This book is the outcome of a one year project that has scanned and synthesised key issues and trends across health care and design. The study recognises that two key industries, health and construction, are each undergoing a phase of accelerated change and modernisation.
It addresses four main topics from care organisation and location to design and construction and has synthesised these into a vision for future health care environments. Information from policy, research and practice on these topics has been gathered and how they affect the planning and design of environments for care has been analysed.
The study draws on literature and a series of multi-disciplinary focus group meetings with experts from health and architecture looking separately and together at the four main topics. It is observed that the current policy emphasis on patient centred care is not particularly evident in the designs for health care buildings. As design can be a catalyst for change the interface between health service clients and designers is not being utilised to best effect.
This book is about stimulating new thinking. It does not attempt to deliver a definitive or singular concept for the design of health buildings in 2020. Rather it sets out a vision that advances emergent policy, research and good practice.