Archus recently had the pleasure of sponsoring the preliminary programme launch for the 11th European Healthcare Design 2025 Congress, themed "Beyond the Hospital: Designing the Future Health Ecosystem."
Neighbourhood care was the term of the evening, sparking a radical rethink in how we perceive acute hospitals and how we need to work towards a community-based care model that prioritises prevention and wellness. The importance of putting people at the heart of design was stressed, advocating for meaningful involvement from the outset, ensuring engagement was impactful and truly reflective of the needs of the community.
Political challenges were also brought to light, noting that hospitals are often easier for politicians to discuss because they are tangible entities.
In contrast, community-based care is harder to translate to the public due to its more abstract and nuanced nature; however this shouldn’t be a deterrent to changing the approach to healthcare delivery to allow change to be implemented.
Unless we co-create a better future, we won't have the legacy of pride
A significant theme was the importance of health creation. Nigel Crisp (Independent crossbench member, House of Lords) stated, "Health is made at home," recognising that as individuals and communities we have a key role to play.
"We need to create a healthcare system with the services that they [the community] need; unless we co-create a future with the community, we won't have one." Lord Victor Adebowale, Chair of the board of trustees, Institute of Public Policy, Research UK
This perspective encourages an integrated and inclusive approach to health creation, empowering local communities, healthcare providers, and patients to drive improvements and innovations in healthcare delivery, where hospitals become for the most urgent, emergency and critical needs and community facilities provide a focus on easily accessible prevention and wellness initiatives.
Creating a community-focused healthcare system: Empowering neighbourhood care
This sparked a conversation for a radical rethink of the role of the modern acute hospital, shifting the focus from sickness to prevention and creating a community-focused system that integrates various aspects of healthcare. By decentralising healthcare provision into new and more accessible settings, we can achieve a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable healthcare future and truly see the social value that healthcare can bring to communities by improving health outcomes.
More than a Hospital: Creating jobs and a healthier future
Richard Beeken (former CEO of Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust) spoke about lessons learned on the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital project, and how it has changed his perspective on healthcare.
The project where Archus provided the Programme Director and Programme Management Office (PMO) coined the hashtag #MoreThanAHospital to serve as a driving force behind the Trust’s ambition to ‘improve the life chances and health outcomes of the local population.’
The new clinical model is already making a positive impact, enabling thousands of patients to receive care at home, reducing unnecessary hospital admissions, reducing the length of stay in hospital and enhancing patient experience. Inside the hospital, the spacious, light-filled, and therapeutic environment, combined with cutting-edge technology and a consultant-led workforce available seven days a week- ensures the very best care for patients when they are in hospital.
Denmark's health makeover: Global insights
We also heard from our friends overseas as Henrik Schødts, CEO of Notabox, highlighted how Denmark's healthcare reform is a front-runner for social innovation, moving away from the traditional biomedical paradigm by emphasising holistic and community-based approaches to healthcare. Henrik noted that the UK is a leader in innovation within this space and looks to bring back fresh perspectives to Denmark to develop a more integrated and patient-centred healthcare system.
Courageous Change: Rewriting the healthcare story
Richard Darch, founder of Archus, rounded up the meeting by emphasising the need for courage to change the language and conversation around healthcare. He stressed that those within the sector must challenge the status quo and embrace innovation to allow meaningful change to be delivered.
Want to hear more from the leaders in healthcare?
You're in luck! We'll be at the 11th European Healthcare Design 2025 Congress, with several Archus healthcare leaders presenting their insights and innovations.
We look forward to engaging with industry leaders and exploring innovative solutions to improve population health.
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