Healthcare Property Issue 04 July-August 2024

07/2024

JULY-AUGUST 2024

Advocating a simpler approach to

the healthcare planning process

The implications of

a new accountancy

treatment on NHS leases

Designing mental health

facilities closer to home

HEALTHCARE-PROPERTY.COM

Comment

W E L C O M E

Election fever!

Following news that a General

Election will be held on 4 July,

the main political parties have

been releasing details of their

plans to reform health and

social care services.

Manifesto pledges include

improvements to social care

services, better access to hospital

care, improvements to primary and

community care services and NHS

dentistry, additional funding to

address the COVID-19 backlog,

and capital investment in NHS

buildings and equipment.

And, while health and social care

reform traditionally plays a large

part in voters’ decision-making

at the polls, for many Healthcare

Property readers, capital spending

commitments will be key to their professional

futures too.

Reading through the manifestos, the Conservatives

are continuing with their ambitious – and somewhat

delayed – New Hospital Programme (NHP), which

will aims to deliver 40 ‘new’ hospitals by 2030; while

Labour has pledged £250m to double the number of

CT and MRI scanners and will also continue with

the NHP.

The Liberal Democrats are focusing on a 10-year

plan to invest in the hospital and primary care

estate and a £1.1bn-a-year investment in buildings

and equipment.

These commitments come as the backlog

maintenance bill for the NHS estate exceeds £12bn,

with a number of hospitals suffering from major

issues which threaten the safety of staff and patients.

Also key to most manifestos is

the aim to shift services, where

possible, away from acute settings

and into communities, where they

are more accessible to patients.

But this will mean

diversification of the estate and

the leasing of community-based

facilities; and this will require

changes to legislation around

planning and finance.

In this edition of Healthcare

Property you can read about a

few of these challenges, including

current issues with planning

permissions (p11) and the capital

restrictions associated with the

new IFRS16 accounting treatment

for leases (p15).

In the Finance and Property

section you can also read about healthcare REITS (p25),

and the launch of a new space management system

which is supporting landlords across the health

sector (p18).

Elsewhere, there are details of the latest carbon

reduction efforts across health and social care

(p44), news from estates and facilities management

professionals (p37), and we look at some of the key

drivers behind health and care design and construction

practices (27).

In the next edition we will be looking at

environmentally-friendly lighting solutions, the impact

of arts in health projects, and the design of primary care

facilities. If you can help with any of these please contact

joanne.makosinski@nexusgroup.co.uk

Jo Makosinski

Editor, Healthcare Property

About Jo: Jo is the editor of Healthcare Property, having

joined Nexus Media in November.

She has been specialising in design and construction

best practice within the health and care sector for the

past 15 years, working on the Building Better Healthcare

Awards and editing both Building Better Healthcare and

Healthcare Design & Management magazines.

She has a special interest in the design of mental

health and dementia care settings and in modern

methods of construction and energy efficiency.

HEALTHCARE-PROPERTY.COM JULY-AUGUST 2024 | 3

Contents

Chief executive officer

Alex Dampier

Chief operating officer

Sarah Hyman

Chief marketing officer

Julia Payne

Editor

Joanne Makosinski

joanne.makosinski@nexusgroup.co.uk

Reporter and subeditor

Charles Wheeldon

Business development director

Mike Griffin

Advertising & event sales director

Caroline Bowern

Business development executive

Kirsty Parks

Sales manager

Luke Crist

Publisher

Harry Hyman

Investor Publishing Ltd, 5th Floor, Greener House,

66-68 Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4RF

Tel: 020 7104 2000

Website: www.healthcare-property.com

Healthcare Property is published six times a year

by Investor Publishing Ltd.

ISSN 3029-0627

© Investor Publishing Limited 2024

The views expressed in Healthcare Property

are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers.

@HCprop

linkedin.com/company/healthcare-property/

6-10 News

We round up the big stories,

including concerns over the cost

of delays to the New Hospital

Programme and news of ongoing

construction projects, including

plans for a new health centre in

Berkshire, the opening of a mental

health facility in Islington, and

improvements to Monkwearmouth

Hospital in Sunderland

11-13 Policy

Exploring the challenges of the

current healthcare planning system

and why a simpler approach

could help to overcome some

of the problems

15

15-26 Finance and Property

An overview of the key trends in

real estate and property finance

in the healthcare sector. Features

include an overview of healthcare

REITS; the implications of the

new accounting treatment, IFRS

16; the launch of a new space

management tool; and the lack

of elderly care beds in Wales.

Plus, we look at the latest property

deals in the health and care sectors

32

28-36 Building Design

and Construction

The very latest best-practice

approaches to healthcare

architecture and construction.

Articles look at the impact of AI on

healthcare construction projects,

why colour matters in care home

design, and why environmental

impact is becoming more

important to architects

37-42 Estates and Facilities

Management

New environmental measures

unveiled to support NHS

catering teams, how technology

is helping to keep health settings

clean, and we meet some of the

unsung heroes from estates

and facilities teams

37

34

44-46 Environmental

Exploring the health sector’s

net zero carbon challenge and

the support available, including

18 trusts winning government

funding to support energy

efficiency programmes, and

the completion of a solar project

at Poole Hospital

48-50 People

Staffing and people news, including

the latest industry appointments

42


News

Delays to New Hospital Programme

cost trusts £1m a month

In feedback to NHS Providers, trust leaders warned they do

not have the facilities to treat patients in the way they aspire to

NHS Providers has raised concerns that millions of pounds

every month are being drained from scarce NHS funds due

to ongoing delays to the New Hospital Programme (NHP)

which promised 40 new hospitals in England by 2030.

Spiralling cost pressures, on-hold building projects, and the

bill for having to patch up deteriorating sites sees some trusts

in the NHP forking out upwards of £1m a month from underpressure

budgets.

And, one year on from the Government’s renewed commitment

to build 40 new hospitals by 2030, trust leaders have warned

that, despite some progress, uncertainty over funding and shifting

timetables risks putting their promised buildings even further

out of reach.

Furthermore, Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers,

warns the issues with the NHP are just part of the much-bigger

problem that is the scale of underinvestment in the NHS estate.

“More than 100 trusts applied to join the NHP and the NHS

repairs bill is now at a staggering £11.6bn, much of it high risk.

We cannot afford to let this problem get worse,” he said.

CONSEQUENCES

Trust leaders are warning than crumbling estates and out-ofdate

equipment not only hamper care for patients, but also lead

to staff becoming more demoralised.

In addition, public confidence is being undermined by the

delays to the NHP.

Some trust leaders involved in the NHP have voiced their

frustrations to NHS Providers, saying:

• “Further delays are only going to introduce further patient harm,

disappoint our colleagues, and increase costs to the taxpayer”

• “Our teams are coming in, day in, day out, to infrastructure that

is not fit for purpose. We don’t have the facilities to treat patients

in the way that any of us aspire to”

• “In the past three years, we’ve seen a 25% increase in costs;

that’s £200m more today than it would have cost three

years ago”

• “Many of the new hospital plans have been around for a decade

– we must now be given the opportunity to ensure all the plans

align with modern healthcare provision”

Trust leaders are now looking to the next government to

commit to the current hospital building programme, as any

delays caused by going back to the drawing board after the

general election would be costly and undermine patient care.

“As we head towards a general election, trust leaders want a castiron

commitment from all political parties to an NHS infrastructure

programme that meets the needs of hospitals, mental health,

community, and ambulance services”,

Sir Julian adds: “Patients, hard-working NHS staff and

taxpayers deserve nothing less.”

Commenting on the issue, UNISON head of health,

Helga Pile, describes the promises of a new hospitals

programme as ‘more political spin than substance’, adding:

“Ministers are failing to plan and finance critical upgrades to

buildings across the NHS, leaving trusts with huge bills and

hospitals in no fit state to deliver modern healthcare.”

Plans submitted

for Bracknell Forest

health centre

Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System (ICS)

has announced plans for a custom-made centre for health

in Bracknell.

A planning application, drafted by property consultants,

Vail Williams, in conjunction with architects, Murphy Philipps,

has been submitted to Bracknell Forest Council for a threestorey

development to be sited next to the existing Skimped

Hill Health Centre.

The building will house Evergreen Practice and Forest Health

Group, as well as maternity services and some children and

young people’s services and community clinics.

The project is part of a national drive to boost communitybased

healthcare services, providing funding to bring multiple

services together in the same place.

Subject to planning approval, it is hoped building work will begin

next month, with completion of the build in early spring next year.

6 | JULY-AUGUST 2024 HEALTHCARE-PROPERTY.COM

News

Work underway

on diagnostics centre

Monkwearmouth Development Ltd

(MDL), a joint venture between Sir Robert

McAlpine Capital Ventures and Argon

Property Development Solutions, has

handed over its first development to

NTW Solutions at Monkwearmouth

Hospital in Sunderland.

With funding from Railpen, the new,

modern, fit-for-purpose building provides

a welcoming, level, and accessible front

entrance to the main outpatient facilities

at the existing hospital.

In addition to the new entrance and

reception area, the accommodation

includes meeting rooms, flexible openplan

workspaces, and breakout areas,

as well as consultants’ offices on upper

floors and areas for their support teams.

The building has created the perfect

office environment for employees at the

site and encourages collaborative working

and support.

It also houses a Changing Places facility,

and the new ‘Café Bede’ community café

is open to the general public, visitors, staff,

and service users across the hospital.

The café includes areas for inside and

outside dining and is home to a time

capsule that was placed in the ground

during the construction works telling the

story of the build, the history of the site,

and the previous building for people to

read in years to come.

Sir Robert McAlpine completed the

construction of the 3,287sq m, three-storey

building for MDL over 19 months, with the

facility achieving a design-stage BREEAM

‘Excellent’ sustainability standard.

In addition to a replacement tree-lined

staff car park, the development delivers

level access and a landscaped piazza area

including seating and extensive planting,

along with a memorial garden.

The external works have transformed

the previous parking area that fronts

onto Newcastle Road and creates better

connectivity within the estate for hospital

users, staff, and visitors.

MDL worked with NTW Solutions, a

limited company established by Cumbria,

Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS

Foundation Trust, to provide premises

that will enable NTW Solutions to deliver

improved facilities and a range of

important services to the trust.

David Peck from Monkwearmouth

Development Ltd, said: “We could not be

more delighted with the

outcome, which has been a

true collaboration between

all the parties involved, who

have created a building

that is streets ahead of

the one it replaced and

that will make a significant

difference to patients who

rely on it for their care and

the people that use it as

their place of work.”

David Hosken, project

director at Sir Robert

McAlpine Capital Ventures,

added: “We are immensely

proud of delivering a

unique facility using an

innovative development

solution, helping NTW

Solutions renew its estate

with a quality building

designed for modern

ways of working.

“This fantastic project

allows us to continue to

build on our successes

working alongside

NHS trusts to deliver

developments with positive

outcomes for the people

who will use them.”


News

Private finance supports

delivery of diagnostic centre

To celebrate work beginning on the

construction of a new diagnostic centre

at Yeovil District Hospital, construction

firm, Darwin Group, invited key partners

in the delivery of the facility to attend

a ground-breaking ceremony.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (FT)

chief executive, Peter Lewis, was joined

at the ceremony by clinicians at the

trust, along with representatives from

InHealth, which will provide radiology and

endoscopy services; Prime plc, the trust’s

strategic estates partner; and funder,

M&G Investment.

The centre, which is expected to open later

this year, will provide over 70,000 diagnostic

tests and outpatient appointments a year.

The modern, state-of-the-art, stand-alone

centre on the hospital site will benefit

patients in Somerset and north west

Dorset who will receive quicker diagnostic

tests thanks to the additional capacity

it will provide.

Open seven days a week, it will provide

radiology, endoscopy, cardiology, and

audiology diagnostic tests and outpatient

appointments.

Thanks to Darwin Group’s innovative

offsite modular construction methods,

the project will be delivered up to 60%

faster and with up to 90% less waste than

traditional building methods, making it

one of the most-efficient and sustainable

options in the marketplace.

Specialising in health and care property

development, Prime collaborated closely

with Darwin Group to design and develop

a cutting-edge facility.

And the result will be a high-performing,

sustainable, low-energy new build,

meticulously designed to achieve net zero

embodied carbon.

Furthermore, it is projected to yield a

biodiversity net gain of 267%.

The facility will take shape quickly with

73 modules being delivered and installed

overnight over the course of eight days,

transforming the estate at pace, while

minimising disruption to the busy active

hospital site.

Jonathan Ockrim, a consultant colorectal

surgeon and Somerset FT’s clinical lead for

the Yeovil Community Diagnostic Centre,

said: “I’ve worked at the hospital for 21 years

and have never seen such an incredible

Mental health facility opens in Islington

Per Mertesacker, current manager

of the Arsenal Academy, recently

opened 1 Lowther Road, a new NHS

Integrated Community Mental Health

Centre in Islington.

The opening was also attended by

representatives from contractor, Kier,

as well as other key figures from the

local community.

Kier recently handed over the new

facility to the North London Mental

Health Partnership (NLMHP).

The centre is part of the partnership’s

St Pancras Transformation Programme and

works included the demolition of the existing

facility on site and construction of a new

four-storey building with state-of-the-art

facilities including interview, counselling,

and treatment rooms, agile workspace for

staff, a café, group collaboration zones;

and landscaping which includes a ‘pocket’

park to support visitor and staff wellbeing.

Kier was appointed to the project through

the Procure Partnerships Framework,

an £8bn framework created to support

NHS trusts, local authorities, education

providers, and blue-light services.

David Rowsell, managing director for

Kier Construction London, said: “We’re

delighted to have handed over this vitallyimportant

integrated community mental

health facility to Camden and Islington

NHS Foundation Trust.

“We know this building will support staff

and the trust to provide much-needed

mental health support for the Islington

community.”

Jinjer Kandola MBE, NLMHP chief

executive, added: “The partnership is

committed to improving the outcomes

investment in new buildings and facilities at

the hospital, which is giving us much more

capacity to care for and treat our patients.

“Within the new CDC we’ll have a new

audiology unit, a cardio diagnostic centre,

as well as an imaging suite so we can get

quicker and better-quality CT and MRI

scans for our patients.

