Solent architect calls for patients to be heard during hospital design process
A leading NHS architect has spoken of the importance of listening properly to patients when designing hospitals and health buildings for the future.
Mark Maffey, Senior Project Manager with Solent NHS Estates and Facilities, said it was “absolutely critical” that the views of those who would actually use the facilities were sought, discussed and acted upon.
Describing how patient input – as well as that of staff – should be central to any new build or transformation, he said: “There is an old Turkish proverb which says speech is silver but listening is gold.
“This is all too true when designing new healthcare facilities, no matter what type of patient you have or how large or small the project.
“Only once patients have been truly involved in developing a scheme can you be sure you are delivering the best possible accommodation in which they can feel comfortable, confident and secure.”
Giving the keynote address at NHS Estates 2023, a virtual event organised by the National Health Executive, Mark said it was all too easy to pay lip service to patient involvement.
Describing a specialist inpatient unit he had designed with the Teenage Cancer Trust in Southampton, Mark added: “Our vision was for the unit to wrap the patients with the things they needed most. It was to be as good as the exemplary care our clinical colleagues were providing.
“At the time, I was at least twice the age of the people I was designing for – so working out how to consult and properly listen was absolutely critical.”
Mark described how he met with the young patients in the evenings and over food to make things more informal and relaxed.
At first, he simply asked each one about what had happened to them and found each had a very different story and experiences to tell.
The group then met every few weeks for about a year, discussing every aspect of the project from bedroom furniture and bathroom fittings to colour schemes and wall art.
Furniture was to be slick and modern but, at the same time, comfy and homely. Images on the walls needed to be real South Coast scenes where the patients could look forward to returning.
With so many different requests, Mark said the young people made their own huge wish list – and then came up with a shortlist of priority areas.
“It was a very in-depth process,” he said.
“We really got to know each other and had, at times, some quite difficult conversations, particularly for me as a parent.
“It was honest, thought-provoking and emotionally draining, but it meant that the patients’ opinions were truly heard and valued.”
The finished unit was packed with special touches that the young people had requested – from faux fireplaces and graffiti artwork to a juke box and pool table – ensuring it provided a unique environment, worlds away from the typical clinical setting.
