Smarter use of NHS buildings is becoming essential as services shift closer to communities. Christopher King, head of NHS Open Space, explains how data‑driven space management is helping the health service boost utilisation, cut costs and deliver care more efficiently across the estate

With the UK government pledging millions to upgrade the NHS estate, the spotlight is on the infrastructure that supports the healthcare the health service delivers. The headlines often focus on staffing shortages or waiting times, but the physical environment in which care is delivered plays a crucial, yet often overlooked, role across many aspects of the health service including patient outcomes, staff wellbeing, operational efficiency and more

As the government prepares to roll out a new Public-Private Partnership model to revive England’s ageing health estate, Nick Helm, partner at Mills & Reeve examines whether lessons from PFI’s past can pave the way for a more transparent, outcomes‑driven approach — and whether this latest attempt to blend public and private investment can truly deliver an NHS fit for the future.