“In addition, the centre will house a new

state-of-the-art endoscopy unit, which will

help to relieve the pressure on our busy

endoscopy unit in the main part of the

hospital, so it can prioritise emergencies.

We also expect waiting times for an

endoscopy to be greatly reduced.”

The centre will also have a number

of additional clinic rooms, as well as a

conference room at the top for clinical

meetings.

Kevin Vickers, director at M&G’s longlease

real estate team, said: “We are

delighted to support the NHS by funding

this new diagnostic centre.

“By using private sector finance to fund

public sector projects, it is proof that

effective partnerships like this can help to

stretch the public purse and enable further

societal benefits.

“In addition, the provision of patient capital

for this project also benefits the millions of

savers on whose behalf we invest, through

the generation of sustainable long-term

returns for their pension funds.”

for all our service users and the quality

of the care we provide.

“Through our St Pancras Transformation

Programme, we are delivering new leadingedge

therapeutic environments for service

users and carers and improved working

environments for our staff.

“The cutting-edge design of Lowther

Road was developed with input from

service users, carers, our staff, and the

local community, and can be adapted as

our needs change over time.”


News

Financial close reached on

Velindre Cancer Centre project

The consortium behind plans for the

new Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff

has announced it has achieved financial

close for the development.

The ACORN consortium, made up of

Sacyr, Kajima Partnerships, and abrdn,

with White Arkitekter as lead designer, has

secured funding for the flagship cancer

care facility, which is being designed in

compliance with the Wellbeing of Future

Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and is

set to become on the UK’s mostsustainable

hospitals.

The facility is also part of Velindre

University NHS Trust’s Transforming Cancer

Services in South East Wales mission.

The hospital will bring high-grade,

sustainable services, offering patients

and carers effective treatments.

Additionally, it will lead national and

international research and innovation

in cancer care.

Aviva Investors, Siemens, Sumitomo

Mitsui Trust Bank, CaixaBank, Norinchukin,

Nomura, and Nord/LB are among the

financiers backing the project.

Work is expected to start on site later

this month, with the first patients receiving

treatment in spring 2027.

GREEN THINKING

Targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’

sustainability rating, the building design

prioritises local sourcing and natural

materials with low-carbon footprints

that promote health and wellbeing.

The scheme has a hybrid structural

strategy, with mass-timber structure

to public areas.

And, thanks to the use of materials

such as hempcrete and mineral

plasters that are breathable and flexible,

a natural and calming environment

will be created for patients, relatives,

and staff.

The building is also designed to be all

electric to supporting low energy demand

and low operational carbon.

In addition, the design seeks to reduce

the amount of material used through an

extremely-compact and efficient building

plan and optimised structural and

material use strategy.

Externally, the new hospital will be

surrounded by a landscape garden

designed to ensure minimum impact

onthe site and to keep the Welsh

landscape as wild as possible.

The landscape strategy aims to

retain existing habitats and create new

habitats alongside new landscape

spaces, such as an orchard with

Welsh apple varieties and a community

kitchen garden.

By designing informal playgrounds and

a variety of walking, cycling and relaxation

areas, play and movement in nature is

also encouraged.

Michael Woodford, director of

White Arkitekter’s London studio, said:

“The aim is to create a low-carbon

healthcare environment for the future,

which complements the medical

treatment of patients as well as offers

a state-of-the-art workplace for staff.”

FIT FOR THE FUTURE

Richard Coe, project director at Kajima

Partnerships, added: “It is fantastic to

achieve financial close on this exemplary

new hospital, and we look forward to

seeing the building take shape during

the construction period.

“The project represents a paradigm

shift in sustainable healthcare, providing

cutting-edge facilities and treatment in a

building designed with sustainable material

innovation, community inclusion, and a

commitment to preserving the environment,

at its forefront.”

The ACORN consortium was appointed

following a public procurement process

run by Velindre University NHS Trust.

It includes Sacyr, Abrdn, Kier Facilities

Services, White Arkitekter, Socotec,

Hydrock, Ingho, ICCA, MJ Medical, Turley,

Studio Response, Camlins Landscape

Architects, RSK, Bureau Veritas, Osborne

Clarke, Operis, Howden, Mazars, Cloud

Nine, Evolution Infrastructure, Addleshaw

Goddard, Marsh, AECOM, Lloyds, Geldards,

Pinsent Masons, and Artelia.


News

Siemens to build

MRI cooling facility

Germany-based Siemens

Healthineers is building a

facility in Oxfordshire to

design and manufacture

superconducting magnets

used in healthcare facilities

globally for MRI patient scans.

With an investment of £250m,

the site will be home to novel

technology that minimises the

use of helium, making scanners

lighter, easier to install, and

more sustainable.

It will be the UK’s first major

production site for new socalled

DryCool technology,

which reduces the amount

of helium required in an MRI

scanner from 1,500 litres to

under a single litre.

Construction has begun on

the 56,000sq m site and it

will open in 2026. It is being

developed by Tritax Symmetry.

The facility will be

operationally carbon neutral and

should create more than 1,300

jobs when fully operational,

including the retention of over

600 Oxfordshire-based jobs

currently at an existing

Siemens Healthineers facility

in Eynsham.

Many of the roles are for

highly-skilled workers such

as physicists, engineers,

technicians, and specialist

support staff.

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak,

said: “I am delighted Siemens

Offsite approach for new surgical centre

Construction work has started on

a £49.9m elective surgical centre at

Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

The development is a joint project

between North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT)

and University Hospitals Bristol and

Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)

supported by Bristol, North Somerset

and South Gloucestershire Integrated

Care Board, and NHS England.

And it will enable an additional 6,500

operations to be carried out every year.

The state-of-the-art facility is being built

by specialist healthcare construction firm,

Darwin Group, and it will have four surgical

theatres, X-ray facilities, and 40 recovery

beds, as well as 12 medirooms where patients

prepare for, and recover from, surgery.

As the centre will be separated from

emergency services, the surgical beds

will be kept free for patients waiting for

planned operations, reducing the risk of

short-notice cancellations.

Modular units will be constructed offsite

to deliver the project up to 60% faster and

with up to 90% less waste than traditional

building methods.

Once groundworks have been completed,

the prefabricated units will be brought

to Southmead Hospital to construct the

building, which is due to open in spring 2025.

NBT chief Eexecutive, Maria Kane, said:

“We are delighted to be working with our

partners to bring nearly £50m worth of

investment to the area’s NHS.

“Once completed this elective centre will

transform and improve the way we provide

elective care and enable us to treat our

patients faster.

“It is wonderful to see work starting on the

centre, which will be a fantastic asset for the

whole of Bristol, North Somerset, and South

Gloucestershire, and we look forward to

welcoming our first patients in spring 2025.”

Professor Stuart Walker, UHBW interim

chief executive, added: “This centre will

Healthineers has chosen

Oxfordshire for its new facility,

supporting over 1,300 skilled

jobs in the area, and reinforcing

the region’s status as a vanguard

in healthcare and R&D.

“But, as well as the incredible

local benefits this will bring,

this cutting-edge facility also

presents an opportunity to

enhance patient care globally –

which means British innovation

is saving lives around the world.”

Chief executive of Siemens

Healthineers, Bernd Montag,

added: “MRI technology plays a

vital role in diagnosing disease,

helping patients to get healthy

and stay healthy.

“As a world leader in medical

imaging, we are very proud to

open the next chapter of our

history here in Oxford.

“This factory will be the global

centre for our innovative lowhelium

magnet technology,

meaning we consume far less

of a scarce natural resource and

enable access to MRIs for many

more patients.”

improve patients’ experiences of planned

surgery, enabling them to receive lifechanging

treatment sooner and spend time

in better health with their loved ones.

“We are excited that work has started on

the centre and look forward to continuing

our collaboration with partners across Bristol,

North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire

to develop and deliver the centre and

services for our patients.”


Policy

Reforming the

planning system

In this article, Khosro Bashi, partner and architect at Tooley Foster,

explores the challenges of the current healthcare planning system

and why a simpler approach could help to overcome some of the

problems facing investors, developers, and financers

This is not another architect

complaining about how the

planning system has become

intolerably complex.

I wanted instead to concentrate the

mind on how we might try to address

a simpler approach.

This would be through recognition

that we have largely dispensed with the

outline planning application process because

so many authorities insist in so much

supporting evidence for outline applications

that it has become almost as complex as

full applications.

For example, a typical application for a

care home 15 years ago was a simple set

of drawings. But, year on year, more and

more requirements for reporting have been

added, starting with Design and Access

Statements through to detailed analyses of

various aspects of the scheme to the level

that the planning authority, with ever-morerestricted

budgets, does not have time to

adequately digest it.

Moreover, if approved and the scheme goes

ahead, the planning authorities do not have

a checking role to ensure that the scheme

is taking shape in the way prescribed in the

approved drawings and reports. Instead they

have a reactive role based on neighbourhood

complaints that may come from the build

or completed scheme.

Planning Application is RIBA

(Royal Institute of British Architects)

work stage 3: The RIBA plan of work

is used across the industry and places

planning application in work stage 3

Spatial Coordination.

The core tasks in this stage are to

‘undertake design studies, engineering

analysis, and cost exercises to test

architectural concept resulting in

spatially-coordinated design aligned

to updated cost plan, project strategies

and outline specification’.

There is absolutely no reference to

anything being done to a detailed level of

work that comes in work stage 4 and 5.

Don’t get me wrong, we have arrived in

a very logical and supportable manner at a

mass of information required for a planning

application, so it is not easy to unpick.

As an example, below is Waltham Forest’s

validation list for the applicant to figure

what is required to make a valid application.

It’s worth considering what the current

process entails for dealing with the very next

planning application for your care project.

It is very likely to follow these stages:

1. Planning preapplication – dependant

to a large degree on the quality of

information disclosed

2. The application with full supporting

information with, if refused, the right to

appeal to the secretary of state – allow

one year for the outcome. If approved,


Policy


Policy

the application is likely to have in the

order of 30 planning conditions

3. Planning conditions discharge detailing

each aspect of the scheme, with each

treated as separate planning applications,

although multiple conditions can be

dealt with at the same time through a

single application. However, the risk then

is one being refused can jeopardise all the

conditions included in the application

4. It is likely that the detailed design

development process leads to a

requirement for a Non-Material

Amendment application or another type

of application (Section 73 for example)

Let’s focus on item 4 for the moment.

With the issues arising from the

complexities in any development today,

the chances of arriving say a year later with

no changes through the detailed design

development stage and no changes that the

client requires are slim and will invariably

lead to some return to the planning process

in its current shape.

What a depressing thought with the

timescales and inevitable costs involved.

But it really doesn’t have to be this way.

Surely the system can be simplified

by first looking at the principle and size

of development so that the same

requirements are not applied across

the board on all developments?

How much better it would be if we

could take planning in smaller, moremanageable

steps.

What about three steps as follows:

Step 1: Quantum and principle of

development should be a first stage

application with the planning authority

giving precisely what information they

require for a more-detailed application

in the next step and when that information

is required i.e.

a) Pre-commencement

b) Pre-occupation

c) Post-occupation

Having the certainty that there is

mileage in the application in principle,

the developer can invest the hefty

sums involved in preparing the

information required.

Step 2: RIBA stage 3 Concept Design

Application – details/reports supporting

the application may include archaeology,

ecology, transport assessments, landscape,

SuDs, daylight/sunlight studies, etc that

are required in today’s applications i.e.

the conditions discharges.

Step 3: RIBA stage 4 and 5 Detailed

Design Application – any amendments

arising from detailed design development

stage and any non-material client changes

There are matters which are part of

early design, but which are covered in more

detail under the Building Regulations.

I give you two examples below with a

thought and question: What harm there

would be if just some of these could perhaps

be delegated from planning to be dealt

with under Building Regulations?

1. SuDS: drainage may be a difficult issue

on some sites, but these cases are rare,

and one may say it’s part of due diligence

on purchase of the site to check this

issue. Is this really a planning matter or a

technical issue that is delivered through

building control?

2. Energy Assessments and Overheating:

These matters are checked as desktop

studies, but never on site and currently

exist in Building Regulations, so why

do we need to prove to the planning

authority that the criteria are met?

It is nothing less than blatant distrust in

the professionals that design buildings

to be able to deliver the targets set by

planning authorities. Those targets

should be set in Step 1 and left to the

building control authority to monitor

delivery to that target

The above are examples, but there are

several others from the list that could

simply be targets set at Step 1 and left

to building control to deliver.

It really doesn’t have to be the

lengthy painful process that we

have all become so accustomed to

working with that is evidently failing

to deliver.

Ecology and Biodiversity net gain

deserves its own attention.

The reports on biodiversity have to

be timed to coincide with the emergence

of various endangered species, therefore

creating delays in obtaining ecology

reports and hence being able to submit

a valid planning application.

There are several laws governing the

protection of endangered species and

developers should beware that regardless

of planning applications they have

responsibilities under those laws.

Do we need also need planning law

or can we divorce ecology from the

planning application process and put

in place a direct application route to

Natural England which currently

receives and decides on such matters?

This would allow developers to

control the timing of their planning

application and put the onus on the

developers to submit an application

direct to Natural England and obtain

their approval before commencement

of any works.

Of late some planning authorities

have added to the list of reports,

Fire Statements (item 26 on Waltham

Forest’s list).

This has historically been a

Building Regulation matter and

I see no reason why it must be brought

into the planning system at all.

It’s time to stop looking at the

planning system as a one-stop shop

that considers all statutory matters

for a development and instead look at

separating out a few key applications,

directly with the statutory bodies

that govern those aspects of a

development, that can be divorced

to lighten the load on our veryburdened

planning authorities.

Planning authorities do not have a checking role to ensure that the

scheme is taking shape in the way prescribed in the approved drawings

and reports. Instead they have a reactive role based on neighbourhood

complaints that may come from the build or completed scheme


Finance and Property

What do the IFRS 16

accounting standards

mean for NHS trusts?

Changes to accounting standards for NHS organisations are having a significant impact on

estates managers, affecting leases and restricting the capital trusts have available to invest

Changes to accounting rules for

NHS trusts are proving a challenge

for estates and finance directors as

they impact on leasing agreements which

were previously off capital balance sheets.

