Smaller, leaner estate – making it happen

Where such a review has not been undertaken for at least three years, he suggests conducting a ‘six-facet’ survey to establish the ‘condition and suitability’ of assets, ‘as an effective tool for managing the estate in an informed manner’.

Over the past 15 years the NHS has embarked on one of the biggest hospital and primary and community facility rebuild programmes in history. While there can be little argument that it has resulted in considerable improvement for service users, carers, and staff, the funding mechanisms have been the subject of much debate. Where investment has occurred, it has generally enabled the NHS to have the platform to make great strides in driving long-term clinical and operating improvements, which were often hampered previously by a low quality environment, and a lack of adequate, modern, and safe facilities. As can be seen in Table 1, in 2008 over 15% of the buildings were over 60 years old (with 12.5% underused or surplus, and a further 23% not fit-for-purpose). Within just three years, aided by the national facility redevelopment programme and more attention to NHS estates, nearly 30% of the stock is less than 17 years old, and the older accommodation has also reduced slightly, with circa 13.5% 60 years old or older. The number of buildings that opened after 1995 as a percentage of total estate has increased by 5.6% in just three years, showing the major change that has occurred, often aided by site disposals.

Increase in new property expected