Reimagining healthcare: Patient-focused design and community-based care

After more than 25 years designing healthcare buildings, I’ve seen first-hand how the environments we create profoundly shape both patient experience and clinical outcomes.

Today, the sector faces enormous pressures, from workforce shortages and rising demand to outdated estates that can no longer support evolving models of care. But I believe the solutions lie not just in more technology or larger hospitals, but in reimagining healthcare around people and place.

From hospital-centred to community-based care

In 2021, over 7.8 million outpatient appointments were missed, a huge drain on NHS resources, but also a symptom of something deeper. For many patients, hospitals feel complex and hard to navigate. Rural and deprived communities often face the longest waits, while overstretched acute sites struggle to meet growing demand.

We need to rethink where and how care is delivered, shifting from reactive, treatment-focused systems to proactive, preventive and community-based models. Moving diagnostics and outpatient services closer to home can ease pressure on acute hospitals, deliver earlier diagnoses, and build trust between communities and the health system. But for this to succeed, design must lead the way, creating environments that feel accessible and familiar.

Public-private partnerships driving positive change

At AHR, we’ve seen how collaboration between the NHS, local authorities and education providers can unlock innovative models of community care. A leading example is the joint venture between Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Huddersfield, the first of its kind in the UK.

Together, we’ve helped shape a new typology for healthcare on the National Health Innovation Campus (NHIC), where academic spaces sit alongside community diagnostic and wellbeing facilities. Supported by the West Yorkshire Mayor and Combined Authority, this pioneering initiative places prevention, education and patient experience at its heart.

Located in an area with one of the lowest life expectancies in the UK, the NHIC addresses real local need. It integrates the Trust’s second Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) and a Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre, creating a one-stop hub that brings clinical, academic and community services together under one roof.

Design that supports wellbeing and recovery

Our designs respond not just to clinical requirements but to emotional needs, ensuring environments heal, inspire and connect.

The Daphne Steele Building, the first university building in the UK designed to achieve WELL Platinum certification, is a testament to this approach. Every aspect of the building, from lighting and materials to the abundance of greenery, supports wellbeing. Natural light floods the interiors, while biophilic elements, like green walls, planting and timber finishes, create calm and restorative spaces.

Next door, the Emily Siddon Building extends this philosophy, harmoniously bridging health, education, innovation, and community. The building will be a focal point where health professionals, students, academics and the community come together within the wider context of the NHIC.

Both buildings embody what it means to design for people, not just for purpose, spaces that shape the next generation of healthcare professionals while offering meaningful benefit to the wider community.

Empowering communities through design

The success of the NHIC builds on earlier community projects, such as the Greenwood Centre for Independent Living in Camden, another AHR-designed facility that redefines what inclusive health environments can be. Run by disabled people, for disabled people, the centre offers an empowering model of care that gives individuals choice and independence.

Even in its central London location, the Greenwood Centre provides an oasis of calm, filled with natural light, outdoor terraces and places for connection. The project went on to win the European Healthcare Design Award for Health and Wellness, and remains a powerful example of how design can restore dignity and community pride.

Designing for people, staff, and the future

When we talk about patient-focused design, we are also talking about staff wellbeing. Healthy buildings lead to healthier teams, reducing fatigue, improving morale and ultimately leading to better patient care. Quiet rooms, daylight-filled break areas, ergonomic layouts and access to nature all contribute to safer, more compassionate environments.

We also design with flexibility in mind. Healthcare is evolving rapidly, from digital diagnostics to AI-supported care, and our buildings must be future-ready. Adaptable layouts, multipurpose rooms and integrated education suites enable services to evolve without major disruption, ensuring longevity and resilience.

A new way forward

Reimagining healthcare is not about replacing hospitals, it’s about complementing them with connected community spaces that bring care closer to people’s lives. It’s about creating environments that foster wellbeing, encourage prevention and build trust between patients and providers.

By combining thoughtful, empathetic design with innovation and collaboration, we can help shape a healthcare system that works — for everyone.

Contact us to discover how we can help you shape healthcare spaces that enhance patient wellbeing, support staff and adapt to the future of care.

References

1. https://www.iheem.org.uk/events/healthcare-estates-conference-exhibition-awards-2025/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...