The introduction of IFRS 16 for NHS

trusts on 1 April 2022 has had far-reaching

implications for already-tight NHS capital

budgets and is leading to a rethink of how

the health service utilises and expands its

estate moving forward.

The IFRS 16 accounting standard replaced

IAS 17 with the intention of providing

greater transparency in financial reporting.

However, under the earlier standard,

leases were classified as either ‘operating

leases’ or ‘finance leases’ and the former

did not impact NHS trusts’ Capital

Departmental Expenditure Limits (CDEL),

which restrict what public sector bodies

can spend in terms of capital on an

annual basis.

Under IFRS 16, leases which satisfy

the tests set out under the accountancy

standard and do not fall within one of the

limited exceptions are now accounted for

on the balance sheet.

And this change has restricted the cash

that NHS trusts can invest in buildings and

equipment, as the full value of any leasing

arrangement caught by IFRS 16 will now

count towards their CDEL.

CHALLENGING TIMES

Speaking to Healthcare Property,

Lisa Geary, health property partner at

international law firm DAC Beachcroft,

explains: “The NHS leases numerous

buildings – particularly in mental and

community health services – and under

this accounting treatment many of those

A trust may decide to take a series of shorterterm

leases – possibly including tenant options

to renew – to bring the lease arrangements

within the short-term exemption, but care

and advice needs to be taken here



leases which used to be off balance

sheet will now sit on the balance sheet,

impacting the amount of capital the

NHS has to spend on maintaining and

improving its estate.

“And not only does it impact leases

creating a landlord and tenant relationship,

but also some contracts where the ‘right to

use’ an asset is granted and certain other

tests are satisfied.”

Stan Campbell, partner and health

property lead at DAC Beachcroft, adds:

“In broad terms, this means that under

IFRS 16 a trust entering into a lease incurs

a charge against its CDEL limit based on

the length of the term and the value of the

rent in the financial year in which that lease

is completed. This restricts the actual cash a

trust can invest in buildings and equipment.

“And, of course, the consequences of

IFRS 16 are greater for higher rents and

longer leases.”

Stan Campbell

Lisa Geary

A GET-OUT CLAUSE

The exemptions available under IFRS 16

can mitigate its effect, including where

leases are of low value or taken for a short

term (12 months or less).

However, where the NHS is a tenant,

these exemptions are largely non applicable

as many of its occupational commitments

are for periods of more than a year and are

often linked to service contracts.

Geary says: “A trust may decide to take

a series of shorter-term leases – possibly

including tenant options to renew – to

bring the lease arrangements within the

short-term exemption, but care and advice

needs to be taken here.

“If it is ‘reasonably certain’, taking account

of the surrounding circumstances, that a

tenant will extend a lease – for example if

they are making capital improvements to the

building or entering into a services contract

linked to a building for a longer period of

time, both of which evidence an intention

to stay in the building long term – it may

mean the exemption will not apply.”

PROTECTING BUDGETS

The effect of IFRS 16 has increased the

pressure on trusts to look at other ways to

protect their capital budgets and mitigate

its impact.

A significant proportion of the capital

investment in the NHS estate to date was

secured via the now-defunct Private Finance

Initiative (PFI) approach.

First introduced in 1992, the model

involved private companies providing

funding for the construction, refurbishment,

and maintenance of NHS facilities in

exchange for a long-term contract to

deliver services.

Trusts should ensure they seek reliable

accountancy advice on the value of the

buildings they own and those that they lease,

including how they can legitimately mitigate

any value going on balance sheet depending

on the terms of the lease

The private companies receive regular

payments from the NHS over the duration

of the contract, typically 25-30 years.

This allowed private investors to generate

a return on their investment while also

delivering vital healthcare services to the

population and enabled the NHS to keep

the payments off balance sheet.

However, the current Government

stopped using the PFI model in 2018

and many of the existing contracts will

come to an end between 2030-2050.

THE NEXT STEP

One attempt to raise private capital for

infrastructure projects was the Regional

Health Infrastructure Companies

(RHIC) scheme conceived by Community

Health Partnerships (CHP), which aimed

to fundraise in a similar manner to the

Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT)

initiative, but for larger projects, though

smaller than those previously agreed

using PFI.

While the scheme was scrapped before

it took off, a primary benefit was its

intention to account for costs on an offbalance

sheet basis, meaning projects

would not be included in the NHS’s

capital spending limits.

Campbell says: “One solution to

the lack of capital for the NHS estate

could be the creation of a Governmentbacked

structure that would encourage

private investment in healthcare

infrastructure.

“There are an increasing number of

investors interested in ‘doing well by

doing good’ by investing in the UK’s

health and social care infrastructure.

“With the strong covenant strength

of the NHS, such a structure could

provide the necessary reassurance to

encourage private investment.”

However, at present, it remains unclear

whether the Government will create

a replacement for PFI or establish an

alternative avenue for private investment.



And the recent introduction of IFRS 16

has only made funding the NHS estate

more challenging.

SPACE UTILISATION

“We know from conversations with our

clients that many NHS bodies and their

finance teams would welcome a moresimplified

route to infrastructure funding,”

says Campbell.

Geary adds: “Trusts should ensure they

seek reliable accountancy advice on the value

of the buildings they own and those that they

lease, including how they can legitimately

mitigate any value going on balance sheet

depending on the terms of the lease.

“Estates managers are already working

hard to ‘sweat their assets’ by looking at how

existing space can be used more efficiently,

and identifying surplus land for sale or

reletting for income generation purposes.

“The impact of IFRS 16 has further

heightened the importance of doing this

if it means that the leased estate can be

reduced without any effect on the provision

of quality care.

“There is underutilised space in the

NHS estate and if some of these leases can

be brought to an end and space used more

efficiently, then this can help.

“Collaboration is key to this. The

consolidation of space and an increased use

of buildings which are shared with other

public sector bodies can help to mitigate

the value of leasing arrangements which

sit on balance sheet by reducing a trust’s

leasing footprint.”

But, with a General Election on the

horizon, many NHS trusts are hoping that

whichever party gets into power decides to

change the rules around IFRS 16 and/or

CDEL limits.

Campbell says: “If we see a change of

Government in July, one of the Labour

Party’s plans is for more people to be treated

in the community.

“Any required premises are likely to

be leased and come onto the balance

sheet under IFRS 16 unless a change of

Government also comes with a will to

change either accountancy treatment or

the control of capital expenditure.

“Whatever happens, the NHS is heading

towards more primary and community

care, rather than hospital-based care, so

it will need to take on new buildings.

“And key questions remain: how

will estates be funded going forward?

Will there be a replacement for PFI?

Will an alternative avenue for private

investment be created? Will investment

be purely taxpayer-funded?

“Only time will tell.” n

The consolidation of space and an increased

use of buildings which are shared with

other public sector bodies can help to

mitigate the value of leasing arrangements

which sit on balance sheet by reducing a

trust’s leasing footprint



Space management tool

supports healthcare landlords

NHS Property Services (NHSPS) has

announced it will be relaunching its

award-winning space management

system, NHS Open Space, to benefit

landlords across the entire health system.

First launched in 2016, NHS Open

Space was developed by the NHS for the

whole healthcare sector.

The complete space management

system provides all NHS and public sector

landlords with a suite of specialist estates

management, booking, and analytics tools,

complemented by expert support and

guidance from healthcare sector specialists.

NHS Open Space helps landlords to

better understand how their estate is being

used, at a room, property, or portfolio

level, through one-off utilisation studies

or ongoing monitoring.

MAKING SPACE

Landlords can then use the tool to better

manage their space, using it as either an

internal booking system, or making the

rooms available to other organisations to

monetise underutilised space.

This enables them to drive maximum

value through new revenue streams and

reduces ongoing costs.

The self-service booking platform remains

at the heart of the NHS Open Space estate

management system, providing users with

the ability to search, book, and use space

quickly, saving valuable administration

time and resources.

Since its launch, around 7,000 users

have successfully provided more than

160 services to patients over a staggering

3.5 million consultation hours.

Community Health Partnerships,

which is head tenant in 308 health care

buildings across England, is currently

working together with NHS OpenSpace

on a pilot scheme using the platform

across 18 buildings in the Midlands

and London regions.

CLARITY AND CONTROL

Chris King, head of Open Space for

NHSPS, explained: “We have enhanced

NHS Open Space based on what our

customers told us they needed, and it

now provides them with clarity and

control to assess, manage, and evaluate

their estate.

“It will help provide meaningful

utilisation data collection and reduce

administration time, increasing cost

recovery for our NHS customers, which

is critical as they focus on forecasting and

budget management as we enter a new

financial year.

“We’re also thrilled to be welcoming

CHP onboard this month and look

forward to collaborating with them as part

of a pilot scheme to create an improved

experience for their tenants and customers.”

Phil Brenner, strategic estates advisor at

Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Integrated

Care Board, added: “We are pleased to

see the extension of NHS Open Space

to our estates colleagues and landlords

across the NHS, having experienced for

ourselves the benefits and positive

outcomes it brings to our estates

management strategy.

“We look forward to working with

NHSPS to further improve and develop

the work we are doing together, to ensure

our clinicians and patients experience the

efficiencies brought about by the recent

system enhancements and feel assured that

the new offer will further improve access

to the excellent care delivered to patients

across our estate.”

ADDED VALUE

Some added benefits to customers created

by the new NHS Open Space platform

include:

• One-off or ongoing utilisation

studies and monitoring to understand

their estate

• Decide on either an internal booking

system for staff or allow other

organisations to book and use space

• Functionality on a room-by-room basis,

giving customers full flexibility

• Self-service portal to manage properties,

pricing, users, and access a suite of

utilisation and financial reports

• Intuitive user interface to streamline

management time and maximise usage

• Easy access from any device giving

on-the-go flexibility

• Wide range of room types including

clinical and non-clinical space, across

200+ locations

• Transparent pricing and room

availability data

• Further strategic estates management

advice available through NHSPS’

additional service provision

• Expert UK-based technical support n

NHS Open Space helps landlords to

better understand how their estate is being

used, at a room, property, or portfolio level,

through one-off utilisation studies or

ongoing monitoring



Elderly care bed shortage

provides opportunities

for developers

A new report from Christie & Co reveals a shortfall in social care beds for the elderly in Wales,

providing significant opportunity for specialist developers, operators, funders, and private individuals

Care home closures and a rapidlyageing

population have led to a

shortfall in bed numbers for the

elderly in Wales, according to a report

from specialist business property adviser,

Christie & Co.

Its Wales Healthcare Market Insight

2024 report analyses the elderly care home

market across Wales and highlights the

growing need for new-build, futureproofed

care homes throughout the country.

MARKET OVERVIEW

Between 2020-2023, 40 elderly care

homes in Wales closed and only four

opened, says the report.

And, as of March 2024, there are 594

elderly care homes across Wales with an

average capacity for 37 residents each.

They comprise a total of 21,820 care beds,

60% of which have en-suite provision, 25%

have wetroom provision, and just 22% have

dedicated dementia provision, according to

Christie & Co’s benchmarking data.

These homes are primarily located in

urban areas of higher population density,

such as Cardiff, Swansea, and Wrexham,

and there remains a significant shortfall of

such beds in many rural areas where poor

transport links and staffing challenges

prohibit development.

The average home in Wales has an

occupancy rate of 92%, a rise from 90%

in 2022/23, and 89% in England.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Between 2020-2024, 604 Effective

Market Capacity/future-proof (EMC)

beds were developed in Wales, either

through new registrations or the

refurbishment of existing facilities –

an increase of just 5% in four years.

Comparatively, the demand rose by

20%, meaning that, as of 2024, the

overall demand for beds in Wales is circa

21,155 while there are only circa 12,501

EMC beds in supply – just 59% of the

required demand.

And, according to the report, 74% of

local authorities in Wales require EMC

beds, yet only 26% currently have sufficient

levels of supply, which further demonstrates

the necessity of such provision.

THE FUTURE

Christie & Co forecasts that, by 2034,

there will be a total undersupply of

1,672 EMC beds in North Wales and

7,423 EMC beds in South Wales.

Rob Kinsman, regional director for

care at Christie & Co; and Will Edwards,

healthcare development and investment

lead, said of the report: “The figures in

our report speak for themselves. There is

a severe need for EMC beds in Wales and

this demand is growing rapidly as people

live longer and we see a rise in the closure of

homes that are no longer fit for purpose.

“Wales is behind the curve with England

and Scotland in terms of new futureproofed

care bed provision coming forward.

“It is clear there is a significant

opportunity for specialist developers,

operators, funders, and private individuals

to benefit from early mover advantage into

the Welsh market.

“Christie & Co deal activity for care and

retirement development sites is starting

to increase in the country, with two

completions in the first half of this year and

we look forward to working with market

participants in facilitating futureproof bed

supply to serve the growing need of the

elderly population.”

To read the full report, visit www.christie.

com/news-resources/publications/waleshealthcare-market-insight-2024/

n


Finance and Property Deals

Land deal paves the way

for care home scheme

Christie & Co has announced the sale

of a development site in Gravesend,

Kent, which benefits from planning

permission for a 75-bedroom care home.

The scheme, delivered by Frontier

Estates, has been prepared as a bestin-class

care home with 100% ensuite

facilities, luxury resident amenities, and

generous landscaped gardens.

Architects, Carless + Adams, has

received planning approval for two

new elderly care developments.

The first approval was in South Hams,

Devon, as a variation in condition to a

planning approval granted in 2018 for a

68-bedroom care home.

The original planning approval was

extended due to the COVID pandemic

and the design was also adapted to

allow for considerations around isolation

due to potential contagious illnesses

among residents.

The variation also allowed the design

to incorporate additional sedum roofs, a

green wall, and additional outside space

for residents via larger balconies and

ground-floor terraces.

The second approval received was in

Tunbridge Wells, Kent, for a 69-apartment

care facility with integrated healthcare unit

to enable residents to age in place in a

home-from-home environment.

The additional bedroom in the apartments

gives the opportunity for a carer to stay

or live in. This format will also mean that

residents will not need to move into a care

home, allowing them to truly age in place.

