Outside the box: Rethinking NHS spaces to combat inequality

But many NHS strategists are working with both patients and staff to transform their estates to deliver real impact for people. Trailblazers across the sector are reconsidering how best to design spaces and use surrounding land in order to meet community priorities and combat inequalities, for instance:

• Opening up their spaces for community activity
   
• Improving connectivity to, and accessibility of, NHS and other services
   
• Providing housing for staff
   
• Supporting environmental sustainability targets.

Almost two years ago, to help the NHS make the most of its resources and influence, Innovation Unit set up the Health Anchors Learning Network (HALN) – a free UK-wide network for people responsible for, or interested in, anchor approaches in health – in partnership with The Health Foundation and NHS England. 

Since launching we’ve brought together large place-based public sector organisations to explore how they can benefit the local community with many of our participants focusing on estates and infrastructure investment. Last month, Innovation Unit Innovation Consultants, Jahaan Abdurahman and Savannah Fishel, gave a keynote address at the Institute for Government and Public Policy’s Second Annual Transforming the NHS Estate Event on Using NHS Estates to Combat Inequality.

Here they drew on two fantastic examples of innovative work – one a cooperative patient and staff vegetable garden on NHS land, and the other an NHS Trust which has repurposed a nearby derelict building to give young people accommodation whilst they embark on NHS traineeships. 

From these and other projects we’ve shared through HALN, we’ve identified five crucial stages for anchors planning an impactful estates strategy:

If you’re reading this as a colleague in an anchor institution or a partner organisation, like VCSE or local government, you can join HALN for free to access resources, blogs and events.