Building the future: healthcare infrastructure reports

The BMA has published two incisive reports tackling the persistent issue of crumbling and underfunded healthcare infrastructure in the UK.

Updated: Friday 28 June 2024
NHS Structure Article Illustration

About our reports

These reports examine healthcare estates and digital infrastructure, and set out the deep-seated problems caused by underinvestment in both. In doing so, they establish the urgent need for immediate injections of capital funding and wider reform of the ways in which UK governments and health systems approach these critical issues.

This investment is essential, not only to deliver vital improvements to the safety, quality, and delivery of healthcare, but also to transform patient experience and the working lives of doctors - ensuring the UK’s health systems are fit for the future.

 

Healthcare estates report

This report examines the condition of the NHS estate across the UK and its impact on both the wellbeing of doctors and patient care, with a focus on:

  • the maintenance and modernisation of healthcare estates
  • the need to design healthcare environments with capacity, safety and wellbeing in mind
  • the impact healthcare estates have on climate and the environment
  • the need for steeper increases in capital funding.

Read the report

 

Digital infrastructure report

This report sets out they key areas where more needs to be done to ensure the recovery and resilience of UK health services and the safe delivery of care:

  • infrastructure – hardware, software and connectivity
  • interoperability – standards and security
  • involvement – digital leadership, user involvement and skills development
  • inclusion - digital access and literacy for patients
  • investment - prioritise existing funding, protect against budget cuts, increase funding.

Read the report