The site sits on a highly-prominent

1.16-acre plot in Northfleet, Gravesend,

which was formerly occupied by the

Battle of Britain pub.

Following a confidential sales process

with Sara Hartill at Christie & Co, the

site has been purchased by Simply UK

and will operate under the Morar

Living brand.

Green light for elderly care projects

And the onsite facilities allow residents

choice of how they would like to live, with

restaurant, hydrotherapy pool, and gym

being developed in addition to a community

room which will form an integral part of

the strategy for the provision of care for

the elderly in the area.

Neil Dobbie, land director at

Simply UK, said: “We are delighted

to have acquired this site for 75

beds which will deliver a best-inclass

home.

“We believe the scheme will be

an excellent addition to the Morar

stable of homes and should welcome

its first residents in the first quarter

of 2025.

“We have ongoing requirements

across the country and this purchase

aligns with our national acquisition

strategy, which continues to go from

strength to strength.”

Hartill said there had been a ‘strong

shift in operator appetite over recent

months for quality sites’.

She added: “Northfleet is a highlyattractive

market given its strong

demographics and we are delighted

to have represented Frontier Estates

throughout the sales process.”

The land was sold for an

undisclosed amount.

Both designs will support the local elderly

community and improve the quality of life

and care for future residents going forward.

Melissa Magee, managing director and

architect at Carless + Adams, said:

“These approvals show recognition of the

demand for care in the UK and ensuring

people have the opportunity to move into

appropriate, right-sized home environments.

“We couldn’t be prouder to be part of

driving this change.”


Care operator takes

over Hampshire freehold


Christie & Co has completed the

freehold sale of White Rock Nursing

Home in Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire.

Owned and operated by the same family

since 1971, the property is a 30-registered

care home benefitting from 24 bedrooms

and a strong local reputation for providing

an excellent level of care for residents.

The business has a ‘Good’ CQC rating

and a dedicated staff team, and specialises

in providing care for those with dementia.

The home is situated in a quiet treelined

avenue in the small coastal resort of

Barton-on-Sea, on the edge of the New

Forest National Park.

Following a confidential sales process

with Charles Phillips at Christie & Co, and

with funding sourced through Neil Collins

at Christie Finance, it has been purchased

by Sally and David Price who own another

care home in Hampshire as well as a

domiciliary care agency.

Siobhan Dodd, director at White Rock

Nursing Home, said: “White Rock has

been an integral part of our family since

we opened the care home in 1971 and

it has been a very hard decision to sell,

but we felt the time was right to retire from

the sector and hand the business onto

a new owner.

“We are delighted that Sally and David

will be taking over the care home and with

their experience in the care sector we are

confident the home is in safe hands.”

Sally added: “As local residents, David

and I have been aware of White Rock

Nursing Home for a number of years and,

when approached by Christie & Co to see

Four Seasons continues sell-off plan

Christie & Co has announced the mostrecent

sub group completion which

marks 57 UK care homes sold as part

of the divestment project which

Christie & Co is running on behalf

of Four Seasons Health Care.

These homes comprise Four Seasons

Health Care Group’s remaining freehold

property portfolio and associated care

home business, and as such represent

a key milestone in the group’s ongoing

restructuring process.

Joe O’Connor, chief executive of the

Four Seasons Health Care Group, said:

“The completion of the sale of these

57 care homes and their smooth handover

to new owners continues the positive

progress for the group’s sales process.

“We wish the homes, their residents,

and teams well for the future.

“Throughout the sales process, our

priority remains the continuity of care

for all residents, and the group will

work closely with the buyers and other

counterparties, as well as all relevant

regulators, to ensure that any transition

to new ownership is seamless.”

Four Seasons Grove House

Four Seasons Park House

if we would be interested in purchasing it,

we were immediately very interested.

“We already own one care home and

also a domiciliary care agency in

Hampshire and believe there will be

great synergies among our businesses.”

White Rock Nursing Home was sold

for an undisclosed price.

Four Seasons announced in June

2022 that it was selling 111 care homes.

But bosses recently announced

they will retain a third of the portfolio

in the near term.

Last month, group chief executive,

Joe O’Connor, said: “We decided we

would retain those care homes because

they were performing strongly across

all metrics including care quality

and financially.

“We didn’t feel we were getting the

right value for them in the sales process.”

Four Seasons Ivybank



First-time

buyers take

on care home

Hillbrow House care home

in Crediton, Devon, has been

sold to new sector entrants,

husband-and-wife team,

Tintu Tojo and Nicy Sabastian.

Hillbrow House is an

‘Outstanding’-rated care home

that occupies a well-maintained,

attractive Grade II-listed

property with 23 bedrooms

and an enclosed rear garden

and patio area.

It is located in a prominent

position towards the outskirts

of Crediton town centre.

The home has been owned

by Barry and Denise Shears

of Hillbrow Residential Care

Home who, along with their

daughter, Joanna Foulstone,

operated it for over 20 years.

Barry and Denise were looking

to sell to enable them to retire

and, following a confidential

sales process with Simon

Harvey at Christie & Co, the

home has been purchased

Tojo and Sabastian.

Denise said of their decision

to sell: “We bought the home in

2002 as a going concern.

“Hillbrow had already been

in business as a care home for

a number of years and, at that

time, we were very involved in

maintaining and improving its

already-good reputation in the

community, implementing new

legislation and best practice as

time went on.

“Joanna’s entry into the

business management of the

company in 2014 was a verypositive

step and enabled us to

reduce our involvement.

“During the COVID period,

Joanna and the staff did a

first-class job of keeping

our residents protected and

Joanna’s husband, Lewis,

also joined our team during

that time and gave a great

amount of practical help

and support on the

maintenance side.

“So, to sum up, Hillbrow

has been a family business

with an ethos of serving the

community and we wish

Tintu and Nicy every success

in their new venture.”

Harvey added: “The market

in the South West remains

particularly active, with a

significant number of other

transactions currently ongoing

and demand for care homes

across the region being very

strong, in particular where

homes have a ‘Good’ or, in this

case, ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating,

are trading profitably, and

have an experienced manager

in post.”

Hillbrow House was sold

for an undisclosed price.

REIT signs lease for private hospital

Northwest Healthcare Properties REIT

has announced it has signed a new

25-year lease with private hospital chain,

Practice Plus Group, for a new private

hospital in Edgbaston, Birmingham.

From 9 May, what was the Circle Hospital,

Edgbaston, known locally as The BMI

Hospital, will be under the operation of

Practice Plus Group.

To be known as Practice Plus Group

Hospital, Birmingham, the building is

configured over four floors and comprises

55 bedrooms, three operating theatres,

an endoscopy suite, outpatient facilities

including 10 consulting rooms, an imaging

department, physio area, and staff and

patient parking.

The site will undergo an extensive

programme of renovation and

reconfiguration and is set to re-open

in the summer of 2024.

NHS patients will be able to ask their GPs

for referrals to Practice Plus Group, and from

the summer private patients will be able

to call the private patient contact centre

to book a consultation directly through

Wellsoon, Practice Plus Group’s private

surgery brand.

The core services provided will be

orthopaedic surgery, ophthalmology,

diagnostics, and endoscopy.

Nicholas West, head of UK at Northwest

Healthcare Properties REIT, said: “We are

delighted to welcome Practice Plus Group to

our portfolio and excited to see the property

repositioned under its company banner.

“The new lease is provided on ‘green

lease’ terms and we believe the new

hospital will be a welcome addition to

the Birmingham healthcare landscape,

providing affordable private healthcare

and helping to reduce elevated NHS

waiting lists in the local area.”

Practice Plus Group runs 10 hospitals

and surgical centres around the country,

all of which are rated ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’

by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

With hospitals mostly concentrated in

the south of England, this is the company’s

first move into the West Midlands.

Jim Easton, chief executive of Practice Plus

Group, said: “People that live in the Greater

Birmingham area continue to suffer from

long waiting lists for elective treatments in

the wake of the COVID pandemic.

“We have a fantastic reputation for the

quality of our surgery and are looking

forward to partnering with the local NHS

trusts to unlock access to affordable

healthcare for those people who want

fast access to high clinical quality.”



Real estate fund ploughs

millions into elderly care sector

Elevation Healthcare Properties (EHP),

a healthcare real estate fund advised

by Elevation Advisors LLP, has raised

£348m of equity and debt capital since

the beginning of 2024, which it will be

using to acquire and develop elderly

care properties in the UK.

Following the last equity raise of £330m

in Q4 of 2022, EHP raised an additional

£157m of equity during Q1 of this year.

It also refinanced an existing debt facility

of £153m for a further five-year term with

a leading high street bank.

The term loan was converted into a

Sustainability Linked Loan alongside

Sustainability Linked Hedging,

demonstrating EHP’s commitment to

sustainability and advancing its existing

ESG strategy.

The Sustainability Linked Loan will

assess the progression of EHP against:

• The annual Global Real Estate

Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB)

reporting which assesses a breadth

of ESG and sustainability credentials

• The progression of EHP’s asset level

certification against BREEAM in-use

• A commitment to fundraising and

volunteering for the selected organisations

EHP raised an additional £38m bank facility

from Virgin Money, as part of the Berkley

Care transaction detailed below.

The facility was rolled over as part of

the transaction with over four years left

on the term.

All of the debt raised is fully hedged

in line with EHP’s interest rate risk policy

through a combination of swaps, caps,

and floors.

KEY TRANSACTIONS

• Acquired from Clariane S.E, 11 properties,

simultaneously leased back to Berkley

Care Group. Concurrently, Berkley Care’s

existing leadership team agreed to acquire

the operations of Berkley Care operations

from Clariane. The total consideration

to Clariane was £207m. This transaction

cements and expands EHP’s existing

relationship with Berkley Care, an operator

of 12 modern award-winning care homes

across England comprising 805 beds

• Acquired a 60-bed, modern purpose-built

care home in Ormskirk Lancashire, with a

simultaneous lease to operator, Torwood.

Additionally, EHP has completed the

acquisition of land and a forward-funding

Berkley Care’s Fernhill House

EHP is supporting development of a care home in Huddersfield

agreement to support the development

of a state-of-the-art 61-bed care home

in Huddersfield to be developed and

subsequently let to Torwood, a leading

care operator with two care homes

and more than five developments

under construction

James Giles, investment director at

Elevation, said: “We are excited to announce

these transactions, demonstrating the

stable and resilient growth of our wellestablished

EHP vehicle.

“EHP seeks to address the structural

undersupply of high-quality elderly care

beds in the UK to deliver positive social

impact through the provision of modern,

high-quality care environments.

“These facilities are a vital part of

the healthcare infrastructure fabric of

the country and are designed to meet

increasing environmental standards.

Torwood Abbey Wood Lodge

“These transactions are testament to the

successful alignment of Elevation with its

investors and stakeholders, supporting

both sustainable returns and the provision

of high-quality elderly care.

“Focused on the long-term, we are

committed to delivering strong outcomes

for our communities and are working

towards completing our 2024 ambitions.”



Investing in healthcare REITs

A deep dive into healthcare REITs with Matthew DiLallo, a senior

energy and materials specialist at investment advisor, The Motley Fool

Real estate investment trusts

(REITs) play a vital role in the

healthcare industry.

Healthcare REITs operate many of the

specialised facilities that healthcare systems

and other health-related institutions need

to deliver the best care for patients.

In this article we will consider whether

these REITs are good investments and

explore some attractive options that

investors should consider.

UNDERSTANDING REITS

Healthcare REITs own, operate, manage,

acquire, and develop healthcare-related

real estate.

These facilities include senior living

communities, hospitals, medical offices,

outpatient facilities, life science innovation

and research properties, and skilled

nursing facilities.

Most healthcare REITs make money by

leasing space in their facilities to tenants

such as healthcare systems, primarily under

triple net leases.

This lease structure requires the tenant

to cover maintenance, real estate taxes, and

building insurance.

And it provides REITS with a verypredictable

stream of rental income,

making them ideal stocks to invest in

during a recession.

Some healthcare REITs also operate

the facilities they own, such as senior

living communities.

They typically hire a third-party manager

who earns a fee for managing the property’s

day-to-day operations.

The healthcare REIT generates net

operating income from the fees paid on

behalf of patients for their housing and any

services provided. This income can vary

due to fluctuations in occupancy levels

and rates.

ADVANTAGES OF INVESTING

Healthcare REITs benefit from the massive

and growing healthcare industry, one of the

largest stock market sectors.

While healthcare spending in the US,

for example, peaked at $3.8trillion in 2019,

it declined by 2% in 2020 due to

the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, it started growing again in

2021 and is on track to top $6trillion

by 2028.

Forecasts suggest the demand for

healthcare-related real estate should

continue growing.

And REITs are likely to benefit

from steadily-rising rental rates on

existing properties.

In addition, they should be able to

develop new properties to meet the

growing needs of the healthcare industry.

One of the drivers of the sector’s

projected growth is the aging of the baby

boom generation.

People older than 80 are expected to

be one of the fastest-growing age groups

through 2029.

And the increase in the ranks of the

elderly should drive demand for senior

housing and skilled nursing facilities.

Such growth is likely to benefit healthcare

REITs focused on those properties as they

report higher occupancy levels, allowing

them to raise their rates.

THE RISKS

While healthcare REITs are less risky than

other healthcare stocks because of their

generally-stable rental income, they’re not

without risk.



Here are some of the risks they face:

• Leverage risk: REITs borrow heavily to

acquire and develop real estate and the

debt reduces their financial flexibility

during economic recessions

• Interest rate risk: REITs are highly

sensitive to changes in interest rates.

Higher rates increase the cost of debt,

given the sector’s use of leverage.

In addition, higher interest rates

give income-focused investors more

investment options that offer an attractive

income yield, such as government and

corporate bonds, which can weigh on

REIT stock prices

• Oversupply risk: Healthcare REITs

need to match their development

plans with demand. Given the highlyspecialised

nature of most healthcare

facilities, REITs need to be careful not

to build too much supply or it might

sit vacant

• Tenant risk: Healthcare REITs rely

on their tenants to pay rent and manage

senior living facilities effectively.

