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Securing estate transformation

Community Health Partnerships’ (CHP’s) commercial director Graham Spence tells us how his organisation is helping to secure the transformation of NHS estate and services to best meet future need.

With a large and established property portfolio developed over the last 15 years, CHP is responsible for 339 modern purpose-built, health and care facilities across England, totalling circa one million square metres of space. 

To date we’ve enabled investment worth almost £2.5bn into the health and care estate, 80% of which has been focused on the country’s most deprived areas, improving health premises and outcomes for patients. 

But our investment isn’t merely reproducing existing ways of doing things. It is transforming care, responding to local need, integrating services and moving them from acute to primary care settings – exactly the kind of transformational change envisaged in NHS England’s Five Year Forward View and GP Forward View. 

Lord Carter’s report focuses on improved efficiency, and we’re delivering efficiencies and cost savings across our portfolio. This is done within the fabric of the buildings themselves with modern designed, environmentally sustainable and fit for purpose space, as well as delivering additional services outside of health including much needed housing and social infrastructure. 

With Strategic Estate Plans well established and sustainability and transformation plans submitted in June, we’re looking forward to an exciting phase of transformation in the coming months as we focus on delivering the changes required by commissioners and service providers. CHP is currently developing a new Public Private Partnership (PPP) which will enable new models of investment across the whole of the country.

Transforming services at Widnes Urgent Care Centre 

With the closest A&E eight miles away, and one of the lowest national levels of car ownership in the country, Widnes and the reconfiguration of its Health Care Resource Centre was identified as a real opportunity to use the estate as an enabler for new models of care. 

Halton CCG undertook a review of urgent care services in the area and Widnes Health Care Resource Centre, an existing CHP building, was identified as one of two sites to deliver new urgent care services. 

With capacity in the building, CHP and the local LIFT Company Renova worked with the CCG to support the transformation of urgent care, reconfiguring the building to add more services, increase efficiency and achieve better utilisation. 

Now open seven days a week, 365 days a year, the Widnes Urgent Care Centre treats around 120 patients a day, delivers £150,000 of annual savings, has seen improved patient satisfaction and has helped reduce pressure on the local A&E by 2.5%. 

Driving efficiencies in Hull 

Better management of property assets in order to deliver efficiencies is one of the constant themes to emerge through our work with CCGs. Following a strategic review in Hull, 12 primary care centres are now serviced by a single facilities management contact that has replaced four previous agreements. 

Taking a strategic approach across the estate has seen improved services for building management and maintenance; improved security; better administration and utilisation of bookable space; improved communication with tenants using the buildings; and an enhanced patient and visitor experience. 

As part of this new approach, the use of an IT system to help manage room bookings is delivering an annual equivalent of £1m going back into the commissioning budget and patient care. 

Integrating health and social care services for north Manchester 

With Devo Manc in full swing, it’s vital the right physical environment is in place to support the transformation. 

A joint study by local partners identified the opportunity to create integrated health and social care hubs in four communities across north Manchester. By moving services out of ageing infrastructure and into modern buildings that were underutilised, four sites could accommodate a district nursing team and palliative care services closer to patients’ homes. The research evidenced significant potential for improved space utilisation, with potential savings of £900,000 per year. 

The success of the project has provided a strong foundation for conurbation-wide review as Greater Manchester takes on its devolved responsibilities for health and social care.

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