Better by design : pursuit of excellence in health care buildings

"Mammoth hospitals, built like dreary office blocks on a devastatingly functional basis, depress the spirits, however good the care is", so said HRH The Prince of Wales.

Quality healthcare buildings make good sense in terms of patient, staff and visitor satisfaction and in their effect on patient recovery.

This guide has been produced to assist chairmen, chief executives and general managers in considering quality in healthcare building.

It discusses the meaning of quality, and how to achieve it.

Also provided are a checklist of design pointers, a model two-step procedure for combining cost and quality, a guide to design competitions, a case study and details of reference documents and useful addresses.