Creating better health environments
Evidence suggests that the environment affects the way we feel, how we behave, how quickly we heal, how we learn, how we relate to one and other, how we work, our physiological responses, how we communicate and even how we cope with pain.
With increased knowledge about the impacts of the built environment, comes increased responsibility and today’s healthcare environments are required to be uplifting, health affirming, well designed, flexible and supportive of patients and staff. They should engender a sense of quality, value and excellence. As well as impacting on patients and visitors, staff recruitment and retention are also positively affected by a good healthcare environment.
In recent years there has been massive capital investment in healthcare buildings through Private Finance Initiatives (PFI), Local Area Investment Initiatives (LIFT), Procure 21 schemes and standard design and build schemes and refurbishments. This is set to continue.
Precedents have been set, in this region and nationally, that increase our expectations of what healthcare buildings can and should be. Well managed, integrated arts programmes have played an important part in raising those expectations and have a part to play in ensuring they are met in the future.
In this region we have some excellent examples that demonstrate the value of the arts in both primary care and acute care environments, in engaging and involving people, in change management and in enhancing service delivery.
Evidence suggests that the environment affects the way we feel, how we behave, how quickly we heal, how we learn, how we relate to one and other, how we work, our physiological responses, how we communicate and even how we cope with pain.
With increased knowledge about the impacts of the built environment, comes increased responsibility and today’s healthcare environments are required to be uplifting, health affirming, well designed, flexible and supportive of patients and staff. They should engender a sense of quality, value and excellence. As well as impacting on patients and visitors, staff recruitment and retention are also positively affected by a good healthcare environment.
In recent years there has been massive capital investment in healthcare buildings through Private Finance Initiatives (PFI), Local Area Investment Initiatives (LIFT), Procure 21 schemes and standard design and build schemes and refurbishments. This is set to continue.
Precedents have been set, in this region and nationally, that increase our expectations of what healthcare buildings can and should be. Well managed, integrated arts programmes have played an important part in raising those expectations and have a part to play in ensuring they are met in the future.
In this region we have some excellent examples that demonstrate the value of the arts in both primary care and acute care environments, in engaging and involving people, in change management and in enhancing service delivery.