However, healthcare margins are

relatively thin, which can cause operators

to run into financial trouble if they’re

not vigilant. That can affect rental

receipts and force a healthcare

REIT to find a new tenant for their

facility if an operator can’t meet its

financial obligations

• Pandemic/flu season risk: Virus

outbreaks can significantly affect

healthcare REITs, especially those focused

on senior housing. It can cause occupancy

to decline as more patients check out

than are admitted

THREE HEALTHCARE REITS

TO CONSIDER IN 2024

According to the National Association of

Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT),

16 publicly-traded REITS focus on

healthcare-related real estate.

And that gives investors interested

in the sector multiple options.

A few stand out for their strong

performance in recent years, including:

COMMUNITY

HEALTHCARE TRUST

Community Healthcare Trust owns a

diversified portfolio of healthcare facilities

across tenant, geography, healthcare

facility type, and industry segments.

The company’s portfolio includes

acute inpatient behavioural facilities,

physician clinics, behavioural health

centres, specialty centres, inpatient

rehabilitation facilities, long-term acute

care hospitals, medical office buildings,

and surgical centres and hospitals.

The company’s diversified approach

has paid big dividends over the years,

producing annualised total returns

topping 18% during the past five years.

And, as of early 2022, it had increased

its dividend payment every quarter since

its initial public offering in 2015.

The factor driving its growth is a

steady stream of acquisitions.

Community Healthcare Trust

focuses on smaller off-market or lightlymarketed

transactions.

By avoiding a competitive bidding

process, it can acquire properties at higher

cap rates (the net operating income yield

on the investment).

This healthcare REIT is in an excellent

position to continue increasing shareholder

value. It has a conservative balance sheet,

giving it the financial flexibility to acquire

a diverse array of healthcare properties.

And future deals should supply it with

additional cash flow to continue increasing

its dividend.

CARETRUST REIT

CareTrust acquires and leases senior

housing and healthcare properties.

Most of its portfolio consists of skilled

nursing facilities. However, it also owns

assisted living facilities, senior living

facilities, and campuses that include

skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.

CareTrust primarily owns net lease

properties, operating only seven of its

224 properties as of early 2022 and its lease

structure provides it with a steady income.

Healthcare REITs operate many of the

specialised facilities that healthcare systems

and other health-related institutions need

to deliver the best care for patients

This REIT’s strategy has paid off over

the years and it has been one of the top

three best-performing healthcare

REITs over the past one-, three-, and fiveyear

periods.

Aside from focusing on net lease

properties, the other major driver of

CareTrust’s success in creating shareholder

value is its investment strategy.

It invests about $200m annually, focusing

on opportunities with higher cap rates.

CareTrust should be able to continue

growing in the coming years.

It had a relatively-low leverage ratio

and a conservative dividend payout ratio,

giving it ample financial flexibility to

keep making acquisitions.

Meanwhile, it has a steady pipeline of

investments as it leverages its relationships

to find attractive opportunities.

MEDICAL

PROPERTIES TRUST

Medical Properties Trust focuses on

owning hospitals in the US and abroad.

As of early 2022, it was the secondlargest

non-government owner of

hospitals in the world.

In addition to hospitals, it also

owns behavioural health facilities and

freestanding urgent care facilities.

The company’s focus on hospitals has

paid off over the years.

Over the past five years, it has produced

an average annualised total return of 18%.

One factor driving this performance

is its increased dividend in each of the

past nine years.

Since the end of 2018, the hospital

owner has increased its dividend at a

3.8% annual rate.

For comparison’s sake, dividends in the

healthcare REIT sector have fallen by an

average of 10% during that time, mainly

because many have reduced their payments

during the pandemic.

A steady stream of acquisitions has

produced transformative growth

since 2019.

This REIT has acquired $12.1bn

worth of real estate, creating an

estimated $5.4bn of shareholder value.

With a solid balance sheet, growing

funding sources, and a massive market

opportunity, Medical Properties Trust

should be able to continue increasing

shareholder value in the coming years.

Healthcare REITs will be one of the

beneficiaries of the healthcare sector’s

continued growth. And these companies

should continue raising rents while

experiencing healthy occupancy levels

as baby boomers age, making it an

excellent sector for investors to consider. n



An appetite

for growth

Exploring the findings of CBRE’s recently-released UK Healthcare Sentiment Survey

Investment in healthcare real estate is

experiencing a revival far ahead of other

sectors, according to a new report from

CBRE UK.

The real estate adviser’s 2024 UK

Healthcare Sentiment Survey quizzed

more than 1,400 investors, developers,

and providers – collectively investing

£8bn and operating 150,000 beds –

to gain valuable insight into the market.

And it revealed that healthcare demand

remained robust in 2023, with a high

majority of investors and developers having

maintained or increased their focus on

the sector despite economic challenges

and low investment volumes.

Market participants are also taking a

long-term view on the sector based on

increasing demand and strengthening

operational performance, with ESG

credentials key to decision making as

they enhance the positive social impact

healthcare services can deliver through

the reduction of operational costs and

the creation of operational efficiencies

which support the provision of highquality

care.

Sarah Livingston, head of UK healthcare

at CBRE, told Healthcare Property:

“What the report showed was that

healthcare is a priority sector, which will

likely rebound in September this year,

ahead of many other sectors in the market.

“What has stopped real estate investment

on the whole is that estates have not

performed, but health and social care is the

opposite and performance has improved.

“A large part of elderly care market

occupancy is back to where it should

be and recruitment and staffing are

being addressed.

“COVID recovery for private healthcare

is also far exceeding pre-COVID levels,

so we are seeing investment in the sector

rebounding at pace.”

The report reveals that 80% of those

questioned expect increased investment and

development activity in the health sector in

2024, and 50% anticipate a return to stable

market activity before the end of the year.

And more than 75% say ESG influences

their strategy moving forward.

But it also highlights a gulf between the

priorities of developers and investors.

For example, 50% of investors are

interested in the senior living market, but

only 30% of developers are interested

in developing these facilities.

Developers, in contrast, are focusing

their attention on primary care, which

investors are less keen to fund.

Livingston said: “Senior living is tricky,

with long lead times and issues with

planning permissions, which are slow to

come by, as are sites with the right access

in the right location.

“While, in primary care, there are a

large number of GPs operating from

buildings which are not fit for purpose.

“Developers are looking at models

where you don’t just see a GP, but also

other health and wellbeing providers,

such as physiotherapists or mental

health practitioners, all under one roof.

“This is attractive as it is seen as a

long-term income.”

She added: “We are not really seeing

much in the way of large-scale hospital

projects, rather adaptations for diagnostics

and outpatient services closer to home

and with good public transport links

for both patients and staff.

“A lot of work will be about

repurposing these facilities and bringing

them up to ESG standards. This is a

particular focus for investors who need

to prove their environmental credentials.

That came across very strongly in

the report.”

She concludes: “The overall sentiment

is positive about healthcare because it is

a well-known, long-term demand that’s

not going anywhere

“With the population getting older

and needing more-complex care, investors,

developers, and providers are now looking

at healthcare.” n


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Design and Build

Digital construction:

the key to unlocking

the future of healthcare

With the recent Spring budget announcing £100m of extra funding for AI that will be partly

channelled into healthcare, Mark Gibson, managing director of healthcare at Sir Robert McAlpine,

looks at the value AI and digital tools can deliver on healthcare construction projects

Mark Gibson

While the role digital construction

can play in the delivery of

public projects has not yet been

set in stone; it is clear that interest in its

corresponding tools and technologies is

growing – evidenced by the Infrastructure

and Projects Authority (IPA) recently

announcing a new framework encouraging

the use of ‘responsible experimentation’

with AI on public projects.

And health sector projects provide the

perfect canvas to explore the transformative

impact digital construction can have.

In the wake of COVID-19, improving

the number and quality of hospitals

remains high on the Government’s agenda,

and embracing digital construction is

the first step on this journey: opening

up avenues to increased efficiency and

productivity on projects, driving technical

excellence, and leading to decreased costs,

smoother collaboration, and improved

use of resources.

DIGITAL TOOLS:

THE FUTURE OF

CONSTRUCTION

Digital construction methods cover both

ends of the spectrum, from tools that assist

with the day-to-day running of a site, to

cutting-edge developments currently

being trialled.

An aerial shot of Kingsway Hospital in

Derby where Sir Robert McAlpine is trialling

HP Site Print robots to create floor plans

Health sector projects provide the perfect

canvas to explore the transformative impact

digital construction can have

For example, at IHP, the joint venture

between VINCI Building and Sir

Robert McAlpine, we are using Buildots

technology while constructing the

BEACH Building, part of the Royal

Bournemouth Hospital estate.

This involves the use of helmetmounted

360-degree cameras which

capture images that AI then combines

with BIM, schedule data, and 3D

modelling to provide project managers

with detailed progress updates sitewide

and immensely improve collaborative

planning. This is a marked improvement

as reports used to be run manually, often

resulting in package managers walking

an 8km site per week.

Rigorous standards must be met when

delivering healthcare projects, and digital

tools can help in ensuring this.

HP Site Print robots are being trialled

by IHP at Kingsway Hospital in Derby,

allowing floor plans to be created and

functions performed to an accuracy

of 3mm.

As it is a psychiatric intensive care

unit, precision is of the essence, and this

guarantee of accuracy, along with improved


Design and Build

embedded throughout the construction

process, seen as a way of working industrywide

rather than siloed to specific teams

within firms.

And this requires communication from

within and throughout project teams,

including clients, consultants, and

executive leadership through to supply

chain partners, and with other firms, too.

It is through this collaboration

and communication that a culture of

digital literacy can truly be fostered

in the long term.

The BEACH Building, part of the Royal Bournemouth

Hospital estate, where Buildots technology is being used to

provide project managers with detailed progress updates

speed – the robots deliver ten times faster

than traditional methods – has made it

an invaluable tool. Other BIM tools, like

the Dalux BIM viewer, can help simplify

highly-technical jobs.

By bringing together floor plans, site

capture, and models, complex interface

details can be visualised and construction

sequencing easier to interpret.

Augmented-reality headsets, also being

trialled at Derby Kingsway, can then

allow teams to superimpose these BIM

models onto structures already existing

or in construction.

This allows installation processes to be

streamlined, ultimately bringing time,

materials, and cost benefits to a project.

DATA COLLECTION

MADE EASY

Digital tools can be highly valuable

when collecting data.

If effectively integrated into a project,

data collection can deliver value while

construction is ongoing and throughout

the entire life cycle of the building. It can

also enrich end users’ experience by sharing

findings from any data collected.

With the Building Safety Act making it

a legal requirement for projects to share

up-to-date information on buildings, the

benefits of digital construction tools have

been made ever clearer.

They make it possible for data to be easily

accessed and shared by others – essentially

creating a log of past activity and providing

a roadmap through a building’s history.

Once collected, data can also be used

to benefit clients and end users post

project completion.

For example, project data collected over

the duration of the BEACH building’s

construction has been shared with the

University Hospitals Dorset NHS

Foundation Trust to provide guidance

on how best to operate and maintain the

building, replacing the paper logs often

used across the NHS.

Furthermore, the data has fed into

enhanced digital security mechanisms

put in place in the BEACH building’s

maternity facilities, which trigger the

automatic locking of doors when

needed to keep babies safe.

THE TWIN

CHALLENGES

OF CULTURE

AND EDUCATION

Construction has often been perceived

as a traditional, slow-moving industry.

Now, however, there is a growing push

to understand new ways of working and

a move towards embracing digitisation,

digital tools, and methods – particularly

in the healthcare projects sector, where

estates are often under increased pressure

to deliver from the outset, with little

room for error.

This is in part due to issues in accessing

sites following completion as well as

meeting a myriad of technical requirements

to ensure that any risks are minimised.

Digital construction methods should be

WIDER ENGAGEMENT IS KEY

The benefits of digital construction

practices must be shared beyond

internal stakeholders to ensure they

are a longstanding feature of projects.

For instance, the supply chain should

also be encouraged to engage with digital

construction tools to foster greater

digital best practice.

Similarly, we have seen firsthand how

digital tools can facilitate engagement

with key stakeholders.

Twinmotion, a visualisation software

employed at Derby Kingsway, allowed

nurses, doctors, and patients alike to feed

in their preferences on the interior of a

new hospital unit. This allowed end users

to have a direct say on the project’s

outcome and ensured quality could be

met from the outset.

Joint ventures can also be an effective

means for sharing best practice and

spurring industry engagement with

digital construction tools.

Opportunities for collaboration will

allow businesses to share preferred methods

of engagement, with the view to ultimately

establishing an industry standard of

best practice.

Where possible, firms can also put

forward projects to take part in onsite

trials, allowing future digital tools and

technologies to flourish.

Ultimately, digital construction has

the potential to vastly improve accuracy

and precision when building a healthcare

project – thus allowing the highest quality

of construction to be achieved in tandem

with timely, efficient delivery.

Potentially transformative for the

healthcare sector and elsewhere, ensuring

sufficient training and education exists

for teams to effectively utilise digital

construction tools and methods will be

crucial in establishing it as a key pillar

of construction going forward.

In a sector like healthcare, where

projects demand precision and accuracy,

digital construction might just be the

key to unlocking the future. n


Design and Build

Hints and tips for

care home interior design

Care home residents can spend a significant portion of their time indoors and, as a result, the

design of the interior spaces can have a huge impact on their wellbeing. Dawn Scott, senior colour

designer at Dulux Trade, explores the factors that contribute to good interior design and improved

occupant wellbeing, including colour choice and placement

Likewise, in dining spaces, a contrasting

colour can be used behind the serving

station to make it more visible.

Standout shades should also be used

to highlight potential hazards like pillars

and radiators.

However, if there are any areas where

access should be discouraged, it is

recommended to use consistent colours

to make them less noticeable.

For example, painting a door the same

shade as the surrounding wall will make

it harder to see and prevent residents

from using it.

There are over 16,000 care homes in

the UK, and over 70% of all care

home residents have dementia or

severe memory problems.

As such, when it comes to designing care

homes, it is crucial to ensure the correct

colours and design choices are made to

effectively meet the needs of each occupant.

