HEALTHCARE DESIGN
Thoughtful design and the patient experience
Dame Laura Lee, chief executive at cancer charity Maggie’s, and Craig Chandler, project manager at Sir Robert McAlpine, reflect on how the built environment can influence patient wellbeing, complement clinical care, and respond to the emotional and practical needs of those affected by life-changing diagnoses.
Since its first centre opened in Edinburgh thirty years ago, Maggie’s has been putting the patient experience at the heart of its cancer care centres. Its goal today remains the same as it was three decades ago: to provide a ‘home- away-from-home’ within the grounds of major NHS cancer hospitals for those grappling with the unknown while navigating a cancer diagnosis. Guided by these values, the team at Maggie’s quickly realised that without the help of a specialist contractor aligned with their vision, what they might be able to deliver for patients would be limited. Executing technical excellence in design and evoking
the restorative power of great architecture called for experienced construction teams unfazed by the prospect of a challenge. While traditionally within healthcare environments, complex design is seen as surplus to requirements, when Maggie’s posed the ‘cosmic whirlpool’ concept to Sir Robert McAlpine for its Singleton Hospital project in Swansea, saying ‘no’ was not a consideration. Forming a long-standing collaborative relationship
between the contractor and the charity, the Swansea site build set the tone of what future Maggie’s projects should, and would, look like, kickstarting a 15-year long partnership that continues to this day. Prioritising bespoke, evocative design that meets the practical needs of patients while pushing the boundaries of traditional healthcare settings, Maggie’s and Sir Robert McAlpine have exemplified what aspirational
healthcare design can look like. But along this
journey, challenges inevitably arise. Whether that be working within tight budgetary constraints, building on small plots of land, or pushing back against the traditional notion of healthcare settings, how have these challenges been
navigated? How can set perceptions be changed? And, ultimately, what can be done in healthcare design to prioritise patient experience?
The purpose of mindful healthcare design is to provide peaceful respite; a breath of fresh air and a change of scene that can result in a moment of comfort, distraction, or even joy for anyone who steps foot into the space.
Mindful design decisions A cancer ward is an inherently stressful environment. People walk in feeling understandably anxious, and potentially walk back out with a life-changing diagnosis. The purpose of mindful healthcare design is to provide peaceful respite; a breath of fresh air and a change of scene that can result in a moment of comfort, distraction, or even joy for anyone who steps foot into the space. Achieving this can be simpler than expected. First impressions, for example, play a larger role than they are given credit for: walking into a hospital and being met with a receptionist at a desk, the line of sight often impaired by a large computer screen, limits the potential for, and quality of, human interaction. Which is why, at Maggie’s centres across the UK, an open plan layout is non- negotiable. Being greeted at the front door by a friendly member of staff mirrors the experience of being welcomed into someone’s home. Instead of a reception desk, patients are invited to sit at a kitchen island at the heart of the centre, and offered a hot drink. Furthermore, you will not find a sign offering directions
within a Maggie’s centre. People do not have signposts up in their home, so why, when trying to provide comfort for patients, would their care facility need them? Kickstarting conversations, asking someone where the bathroom is, strikes up a genuine interaction, offering guidance and support for patients. Considerations like these are often overlooked in
traditional healthcare settings, especially when budget and practicality are prioritised – yet make a world of difference to overall patient experience, as our support
September 2026 Health Estate Journal 37
Maggie’s Northampton centre is located next to Northampton General Hospital.
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