I was working with the NPSA (National Patient Safety Agency) earlier this week advising them on the introduction of Design into Patient Safety. Obviously, our focus was on Process Design and how effective processes can also be safer....and safer environments also more productive.

Working alongside me were a range of architects, equipment designers etc because the discussion was broad based (covering equipment, the built environment, processes etc) and after a while it became obvious that the purchase of a new (say) piece of equipment also means you are buying a series of processes and behaviours surrounding how you use the equipment and when you build something you also build into it some behaviours.

Considering what you are buying and what you are building can avoid some of the pitfalls that were discussed - including equipment that is unsafe because it is hard to understand how to use, environments that promote infection rather than prevent etc.

I suppose I had always been aware that workspaces and equipment drive processes and behaviours but hearing so many horrors stories of badly built buildings (that reduced productivity even though they looked nice) and equipment that remains half used and reduces capacity brought it all home!

What do you think?

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