However, this is especially true for those

with dementia or severe memory problems.

INDEPENDENCE

In care homes, colour can be used to

help residents retain independence.

Those with dementia may have trouble

with spatial awareness and judging

distances, but using colour correctly

can help.

It is important to ensure that

surfaces are easy to identify by using

contrasting colours.

For example, if a soft tone is used on

the main walls, then more-saturated colours

can be used on doors and door frames to

make these elements stand out and signal

where the entrance/exit to the room is.

The same concept can be applied to the

end of a corridor or the top of a stairwell

to inform people that they have reached

the end of the pathway – and choosing

contrasting colours for different zones or

floors can also aid wayfinding.

THE RIGHT PRODUCT

As well as colour, it is important to

think about the type of paint specified.

Care homes are incredibly-busy

environments and surfaces need to be

able to withstand regular knocks and

scuffs – so the paint needs to be durable

and cleanable.

For example, Dulux Trade Diamond

Matt can withstand 10,000 scrubs and it

delivers resistance to water-based and oilbased

stains, including coffee and food.

This helps to stop stains from being

absorbed into the surface and makes

them easier to clean off.

Surfaces treated with these sorts of

paints will therefore look newer and fresher

for longer, which means that redecoration

does not need to be carried out as often

and disruption is kept to a minimum.

The paint finish is also key.

All surfaces should be painted with a

flat and non-reflective paint as a glossy

finish produces glare and light bounce,

which can be confusing and disorientating

for those with dementia.

In conclusion, when redecorating care

homes, it is important to think about

where colours are placed to help aid

wayfinding and independence.

The type of paint selected is also crucial,

to ensure the professional finish applied

lasts the test of time, while enhancing the

lives of care home residents. n


MISSED

AN ISSUE?

Back issues available online!

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Inside issue 02, March-April 2024

• The future of PFI — trusts told to act now

before it’s too late

• NHS capital budgets must double to

protect the estate

• Decommissioning medical gases helps to

drive carbon efficiencies

• The evolution of healthcare fencing design

Inside issue 03, May-June 2024

• Milestone for £85m maternity hospital

development in Belfast

• Spotlight on best practice for dementiainclusive

design

• Framework agreements provide support for

next-generation healthcare buildings

HEALTHCARE-PROPERTY.COM

Design

Work begins on psychiatric

intensive care unit for children

This article explores the design approach to the delivery of a new paediatric mental health

facility in Bournemouth

Construction work has begun on an

eight-bed Child and Adolescent

Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for

Dorset HealthCare at its Alumhurst Road

site in Bournemouth.

Designed by Medical Architecture

alongside the NHS trust, and being built

by Kier Construction, the new building will

take advantage of its elevated woodland site

to create a safe and therapeutic space for

the recovery of a vulnerable patient group.

There is currently a shortage of facilities

in the south of England for children and

young people with an acute mental health

illness who cannot be safely cared for on

a general adolescent unit.

And this proposed facility will enable

staff to effectively treat patients who display

highly-complex and challenging behaviours

in a secure and dignified setting.

Suitable for patients between 12-18 years

old, the building includes eight inpatient

beds, day spaces, a two-classroom school

facility, treatment spaces, tribunal room,

seclusion room, de-escalation room, and

an extra-care suite.

A SECLUDED SETTING

The site for the new unit is close to an

existing Grade II-listed hospital building

and features attractive grounds that

provide a secluded and therapeutic setting.

The building design has been influenced

by the challenges and opportunities

presented by the site’s constraints, as

well as the very-specific requirements

of the patient group.

Taking advantage of the steeply-sloping

site and woodland setting, the new

building is located on an existing plateau,

elevating the patient accommodation

so there is a direct connection to the

surrounding tree canopies.

Staff accommodation is located at a

lower-ground-floor level, with access to

an external landscaped area and attractive

views from their working environment.

SPECIALIST FACILITIES

Considering the complex needs of the

patient group, the building has been

designed to ensure the safety and

wellbeing of patients and staff.

Clear zoning of accommodation

enables patients to co-exist in harmony,

with opportunities for separation to

de-escalate tension.

And all patient accommodation and

clinical space is located on a single level,

linked by comfortably-wide circulation

spaces, enabling an ease of movement

between zones and clear sight lines

for staff to manage risk.

A large central courtyard acts as a focal

point to the patient accommodation,

providing a secure and accessible outdoor

area for activity.

Day spaces, including a television

room, games room, and lounge, are

arranged around the courtyard, offering

a choice of engaging views to the

surrounding woodland.


Design

Characterised by generous amounts

of glazing, they offer bright, vibrant

environments with opportunities for

passive observation.

Through a choreographed approach to

placemaking, strategically-located

rooflights highlight a series of special

spaces within the building, including a snug

seating area within the central corridor.

SAFE SANCTUARY

The ensuite bedrooms form an

important safe sanctuary for the young

patients and have been designed to

provide a comfortable and private space

with good daylight.

A large secure window, combined

with the stepped nature of the landscape,

provides a sense of being nestled among

the treetops.

And a window seat provides a

personal space that encourages calm

contemplation, while looking out onto

a biodiverse landscape.

The beds and wardrobes have been

designed as bespoke built-in joinery,

subtly integrating the requirements for

safety and robustness, while providing

a display for personal items to create a

familiar environment.

QUALITY AND VALUE

The new building is to be positioned at

the rear of the existing hospital site at a

lower elevation to the main access route

and listed building. As a result, the roof

forms a prominent visual feature which

is key to the sensitive response to the

building’s context.

The design also proposes a high-quality

standing seam zinc roof finish and a buff

brick base which complement the heritage

buildings on the site, creating a simple

and elegant form.

One of the early cohort of the

New Hospital Programme (NHP), the

scheme has helped to define future NHP

projects in terms of forward-thinking

buildability and room standardisation.

The new facilities will enable Dorset

HealthCare to provide a high-quality

service for young people closer to home

and their support network, resulting in

reduced waiting times for admissions,

faster recovery, and reduced cost to the

NHS. This will all be delivered in a healing

Set against a stunning backdrop, the unit

will enhance the provision of care and

provide a therapeutic environment for

a vulnerable patient group

THE PROJECT TEAM

Client:

Dorset HealthCare University

NHS Foundation Trust

Architect:

Medical Architecture

Contractor:

Kier Construction

Services Engineer:

Hoare Lea

Structure and Civil Engineer:

Calcinotto

Landscape:

UBU Design

Project Management:

MMC Project Consulting

Quantity Surveying:

MMC Project Consulting

Planning Consultant:

Savills

Principal Designer:

Sweco

Fire Consultant:

Bureau Veritas

BREEAM Consultant:

RPS Group

Arboriculture Consultant:

Hellis Solutions

environment which exploits the quality

of its therapeutic setting.

Yvonne Ophaus, associate at Medical

Architecture, said: “The unit’s distinctive

requirements, coupled with the complex

topography of the site, presented challenges

that we successfully navigated through

close collaboration with the client, the

design team, and the contractor.

“Set against a stunning backdrop,

the unit will enhance the provision of care,

and provide a therapeutic environment

for a vulnerable patient group.”

Matthew Bryant, chief executive at

Dorset HealthCare, added: “This facility

will represent a major step forward for

children’s mental health services in Dorset.

“It will allow us to care for seriously-ill

young people close to family and friends in

purpose-built, modern accommodation,

greatly reducing the need for out-of-area

placements and improving their chances

of recovery.

“We are very pleased with the design of

the facility, developed in conjunction with

our construction partner, Kier, alongside

patients, staff and peer specialists.

“It has taken into account the constraints

and sensitivities of the site, and we are

confident it will provide a first-class

environment which meets both the clinical

and educational needs of our patients.” n


Construction

Two thirds of

architects now calculate

environmental impact

NBS’s Digital Construction Report reveals a major drive for green metrics

More architects are using

digital tools to calculate the

environmental impact of

building projects than ever before,

according to NBS, the UK’s leading

specification platform.

Results from its latest Digital

Construction Report, a study on

the industry’s evolving relationship

between digital technology, safety, and

sustainability, found that two thirds of

architects now use digital tools to

calculate environmental-related metrics.

In particular, two in five (41%)

use technology to assess the energy

demands of a project before construction

begins – an important step in

measuring carbon emissions and

meeting sustainability goals.

A similar figure (39%) also use

digital methods to understand the

embodied carbon attached to a project

and the components that go into it –

that is the amount of CO 2

emitted

during construction.

Despite room for improvement, these

figures show a clear push towards lower

carbon outcomes.

FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE

Another important finding in report was

around attitudes toward products and the

wider construction lifecycle.

Over a quarter of architects (26%)

now analyse the lifecycle of building

products before including them

within specifications.

This shows a growing effort to choose

environmentally-friendly products that

could potentially be recycled or reused.

Growing concerns around the use of

water are also increasingly important

for architects, with nearly a fifth

(18%) turning to technology to

predict project water demands.

OFFSITE ON THE UP

Continuing with the theme of

sustainable construction, NBS also

analysed levels of offsite construction,

an area often associated with greener

building practices, due to greater control

of materials and waste.

And the results found that Modern

Methods of Construction (MMC)

continue to gather pace.

Over half of architects (57%) had been

part of a construction project that had

used or required offsite construction

within the last year.

This is an increase of 13% since 2021

and comes despite the closure of several

high-profile MMC factories.


Construction

Delving deeper, manufacturers are the group most likely

to be involved with MMC – seven in 10 had worked with

an offsite element, followed by nearly two-thirds of contractors

(63%) and over half of consultants (58%).

This increase could reflect an industry drive towards net

zero as well as recent government backing for further

standardisation within MMC.

TAKING FULL RESPONSIBILITY

NBS’s report also highlighted increases in the number of

professionals following naming conventions when sharing

information (77%, up from 2021 figures) – an area that can

improve the organisation and management of data.

Additionally, over half of respondents reported using

interoperable formats like IFC, revealing the growing importance

of easily-shareable construction data. However, the report also

showed there are more opportunities to be unlocked by using

digital technologies to help with compliance.

The study found that only a third of respondents (34%)

were involved with detailed responsibility matrixes (DRM),

a process that sets out responsibility for each element of

design to ensure greater accountability.

Worryingly, this figure has dropped since 2021 (39%).

And, notably, this figure hovered at around half for architects.

This comes despite increased levels of legislation attached

to the Building Safety Act, such as the introduction of

planning ‘gateways’ which requires a detailed breakdown of

responsibilities on an individual level.

Additionally, less than a third of suppliers (28%) currently

use a PIM system to manage product information, pointing

to information gaps in the construction supply chain.

Nevertheless, well over half (56%) provide digital objects

for the majority or all their products, a positive result.

Commenting on the survey’s results, David Bain, NBS’s

research manager, said: “The uptick in professionals seeking

environmental-related metrics shows an industry putting

sustainability front and centre. The drive towards net zero

has no doubt been a catalyst alongside the evolving legislative

landscape – there’s never been a greater emphasis on the

environmental impact of building practices.

“The study has also yielded unexpectedly-positive stats

around offsite construction.

“Despite media headlines and high-profile factory closures

giving the impression that MMC isn’t a popular choice, the

results show a different story: more professionals are embracing

offsite elements than ever before.

“Overall, we’ve seen some marked improvements that the

industry should be proud of.

“There’s an opportunity here to improve digital information

sharing, for which professionals have a legal requirement.

“The ‘golden thread’ and the use of structured data is

creating a safer future for all.” n

The drive towards net zero has no

doubt been a catalyst alongside

the evolving legislative landscape

– there’s never been a greater

emphasis on the environmental

impact of building practices


Estates and Facilities Management

Image: mspark0 from Pixabay

A clean bill of health!

We look at the ways technology – such as floor-cleaning robots –

can help to keep healthcare facilities clean and hygienic

Clean healthcare facilities are critical

to ensuring a safe and positive

patient experience.

Cleaning and FM professionals

consequently need to maintain ultraclean

environments that reduce the risk of

infection, with the added pressures of high

footfall and urgent events taking place on

a near-constant basis.

Here, Kristal Goodwin, national sales

manager for Robert Scott’s cobotics

division, looks at how cutting-edge cleaning

robots could be the perfect partner for

operatives working in these environments.

A GROWING TREND

The cleaning industry is undergoing a

significant transformation with the advent

of advanced robotics and intelligent

management systems.

The proliferation of smart connected

technologies, the rise of the Internet

of Things, and advancements in AI

have all facilitated the transition to

automated systems.

Household-name brands have spurred

adoption within the consumer sector,

and now the commercial cleaning sector

– especially in healthcare settings – is

beginning to see similar momentum.

Google Trends data corroborates this

shift, showing a decline in searches for

‘deep cleaning services’ throughout 2021

and 2022, while inquiries for ‘robot

vacuum’ have surged by 120%.

These technological innovations offer

clear advantages and are particularly

beneficial in environments requiring

stringent sanitation.

Healthcare facilities represent a prime

setting where autonomous cleaning robots

can enhance cleanliness and safety in areas

frequented by both patients and staff.

INTEGRATING ROBOTS

Today, a variety of robotic cleaning

solutions are available, each with its

own benefits and limitations.

Among these, cobotics – where

robots work collaboratively with human

workers – stands out as a particularlypromising

approach.

In healthcare environments, cobots

are invaluable for managing the cleaning

of large areas such as corridors, waiting

rooms, and operating theatres.

They achieve consistently-high

cleaning standards and complement

human labour by freeing staff to

focus on critical tasks like sanitising

high-touch surfaces and specialised

medical equipment.

Rather than replace human labour,

cobots instead act as a tool that helps

cleaning operatives accomplish more in

the time they have with great efficiency.

This is particularly important in

healthcare cleaning, where the human

touch remains crucial.

Indeed, the National Standards of

Healthcare Cleanliness 2021 report

emphasises that cleaning staff are vital

members of the healthcare team; and

cleaning is one of the most-important tasks

in keeping patients safe from infection.



Kristal Goodwin

THE BENEFITS

Cobotic machines are expertly designed

for optimal cleaning and boast user-friendly

operation, ideal for maintaining large,

open spaces that would otherwise require

significant human labour.

