As the New Hospital Programme develops its Hospital 2.0 (H2.0) design, one of the most significant innovations is the move to100 per cent single bedrooms. To understand why this matters, and how the prototype bedroom is helping to solve problems before construction begins, HEJ spoke with Stuart Thatcher, Integration lead for Technical Services at the New Hospital Programme.
With over 25 years' experience in construction design and delivery, both in the private sector and within the NHS, Stuart has been closely involved in shaping H2.0. Here, he explains how his background informs his role, why single bedrooms are at the heart of the new hospital model, and how building and testing a prototype is solving problems now rather than on live construction sites.
My current role is Integration Lead in Technical Services, and I've been involved in the programme for just over three years. I came in with a lot of design experience. My background is construction design delivery — I started out as an electrician, and I've been a Building Design manager for 25 years, mostly working in the construction sector.
During the pandemic I spent a year working for Guy's and St Thomas' as their Capital Delivery director on the NHS side, which was a really good experience and a very focused piece of work. After that I went back to the construction sector and then joined the NHP in June 2022. Since then, I've been bringing my experience into the design process, going wherever the need was greatest. I've settled into this role as Integration Lead, which is great because I sit across many different directorates making sure we're all coordinated.
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