Have our hospital design expectations really changed?

Historically, hospital requirements for the provision of patient care have not changed. Nursing takes place in a ward environment, with a patient requiring a bed and sufficient space around them for the doctors and nurses to carry out their duties. A number of UK hospitals are still caring for patients in wards built over 100 years ago, as the basic need of a patient has not changed. However, many hospitals lack the flexibility for growth or adaptation to cope with changing patient medical treatments. In this blog we look at our changing hospital design expectations.

Architectural demands

When it comes to designing a hospital, architects must consider a number of things such as the physical environment, daylight, ward design, how patients use the space, and noise levels. These were probably not the considerations of architects of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The demands of a hospital environment have not only become increasingly clinical but our expectations from a healing perspective have changed considerably. This isn’t to say that patients devalue the need to know what they’re suffering from or how to treat it, but with the increasing focus on mental health, practitioners have to consider all aspects of healthcare. It isn’t enough nowadays to just treat physical ailments, hospitals have to look at a more holistic approach to care.

Functional hospital furniture

As a patient when entering a hospital, you have one thing on your mind: “What have I got and how can it be treated?” Patients are probably not going in thinking, “I wonder if the cabinets are new” and “How much have they spent on fixtures and fittings?” However, there are certain things we would expect from hospital furniture: is it clean, is it functional and does it fit seamlessly into its surroundings?

A more mindful approach

There are not only the above considerations, but architects also have to be mindful of the changes required for therapeutic advancements in medical treatments. As equipment changes, so does the need for space and flexibility when it comes to cupboards and storage. Having modular furniture which can be easily adapted would be high on any designer’s wish list. As our patient demand for clinical excellence grows, so does our expectation for our hospitals, to not only help heal the body but also to treat the mind.

Hospital design – where to find out more

Read a short case study about the fitted furniture contract we delivered for Cardigan Health Centre’s brand new facility, combining community hospital, GP surgeries and dental facilities.

If you’re specifying health centre furniture or if you’d like to discuss a healthcare or hospital project, please get in touch.

As one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of fitted furniture for hospitals and healthcare facilities, we can design, manufacture and install furniture to meet your individual project requirements. Our healthcare furniture range is specified for all types of hospital refurbishment and new development projects, from NHS Trust premises to private hospitals. All our furniture is manufactured at our factory in Broadstairs, Kent, here in the UK.