For instance, autonomous floor

scrubber driers can be equipped with

various attachments for scrubbing,

sweeping, polishing, and drying floors.

This eliminates the risk of accidents from

wet floors, a crucial aspect in healthcare

settings, where slips, trips, and falls must

be avoided.

It’s important also to select machines

engineered with precision navigation that

can clean close to edges and detect even

small objects.

Advanced obstacle avoidance ensures

the safety of patients and the facility

from damage.

Machines with a zero-degree turn

radius can manoeuvre into and clean

tight spaces. Additionally, operatives

are relieved from tasks like disposing

of waste water and refilling freshwater

during cleans, as machines that

autonomously handle these processes

offer the most benefit.

Furthermore, these machines can

be programmed to perform cleaning

Household-name brands have spurred

adoption within the consumer sector, and now

the commercial cleaning sector – especially

in healthcare settings – is beginning to see

similar momentum

tasks during quieter hours, ensuring

continuous floor care without disrupting

medical operations.

Operators can also benefit from

intelligent performance data capture

and tracking features. They can optimise

daily cleaning schedules based on

comprehensive data, such as area

coverage and operation times, and

set benchmarks to evaluate their

performance against established KPIs

for continuous improvement.

Cobotic solutions generally use fewer

cleaning products and less water than

traditional floor cleaning methods, too.

And some require no water, using bacteriaremoving

microfibre to clean floors,

which reduces slip risks and cuts down

on waste water.

Modern battery-charging cobots

can be powered for as little as 35p

per hour, with a battery life of up to

20 hours.

EASY TO IMPLEMENT

There can be a perception that automated

systems can be complex to install and

maintain, but this isn’t the case.

Cobotic machines with a user-friendly

design ease the transition to advanced



Working with a supplier that has dedicated cobotic expertise should

ensure a trouble-free onboarding process through comprehensive

training, in-person installation of the equipment, and ongoing

support for troubleshooting and maintenance

cleaning technology and users

typically find that with a brief

training period, they can operate

the machines with confidence

and skill.

Working with a supplier that has

dedicated cobotic expertise should

ensure a trouble-free onboarding

process through comprehensive

training, in-person installation of

the equipment, and ongoing support

for troubleshooting and maintenance.

Once everything is set up,

maintenance is usually a simple process

too. With the systems we offer, for

example, users are simply required to

wipe and inspect attachments and flush

out the hose on a regular basis.

Moreover, existing technology

is advanced enough that major

infrastructure changes should not be

necessary to introduce cleaning robots.

BUILDING TRUST

Cobots can also bring some wider,

often-underappreciated, benefits.

Recent data from Sodexo Health

& Care/YouGov found that 50% of

inpatients agreed that cleanliness impacts

their hospital experience, ranking as the

second-most-important factor after the

friendliness of clinical staff.

And the presence of advanced cleaning

technology can, therefore, act to build

trust and confidence among patients,

staff, and visitors.

The visible use of state-of-the-art

cobotic solutions demonstrates a

commitment to maintaining the

highest hygiene standards.

For healthcare workers, meanwhile,

knowing that their environment is

maintained with reliable, efficient

technology can alleviate some of the

stress associated with infection prevention

and control and environmental hygiene.

Cobotic cleaning systems offer an

exciting future across various sectors.

In healthcare settings, they provide

significant benefits: from reducing

disruption to patient care to enhancing

the overall cleanliness and safety of

the facility.

www.metabots.uk n



EFM team

drives

improvements

The East London NHS Foundation

Trust’s estates, facilities and capital

development team was named

Estates & Facilities Team of the

Year at the annual Design in

Mental Health Awards.

Image, Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

Surplus land could

generate income

More than 121,000 hectares of NHS land

could be repurposed or sold off to generate

capital to improve services, according to

the latest figures from NHS England.

The most-recent NHS Surplus Land report,

published this month and covering the period

to March 2024, reveals there are 128 surplus

land plots covering a total area of 121,86

hectares which are surplus to requirements.

There is also 0.6 million sq m of internal floor

area which is not fully utilised.

And 199 potentially-surplus land

‘opportunities’ were identified, covering a

total land area of 309.12 hectares and a gross

internal floor space of 685,000sq m.

In addition, 50 plots were identified as

no longer being surplus, having previously

been declared as such; and 53 plots had

been sold or are in the process of being sold,

covering 21.85 hectares and 41,000 sq m of

internal floorspace.

£47.1m was declared as the total sales

receipt for land sold and the estimated

sales receipt for surplus or potentially-surplus

land was £0.8bn.

The investment required to dispose of

this land is estimated at £1.8bn.

NHS Surplus Land collection data has

existed since 2008 and was originally

designed to provide information to the

Department of Health and Social Care

(DHSC), Homes England, and the Office of

Government Property (OGP) on sites that can

be disposed of, thereby contributing to the

Public Land for Housing Programme.

The collection currently monitors the

contribution made by the NHS to the release

of publicly-owned land to ensure the efficient

and strategic use of the NHS estate.

It covers all ambulance trusts, care trusts,

hospital trusts, mental health trusts, and

NHS trusts and is reported quarterly.

In response to a Parliamentary question in

June last year, the then Minister of State for

the DHSC, Will Quince, said of NHS surplus

land: “NHS organisations decide locally

on the use of their land based on their

requirements for facilities to support the

efficient and effective delivery of their

healthcare services.

“All surplus NHS property is expected to

be sold as soon as possible to minimise

ongoing running costs.

“Before any commercial sale takes place,

details of NHS surplus land are circulated

to public sector organisations, for them to

express an interest in acquiring.

“Outline planning permission is often sought

prior to sale to maximise the value of the site

realised for reinvestment and achieve best

value and this will include an assessment of

local planning considerations and public and

stakeholder engagement.”

And, also in June last year, the NHS Homes

Alliance published a White Paper titled

A People Driven Approach; Delivering NHS

Homes, which set out a vision to use the NHS

estate to build affordable, high-quality, and

sustainable homes near hospitals and clinics

for health and care workers.

The team – which is responsible for the

management, maintenance, and strategic

development of land, buildings, and facilities

across east London and Bedfordshire –

was commended for its commitment to

collaboration with patients and clinical

colleagues alike to address urgent estates

and facilities concerns.

And the judges were impressed with

the extent to which service users were

involved in the day-to-day planning and

decision making.

The team introduced an innovative

Patient-Led Assessments of the Care

Environment (PLACE) Programme with

service user coproduction – providing

them with comprehensive training to

ensure transparent and thorough feedback,

helping to drive improvements.

Environmental Assurance Groups (EAGs)

have also been implemented across all

inpatient units to provide service users

with a platform to actively engage with the

management of their care environment.

This is in addition to the appointment of

service users via People Participation –

a service at the trust which enables those

with lived experiences to play an active

role in improving quality by providing fresh,

inside perspectives.

ELFT’s chief executive, Lorraine Sunduza

OBE, said: “Our estates and facilities

team has shown on numerous occasions

that it prioritises service user-centred care

and values the insights patients bring to

the table.

“I would like to thank colleagues and

service users for their dedication in ensuring

we can continue to provide high-quality

care across all of our services.”



From DIY lover

to female plumber

National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day was held on 19 June, throwing the spotlight on

those members of staff who work so diligently behind the scenes to keep the estate ticking over.

Here, we profile Christine Latham’s journey

Christine Latham

changed career path at

age 55, going from a

healthcare domestic assistant to

maintenance assistant at NHS

Property Services (NHSPS).

A dedicated employee, her

journey exemplifies the power

of courage, passion, and that

dreams can be sought after at

any age.

“At a stage in life when

many are contemplating

retirement, Christine embarked

on a new career path that

not only fulfilled her lifelong

passion for DIY, but also

brought her professional

satisfaction,” said a spokesman

for NHSPS.

In 2022, after years as a

domestic assistant, Latham

attended a taster day for

maintenance operatives.

“That single day changed

my life,” she said.

“Before I could blink, I got

an interview for the role of

maintenance assistant.

“I didn’t hesitate; I was

ready to go for it.”

With her inherent knack for

DIY, honed by years of practice

and a family tradition of making

and fixing, Latham aced the

interview and began her dream

job in April 2023.

Now, encouraged by her line

manager, she has decided to

pursue an apprenticeship and

is on track to become a fullyqualified

plumber by the age

of 59.

“I only wish I’d done it

sooner,” she says.

“Imagine getting paid to

do what you love? It has

changed the way I look at

everything. The sky’s the

limit for me now!””

Imagine getting paid to do what

you love? It has changed the way

I look at everything. The sky’s

the limit for me now!

Her story is not just about

professional success; it’s about

personal transformation.

“I adore everything about

my job,” she said.

“Nothing gets the better

of me.

“I love the variety of jobs

and mucking in to deliver the

best-possible customer service.

I enjoy a chat and a laugh with

customers; I treat them the

way I want to be treated;

and I’ve always got a smile to

brighten their day.”

National Estates and Facilities

Day shines a spotlight on the

unsung heroes of the healthcare

system, and Latham’s story

stands out as inspiration.

Her message to others

contemplating a change is clear:

“Just do it!

“You may discover a

bigger passion than you

ever imagined.”

Her story comes amid

a national shortage of

healthcare estates and

facilities professionals.

The NHS Estates and

Facilities Workforce Action Plan,

released in 2022, revealed that

there are currently more than

100,000 estates and facilities

management (EFM) employees

across the health service,

representing a significant 8%

of the NHS workforce.

However, with more than

300 distinct roles within NHS

EFM, there are key areas where

there are shortfalls, and sickness

absence rates among EFM staff

remain the second highest

among NHS staff groups.

There are believed to be

more than 4,000 vacancies

within EFM roles, with the

Healthcare Estates and Facilities

Management Association

(HEFMA) and the Institute

of Healthcare Engineering &

Estate Management (IHEEM)

coming together to encourage

new entrants and better

training opportunities.



Soil Association Exchange will help farmers unlock the

financial benefits of regenerative land use and sustainable

farming practices. Image, André Rathgeber from Pixabay

Purchasing agreement

supports NHS caterers

For the first time, NHS caterers will be

able to use new environmental measures

for farms as part of their procurement

of food and drink.

The Soil Association Exchange is set to

deliver the environmental measures for farms

in public sector purchasing as part of the

Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) Buying

Better Food and Drink framework agreement.

This agreement will be available for all

UK public sector organisations to use for

purchasing food and drink through a single

online access point.

As well as a shift to more-dynamic food

procurement – which removes barriers to

allow small producers to contribute to larger

public sector orders – the updated service

will also use Exchange’s holistic

farm assessments for sustainability.

Exchange measures the environmental

impact of farm operations by assessing

six key areas – soil, water, carbon, animal

welfare, social impacts, and biodiversity.

It does this by collecting data through onthe-ground

farm surveys, satellite imagery,

and other datasets on metrics like soil carbon

A person using the Soil Association Exchange framework

and bird counts, alongside considering the

food production and community benefits

a farm provides.

Soil Association Exchange chief executive,

Joseph Gridley, said: “It is hugely important

for our public institutions to serve food that

supports sustainable British farm businesses,

and we are excited to start delivering data

that will help to make this easier.

“Exchange is already working with hundreds

of farms who have helped to develop our

wide-ranging sustainability metrics.

“These measurements consider the full

picture and can help to show schools and

hospitals all of the brilliant things that farmers

are doing to support nature while producing

good-quality food.”

The move seeks to deliver greater

transparency and break down barriers for

small and medium-sized enterprises (SME).

The AgileChain technology being used does

this via smart automation, making fulfilment

along short supply chains more efficient for

producers, distributors, and wholesalers.

The Buying Better Food and Drink

agreement from CCS will set new parameters

for procurement, enabling more-informed

sourcing decisions based on individual farm

levels and the social, environmental, and

economic impact of food and drink choices.

Public sector buyers can express interest in

the agreement, which is due to launch later

this year. And any farmer can get involved

by obtaining a free-of-charge sustainability

score from Soil Association Exchange.


Environmental

18 NHS trusts awarded

energy efficiency funding

The recipients of more than half a million

pounds of funding to decarbonise public

buildings have been announced.

Phase 3c of the Public Sector

Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), delivered

for the Government’s Department for

Energy Security and Net Zero by Salix

Finance, sees 18 trusts awarded funding

for projects to install low-carbon heating

and other energy-saving measures.

Among the big NHS recipients in

Phase 3c is Royal United Hospitals Bath

NHS Foundation Trust, which has been

awarded over £21m to decarbonise three

buildings by installing new heat pumps

alongside other measures including wall,

loft and roof insulation, double glazing,

and LED lighting.

The trust’s chief executive, Cara Charles-

Barks, said: “We are beginning to make

great strides to reduce our emissions

through initiatives such as decommissioning

our entire nitrous oxide manifold and a

sustainable travel plan.

“This grant is therefore invaluable.

It will enable us to make these essential

changes in the coming years and will have

a positive impact on the environment and

the experience of being in hospital.

“We know that getting this right will be

better for the health and wellbeing of the

people we care for, the people we work

with, and the people in our community.”

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

received more than £21m in the latest funding

round, which it will use to de-steam the estate

Over 1,000 projects have now received

funding since 2020 to upgrade thousands

of buildings through the Public Sector

Decarbonisation Scheme.

NHS recipients in Phase 3c are:

• Berkshire Healthcare NHS

Foundation Trust: £2,633,950

• Birmingham Community Healthcare

NHS Foundation Trust: £7,347,236

• Cambridge University Hospitals


• County Durham and Darlington

NHS Foundation Trust: £665,892

• East Midlands Ambulance Service

NHS Trust: £135,552

• East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust:

£1,247,446

• Gloucestershire Health and Care


• Imperial College Healthcare

NHS Trust: £41,825,807

• Liverpool University Hospitals


• Manchester University


• Medway NHS Foundation Trust:

£25,886,516

• North Bristol NHS Trust: £7,293,707

• Royal United Hospitals Bath



Environmental

Previous recipients of PSDS funding have included Nottingham

University Hospitals NHS Trust, which has built an energy

centre and installed new heating and cooling systems

• Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital

NHS Trust: £16,200,691

• South Tees Hospitals


• South Warwickshire


• South Western Ambulance Service


• University Hospitals Birmingham

Centrica Business Solutions is set

to complete a solar PV design and

installation project at Poole Hospital in

Dorset, alongside new energy partner,

Aztec Solar Energy.

