Agree and formalise the functional content of the new premises

Functional content is the term used to describe the range of services and activities that the proposed facility will contain.

Potential stakeholders should be brought together in a workshop to review the functional content assumptions that were made at the local strategic plan stage, to ensure that all parties are aware of the detailed service mix that is proposed, and to identify potential synergies and tensions. The tangible output from the workshop will be a functional content schedule that lists in detail the range of services to be delivered from the new facility and identifies the different types of activities that it will contain.

The range of services to be provided in any particular facility will have been determined, in principle, at the local strategic plan stage. Formal support for the proposed service mix will have been received from stakeholders at that time and, where appropriate (for large or innovative projects, for example) from funding authorities and patient groups.

At the beginning of the briefing stage, potential stakeholders should be brought together in a workshop setting to review the functional content assumptions made to date, share knowledge and to explore how these services might come together in a single building. The discussions should have direct regard to the relevant NHS policy against which they are set, to ensure that thinking reflects the modern health and social care agenda. Depending on the project structure, the workshops will be convened, managed and minuted by the project sponsor, project manager or an external advisor. One or more workshop meetings may be required, depending on the scale and complexity of the proposed service mix. Individual stakeholders should be invited to expand on the description of the services that will have been advised to date, and analyse the type of activity that occurs under the broad service heading. The 'list of typical primary care activities' (downloadable document) should be used to initiate and structure a discussion about the services to be included in the building, with appropriate activities being noted down under each relevant service heading. Discussion between stakeholders should also be used to identify broadly the scope for shared use of resources (spaces, equipment and staff), and how these might be maximised in an integrated pattern or on a timetabled basis. The tangible output from the workshop will be a 'functional content schedule' (downloadable document), which identifies and explores in detail the range of services to be delivered from the new facility. The discussions will also identify any potential tensions that the proposed mix may generate. These might include the specific needs or characteristics of different patient groups or the need to balance patient privacy with staff observation. If it is concluded that strategies cannot be found to resolve these issues, and they are significant enough to jeopardise the patient experience, the stakeholder-mix should be reassessed and modified until acceptable functional content is agreed. Larger projects may include components that do not fall strictly under the health or social care categories, in order to make them economically viable or to reflect local conditions or constraints (for example key worker housing, retail, residential accommodation, fitness-club etc). If they are to be integrated into the core primary care building, these components should also be included in the functional content schedule.