In a collaboration between exceptional NHS interior suppliers and the UK’s finest healthcare designers, 10 leading architects took part in an innovative project spearheaded by Altro aimed at inspiring creativity among healthcare design specialists using newly approved products from the ProCure23 Framework standard components catalogue.

The healthcare design specialists took up the challenge to create mood boards for various hospital areas, drawing on products curated by Altro from 4 of the manufacturers in the ProCure23 catalogue.

Months in the making, the culmination was a celebration event held at Altro’s Clerkenwell showroom, showcasing the mood boards and demonstrating what can be achieved in a variety of healthcare environments to encourage healing and wellbeing by choosing the best products that are not only safe, durable, hygienic and easy to clean, but also beautiful.

ProCure23, the collaborative procurement framework between NHS England and Crown Commercial Service, has surpassed its target of £3 billion through the framework so far, with 72 projects complete or underway. Looking to achieve high quality projects that deliver value for money, ProCure23 is focused on fostering collaboration between clients, contractors, and suppliers.

Jacquie Gaffney, NHS England ProCure23 Implementation Lead was at the event: “This is the first event of its kind that I know of. Collaboration is so important for ProCure23, and is often focused on the relationships between clients, contractors and suppliers so it’s been wonderful to be in the room with so many people who are so passionate about healthcare design.

“The mood board project is a celebration of collaboration between designers and architects working with manufacturers to create environments for healthcare that are the best they can be, with designs that can be adapted and shared.

“Trusts using the ProCure23 Framework can have confidence that they are working with suppliers whose products are compliant, and the success of ProCure is it reaching beyond compliance and into best practice, which can be seen in collaborative partnership working like this.”

Stephanie Kyle, Senior Architect and Inclusive Design Consultant at Floyd Slaski Architects was one of the designers taking part. She says: “Our brief was to create a staff wellbeing space that was design inclusivity focused, containing both sensory calming and sensory stimulating areas. It’s essential to have a variety of spaces to accommodate different needs, especially in a hospital setting where staff may experience different types of stress. Our ‘crisis café design’ showcases how even a small space can offer diverse environments, including calming, sensory avoidant spaces, social, and energetic areas, through thoughtful finishes and design.” 

In the world of healthcare design, functionality and aesthetics must go hand in hand to create environments that promote healing and comfort. The Altro P23 mood board project successfully demonstrates the power of collaborative creativity in healthcare design. It showcases how thoughtful integration of different products could result in environments that are not only functional but also visually inspiring. As healthcare design continues to evolve, such initiatives play a crucial role in pushing the boundaries and setting new standards for excellence.

The mood boards are on display in the Altro London Showroom until January 2025.