The installation is part of University

Hospitals Dorset NHS Trust’s transition

to net zero carbon and involves five

interconnected roofs on one building

being fitted with 470 PV panels, five

SolarEdge inverters, and 261 optimisers.

Estimates show that it will generate

200,000 kWh a year to save 50 tonnes

of CO 2

annually.

Aztec Solar will connect, commission,

and test the new solar PV system over

two days after installing the panels,

inverters, and other equipment.

Phil Bryant, head of public sector

sales for Centrica Business Solutions,

said: “Aztec Solar is an excellent addition

to our energy partner programme and

given its experience in the health sector

and expertise in installing solar PV

systems on commercial buildings, it

was the ideal company to partner

with for the delivery of the project at

Poole Hospital.

“We’re seeing an uptick in demand

from public sector and commercial

organisations looking to take advantage

of the space above their heads for

solar schemes.

“This provides cost certainty and a

source of green power, supporting

long-term sustainability ambitions.”


At Bath, most of the vital funds will be

used to de-steam the trust’s 52-acre

estate, a process that will see the

hospital’s ageing heating systems

replaced with more-energy-efficient

options such as heat pumps.

When the proposed improvements are

completed, by 2026, they will result in

The solar panel arrays are situated

on top of the Phillip Arnold blocks

and the Dorset Cancer Centre.

Commenting on the project,

Chris Cowling, commercial director at

Aztec Solar, said: “Poole Hospital is

one of many healthcare buildings

an estimated 24% annual reduction in

carbon emissions over which the trust

has direct control.

This equates to just over 3,400 tonnes

of carbon dioxide – the equivalent of

just under 1,000 return flights to Seoul,

or more than 150,000 car journeys

from Bath to London every year.

COMING SOON

Recently a new approach was confirmed

for allocating funding for Phase 4.

In response to feedback from the public

sector, the ‘fastest-finger-first’ approach will

be replaced with a more-targeted system

that will prioritise projects where the mostdirect

carbon emissions will be saved.

Phase 4 guidance and criteria will

also place additional emphasis on the

importance of considering heat networks

within the range of low-carbon heating

technology options.

The full guidance for Phase 4 will

be published in summer.

Solar partnership drives energy efficiency

that we have provided solutions for,

so we understand how important it

is to work closely with Centrica

Business Solutions to minimise the

effects of our installation and the

electrical shutdown on patient

wellbeing and medical equipment.”


Environmental

Leading

the charge

Healthcare communications

provider, Cymphony, is

leading the way in the

sector’s sustainability charge,

having successfully reached

net-zero carbon status.

Cymphony’s mission is to

help healthcare providers

improve day-to-day operations

such as bookings and

communications and it has

placed sustainability alongside

technology at the centre

of operations.

Neil Davies, managing

director, said: “Our purpose runs

deeper than delivering the best

communication solutions for

our healthcare providers.

“We understand the impact

we have on the environment

and have made a number of

conscious steps to minimise

the damaging effects our

organisation has on the planet.

“As of today, I’m unaware

of any other industry player

which has not only committed,

but also achieved, this level

of sustainability across

its operations.

“Having partnered with

Carbon Footprint Limited,

everyone at Cymphony

understood our goal of

minimising our carbon footprint.

“Essential processes such

as independent assessments,

surpassing targets for continual

improvements, and operating

via a remote model, kept us

on track to net zero.

“And our focus isn’t just

inwards; we have also focused

overseas efforts on offsetting

our carbon emissions and

supporting targeted schemes.

“Partnering with clean water

and cooking initiatives in

Uganda and China are actively

curbing local communities’

reliance on greenhouse gasemitting

measures.

“Certain emissions we cannot

help, but have to emit, and this

is why we take part in these

annual reviews to determine

key areas where we can

proactively offset emissions in

other areas. Offsetting enough

to counter the unavoidable

contributed a valuable role to

our net-zero commitment.”

The action comes as the

NHS has set a net-zero target

of 2040 for the emissions

it can directly control.

Davies said: “It’s great to see

UK healthcare, particularly the

NHS, take action and set

much-needed targets to ensure

carbon emissions and the

knock-on effects they cause

are omitted entirely.

“Cymphony is proud to lead

the industry in achieving netzero

status ahead of the curve.

“It brings better health and

environmental benefits and sets

the standard for the rest of the

industry to show that net zero

is a possibility worth achieving.

“Our clients can take solace

in the fact that partnering to

achieve a more-streamlined

healthcare service has a minimal

effect on our environment, for

not just the present, but for

future generations too.”

He adds: “Here at Cymphony,

we want to continue setting

the standard for the best

communication solutions for our

healthcare sector and it is

imperative that our net-zero

processes do not fall off.

“Ensuring that the steps and

processes we have taken thus

far to achieve net zero are

upheld is crucial to reducing

our effect on our environment.

“Furthermore, we want to

continue leading the way for

UK healthcare and demonstrate

that net-zero status is justifiable

and achievable.”


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People

£16m wellbeing programme

supports NHS staff

NHS Charities Together

has launched a £16m

Workforce Wellbeing

Programme to support

NHS staff across the UK.

The ambitious programme

aims to improve NHS staff health

and wellbeing, in turn making

sure patients are provided

with the care they need.

NHS Charities Together

will commit an initial £6.0152m

to support healthcare staff

across the UK, with the fund

being shared proportionately

across the four nations,

along with aspirations to fund

a further £5m over the duration

of the programme.

In England the independent

charity’s contribution will be

match funded by NHS England,

which will contribute £5m as

part of its Long Term Workforce

Plan to support staff wellbeing.

The Workforce Wellbeing

Programme will run for three

years with initiatives co-designed

and co-led by NHS staff.

MEETING NEEDS

Support will be tailored to

the individual needs of the

NHS organisations and their

workforces, supplementing

existing support provided

to staff.

After a period of co design

with NHS staff, NHS England,

and others over the summer,

the charity will invite NHS

charities in partnership with

their associated NHS trusts

or health boards to apply for

grants from the Autumn.

And the impact of projects

will be monitored and evaluated

so that learnings can be shared

and scaled across the UK.

Ellie Orton OBE, chief executive

of NHS Charities Together, said:

“NHS staff work under immense

pressure with unprecedented

staff shortages and vacancies

and the extra help we provide

to support their wellbeing and

The Oasis Health and Wellbeing

Centre and Garden in Berkshire

mental health is now more

important than ever.

“There’s lot of work going on

across trusts to support the

wellbeing and mental health of

NHS staff, but more needs to

be done and we are delighted

that NHS England has matched

our £5m investment in support

across England, and we are also

putting proportionate investment

across the devolved nations.

“We have ambitions for this

programme to grow so that we

can make sure we continue to

deliver this important and muchneeded

support for as long as

it’s needed.”

PROMOTING

WELLBEING

One example of where

previous rounds of funding are

having a lasting impact on staff

wellbeing is expanding and

renovating the faith facilities

at Royal Bolton Hospital in

recognition of the role spiritual

New faith facilities have

opened at Royal Bolton Hospital

wellbeing plays in staff

experience and satisfaction.

Another is the Oasis Health

and Wellbeing Centre and

Garden in Berkshire – a central

wellbeing hub for NHS staff.

Jointly funded by the Royal

Berks Charity and the Royal

Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust,

and supported by a grant from

NHS Charities Together, it offers

a range of activities and services

aimed at promoting staff health

and wellbeing.

And the trust has seen a 40%

increase in positive responses to

staff surveys regarding support

for health and wellbeing since

the campus opened, with the

trust now proudly one of the

top-performing acute NHS

organisations in the area.


People

Christie & Co appoints head of healthcare

DUDLEYS EXPANDS NORTH WEST DIVISION

Structural and civil engineering

consultancy, Dudleys, has

announced two new senior

appointments at its North West

office following a relocation

to Manchester city centre.

The award-winning practice

recently moved from Prestwich

to new offices at 76 King

Street in Manchester to

facilitate expansion.

And the move has helped to

attract highly-respected and

well-known individuals within

the industry in the form of Chris

Brady as technical director, and

Adil Yasin as structural engineer.

Specialist business property adviser,

Christie & Co, has appointed Hannah Haines

as its new head of healthcare consultancy.

Haines joined Christie & Co as an analyst

in the company’s consultancy team in 2015

and was promoted to director in 2021.

Her new position will see her further

develop Christie & Co’s healthcare consultancy

services, working in collaboration with the

existing team members and sector colleagues

across the business.

She takes over from Mike Hodges who

originally established Christie & Co’s healthcare

New leader of BDP’s Bristol studio

Architecture director, Akshay Khera, has

been appointed as head of the Bristol

studio of global design practice, BDP.

With more than a decade of experience

designing buildings and spaces in Bristol,

the South West, and Wales, his appointment

supports the continued growth of BDP in the

region as a socially-progressive practice with

an embedded multidisciplinary approach

across healthcare, housing, education, and

workplace sectors.

He said: “The opportunity for growth in

the region in all sectors remains strong and

as a multidisciplinary consultancy we are

perfectly placed to help our local clients

understand their investment and property

portfolio strategies.”

BDP is currently working on a number of

projects across the South West including a

series of healthcare projects such as the new

elective care centre at Southmead Hospital.

Brady brings more than

30 years of development

planning and civil engineering

industry experience, while

Yasin has 19 years of structural

engineering experience.

Andy Walker, managing

director at Dudleys, said:

“Relocating to a super prime

location in Manchester city

centre not only helps us to

attract the best talent, but

also places us in the heart

of the commercial property

business community and

we are very excited for

what the future holds.”

consultancy function in 2013 and was recently

appointed managing director of the company’s

capital markets division.

Haines said: “I am excited for this opportunity

to further develop our consultancy services

across our healthcare sectors in the UK

and Europe.

“Having worked side by side with Mike

and other colleagues for the past nine years,

I look forward to continuing on our path of

success in leveraging our data, analytics

capabilities, and experience to provide the

best advice to our clients.”


People

Law firm expands

healthcare team

International law firm, DAC

Beachcroft, has promoted

three colleagues to the

position of partner in its

market-leading health and

social care team.

The new partners are

Jemma Gillson (mental health

regulation), Stuart Keyden

(clinical risk), and Alison Martin

(infrastructure and projects).

DACB’s annual round of

promotions also sees Anne-

Marie Gregory (public law

and corporate governance)

promoted to legal director, while

Yasmin Allan, Claire Anderson,

Emily Broad, Nikki Green, Helen

Jones, Kirstyn MacFarlane,

Bridie Mahoney, Holli Prescott,

Susanna Read, and Nico Tilche

become senior associates.

The promotions – which

take effect on 1 May – mark

a continuation of DACB’s

investment in the firm’s health

and social care business to

meet its clients’ needs, and

follow the recent appointments

of healthcare regulatory expert,

Susan Trigg, and health property

specialists Victoria Armstrong

and Lisa Geary as partners.

Hamza Drabu, partner and

head of health at DACB, said:

“DACB remains the platform

for the most-talented health

and social care lawyers to

fulfil their potential, with our

continuous growth across

the sector and the provision

of the right support network

creating opportunities for them

to develop professionally and

realise their ambitions.

“The 14 promoted colleagues

will not only add further

strength and depth to our

CONSTRUCTION BOSS

JOINS ROYAL BAM GROUP

Royal BAM Group has announced the

appointment of Kim Sides as the new

executive director of construction for

its UK and Ireland division.

Sides will sit on the BAM UK and Ireland

divisional leadership team and report to

chief operating officer, John Wilkinson.

With over 25 years experience in global

property development and infrastructure,

Sides has held leadership roles across

operations, stakeholder management,

construction, finance, and legal for some of

the world’s biggest developers, including

Laing O’Rourke and Lendlease.

During this time she has helped deliver

some iconic projects including the

Jemma Gillson

Stuart Keyden

Alison Martin

health and social care team,

but also ensure we are better

able to deliver the bespoke

solutions and exceptional

service our health sector

clients deserve.”

‘Barangaroo’ project in Sydney, and then

worked in a commercial capacity on the

Malaysian development

The Exchange, TRX in Kuala Lumpur.

And, most recently, she was the chief

strategy officer and general counsel at

Mura Technology.

Commenting on the appointment,

Wilkinson said: “I am delighted Kim has

agreed to jointhe UK and Ireland team.

“She is a proven leader who puts a focus

on bringing diverse and complex teams

together, providing healthy support and

challenge and getting positive results.

“She also brings a commercial and

contractual edge, a deep understanding

of risk and is someone who delivers.”

Speaking about her appointment,

Sides adds: “I am excited to be joining

BAM and I look forward to getting to

work with the BAM Construction team

so we can build on its heritage and

acknowledged expertise in delivering

sustainable, quality projects for

its clients and communities.

Country chief

executive

appointed at

Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas, a global leader

in testing, inspection, and

certification, has appointed

Antoine Giros as country chief

executive for its operations

in the UK and Ireland.

He supersedes Ken Smith,

who moves into the role of vice

president of sustainability and

safety for the South & West

Europe Operating Group.

In this new role, Giros will focus

on elevating the overall financial

performance by leading the

definition and implementation

of Bureau Veritas’ strategic plan,

LEAP2028.

This is designed to propel the

business forward by scaling and

expanding the core operations,

diversifying the service portfolio,

and capitalising on emerging

growth opportunities.

Laurent Louail, executive vice

president at Bureau Veritas,

said: “I am delighted to welcome

Antoine Giros to the south and

west Europe leadership team.

“With his technical expertise,

indepth knowledge of Bureau

Veritas, and business acumen,

he will drive and lead our future

ambitions in UK and Ireland.”

Giros added: “In a fastchanging

world that is urging

organisations to adapt their

models, I firmly believe that

Bureau Veritas has a critical

role to play.

“Building on the diversity

of our portfolio and our solid

foundations of the UK will

benefit all our clients in their

transformation journey as to

all our stakeholders.”


Healthcare Property Issue 04 July-August 2024

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