Developed following two multidisciplinary workshops held in London and Manchester in early 2026, the report, Building Safer Hospitals: Developing Practical, Multidisciplinary Solutions to Fight AMR, brings together insights from healthcare professionals, infection prevention specialists, architects, engineers, construction experts and representatives from the NHS.
The workshops were delivered in collaboration with the Institute of Healthcare Engineering & Estate Management (IHEEM), the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), Architects for Health (AfH) and the New Hospital Programme (NHP). Participants explored how hospital design and refurbishment can strengthen infection prevention and control (IPC), identifying both the opportunities and barriers to achieving safer healthcare environments.
The report highlights growing momentum across the healthcare and construction sectors but acknowledges significant challenges, including financial pressures, workforce constraints and the gap between policy development and practical implementation.
Among its key findings, the report calls for:
"The end goal is simple," said Manjula Meda, Chair of the Healthcare Infection Society. "Every healthcare building should actively contribute to reducing infections. Safer hospitals are not just a design aspiration, they are a public health necessity."
The report concludes that achieving world-class infection prevention in the built environment will require sustained collaboration, investment in people and knowledge, and a proactive approach to healthcare design that prioritises safety from the outset.
The Building Safer Hospitals report is available to download and these themes will be discussed further at the inaugural BEIPI conference Building Safer Hospitals 2026 - register below.
We thank our sponsors Germicidal UV, Inivos, IP Group and Mueller Europe for their support and contribution to the production, dissemination and promotion of this Prospectus. This document has been authored independently, and our sponsors have not influenced its content.
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