NHS Property Services has launched an Estate Optimisation Guide, designed to support long-term healthcare transformation.

The free guidance has been published in response to findings from NHSPS’s recent Space Optimisation survey, which revealed that nearly 9 in 10 NHS leaders have low to medium awareness of how their estate is currently being used. It was also found that over 50 per cent lack the full comprehensive data needed to make informed decisions and one-third lack the capacity to implement effective changes.

The newly released guide developed by experts at NHSPS outlines a clear, flexible framework for assessing space demand and property supply; understanding space utilisation; and weighing options for transformation, savings, and reinvestment.

Simon Taylor, director estates policy, strategy and capital projects at NHSPS said: "Estate optimisation is now critical to meeting patient need and NHS reform. This guide provides NHS leaders with the right practical steps to unlock the full potential of their estate, using the expertise and knowledge of the property experts across NHSPS and the wider system.

"Simply better understanding current space utilisation can often lead to transformative estate opportunities. In some case, buildings thought to be in constant use are only 40 per cent utilised. In others, strategic lease negotiations or repurposing office space can unlock significant savings to fund future care delivery."