have over 100 of these files from our projects and that’s never been done before and will be very useful moving forward.”