SOCIAL VALUE Championing a ‘people first’ approach


Social value is now an essential requirement for construction businesses to make a positive impact in society – keeping the real-life benefits for real-life people at the core. This is especially important in mental healthcare settings, where an acute understanding of service-users can dramatically influence decisions. Here Allana Shaw, associate director and Social Value lead at multidisciplinary property and construction company, EDGE, discusses ‘how the industry needs to look beyond the financial measurements and broaden its focus to include human stories and true community impact to understand its full potential’.


More than a decade since the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 was introduced, it is now a widely recognised and implemented initiative across many industries, ensuring that public service providers keep wider economic, social, and environmental impacts in mind. In that time, the practice has developed further in the construction industry, going beyond a ‘tick box’ exercise to being a critical part of successfully bidding for projects and being appointed to frameworks. However, with this importance for winning work, the industry cannot lose sight of what social value is there to measure – the positive impact that our actions have on society, the environment, and the economy, in communities and on individual people. The construction industry has a responsibility to keep this central to social value, making sure that the narrative remains on what matters the most – seeing the real-life benefits it has, sharing this, and encouraging more


to do the same. While any amount of social value is good to record, it’s true that value can only really be felt – so it’s important we make time to really listen and understand those stories.


Social value in the mental healthcare sphere One key area where social value can have a particularly strong impact is in the health and social care sector – specifically in mental health services. EDGE has extensive experience in the delivery of mental health facilities across England. Our approach to stakeholder engagement with service-users, patients, and NHS staff focuses on identifying and delivering social value within the patient environment and the wider communities that the latter personnel serve. The social value elements to be


measured for any scheme should always be bespoke and specific to the scheme locality, the stakeholders and communities around the project, the supply chains used,


and – of course – end-users. So, there is no one-size fits all approach; nor should there be. This is especially important within health and social care settings. For mental healthcare services, as well as the critical design, construction, and live refurbishment work that our team has delivered, we have seen first hand how much can be done in terms of social value ‘extras’, such as landscaping, without incurring huge expenses. In my role in cost management, I


understand that sometimes the aesthetic extras – particularly landscaping – are the first elements to be cut when challenging budget constraints. However, I also understand – from speaking to service staff and users – just how important these touches are. While many aspects, such as lighting, windows, spacing, colour, and pathways are considered within design and construction, there are always opportunities to add something extra that improves staff and patient wellbeing. From working on dementia care design,


I have seen how gardens and outdoor seating areas are a key element that enable people to be outside, in secure but tranquil surroundings – something that can make a huge difference to their wellbeing, as well as better condition management. Artwork on walls is another vital tool in creating mental health spaces that don’t feel clinical, but instead inspire creativity and calm.


Artist’s impression of the new 12-bedded Bluebell Ward for older adults with functional mental health issues at Walton Hospital in Chesterfield.


THE NETWORK | FEBRUARY 2024


Making room for opportunity An example of social value’s profound impact can be seen in Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s (DHCFT)’s work under the national programme of Dormitory Eradication at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, where, as part of its Making Room for Dignity (MRFD) programme, the Trusts is helping to upgrade facilities to support Derbyshire service-users needing significant mental health support. The £150 m project includes a mix of new-


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Courtesy of ctd architects


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