As NHS waiting lists in England top three million1, the highest figure since waiting list ‘targets’ were created, estates teams have a key role to play in ensuring that infrastructure is best placed to meet demand. Working across Europe, operator of mobile healthcare facilities, Vanguard Healthcare Solutions, claims to have ‘a unique insight’ into the variety of estates policies and solutions being adopted by our European neighbours. Here Rob van Liefland, European representative, takes a look at the situation in Belgium and the Netherlands, and considers how the UK compares.
Here in the UK, it is widely accepted that the NHS is facing a major challenge. With operating theatres at capacity, and waiting times on the up, existing infrastructure is being put under enormous strain. To add to this, extensive refurbishment programmes are underway to ensure that facilities continue to keep up with current regulation.
Moving forward, there are serious decisions to be made on questions such as:
It is up to estates managers to scope out different infrastructure options, and advise Trust boards on the most cost-effective way to deal with the challenges ahead. So, what lessons can we learn from the experiences of our European counterparts? The NHS is not the only health service in the world to require a major overhaul. Countries like Belgium and the Netherlands are living through the wake of major policy decisions that have had a significant impact on health estates. The Netherlands has invested extensively in new infrastructure, for instance, while Belgium is increasingly moving to a more centralised system.
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