Roundtable: How can healthcare environments adapt to support the wellbeing of staff?

Read the detailed report here.

The impact of healthcare environments on people’s wellbeing has been recognised for many years. However, improvements to healthcare buildings and facilities are often focused on creating surroundings that reduce the stress on patients and support the healing process. As panellists at a recent HSJ roundtable in association with Dyson discussed, the experience of staff can be lower down the list of priorities.

They shared concerns that NHS staff are working in buildings that lack natural light, ventilation and connection with the outside world. Some staff are routinely exposed to excessive heat and stale air. One panellist revealed that she had visited a rest area for nurses which was windowless and “boiling”.

Healthcare environments designed to improve the experience of staff as well as patients exist, but they are the exception, not the rule. In some ways, modern hospitals are less friendly to staff than their Victorian predecessors: staff facilities are minimal and when more space is needed for clinical services, it can mean even less is left for staff. The panel reported that improvements made during the initial waves of the covid pandemic – such as the creation of wellbeing spaces for staff – are now being clawed back.

What factors determine whether a healthcare environment is good for those working within it? Are there untapped opportunities for improvement? And what are the benefits of making these changes for staff and organisations? The recent HSJ roundtable, in association with Dyson, brought together experts in NHS estates and capital projects, architecture, air quality and staff wellbeing, to discuss these important issues.