COMMENT
An international perspective on healthcare design and safety
Welcome to the May issue of Health Estate Journal – one of our IFHE tie-in issues for the year. Among the articles featured in this issue is a very welcome updated version of a piece by Timo Ohtonen (of Finnish health tech company PPO-Elektroniikka Oy) and Gopa Kumar (National President of the National Federation of Engineers for Electrical Safety in India), in which – with reference to timely examples from both India and Ukraine – they discuss the importance of electrical safety within Group 2 healthcare facilities. Turn to p28 to find out more. No less important, of course, is the question of fire
safety, and on p33 Andrew Steel, managing director of Airmec Essential Services, looks at the critical importance of keeping fire dampers fully maintained and compliant. “Be under no illusion,” Andrew warns, “incorrectly installed and untested fire dampers may well not perform their function of reducing the spread of fire.” At Healthcare Estates 2025, Sam Vijatov of Innovation
Fire Engineering spoke with Paul Mathews, director at Murphy Philipps Architects, winner of the 2025 Healthcare Estates Architectural Practice of the Year Award. Sam and Paul’s discussion about the design of Hellesdon Rivers Centre – a purpose-built facility for individuals requiring specialised inpatient mental healthcare – can be found on p38. Keeping with both the cutting-edge healthcare design and international themes, on p58 Bård Rane, a member of
the National Association of Norwegian Architects (MNAL), discusses his visits to two brand new Danish hospitals – Mary Elizabeth’s Hospital and The New Hospital North Zealand, both located in the Capital Health Region of Denmark and both due to open in 2027. “One can be inspired and excited by the Danish hospitals,” says Bård. “It is clear that the will to invest in quality and good design is strong in Denmark.” Closer to home, on p47, Leon Stefanski, senior project manager in the New QEH Design and Construction team at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn, looks at how early-stage infrastructure, multidisciplinary coordination, and cross-team collaboration continue to shape the success of complex NHS transformation programmes. “The visible transformation of a hospital depends on work that happens quietly – months or years earlier,” Leon tells us. “Utility enabling works shape the pace, feasibility, and resilience of the wider redevelopment. Their success is not measured by how visible they are, but by how smoothly the programme progresses because of them.” There is plenty more to read in this issue – not least
a discussion between Steve Heape, chair of IHEEM’s Environmental and Sustainability Advisory Panel, Andy Yates of the Carbon and Energy Fund, and Rob Hilliard of Vital Energi, who explore what trusts can – and should – be doing to prepare existing estates for low-carbon heat technologies. I hope you enjoy the issue.
One can be inspired and excited by the Danish hospitals. It is clear that the will to invest in quality and good design is strong in Denmark
Editor Matt Seex
mattseex@stepcomms.com
Business Manager Sheehan Edmonds
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Sales Executive Peter Moon
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www.healthestatejournal.com May 2026 Health Estate Journal 5
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