Identify the full range of potential stakeholders in the project

Primary and social care premises can be expanded by including additional stakeholders in order to:

1. Complement the core social and healthcare uses.
2. Provide a focal point for the local community.
3. Fill gaps that may be present in the local healthcare or social economy.
4. Improve the civic or urban design attributes of the project.
5. Provide opportunities to improve the skills of local people.
6. Make the building more attractive and accessible to users.
7. Improve the affordability of the project.

Such facilities, provided by development partners or other stakeholders, can either be integrated into the primary and social care premises or provided alongside them, in a mixed-use development of the site.

Primary and social care premises can be expanded by including additional stakeholders in order to:

1. Provide facilities that complement the core social and healthcare uses of the building, by improving amenities for patients, clients, visitors and staff.
2. Provide a focal point for the local community.
3. Fill gaps that may be present in the local healthcare or social economy.
4. Improve the civic or urban design attributes of the project.
5. Provide opportunities to improve the skills of local people.
6. Make the building more attractive and accessible to users.
7. Improve the affordability of the project.

Such facilities, provided by development partners or other stakeholders, can be included in the project in one of two ways:

1. In an integrated pattern with the primary and social care premises, sharing a main entrance and opening off the public space.
2. In a symbiotic pattern, being provided alongside the primary and social care premises, in a mixed-use development of the site.

Integrated pattern

The project brief may be expanded to include a number of additional functions, which are integrated into the building, as follows: 

• health promotion advice and displays
• facilities for the informed patient
• access point to NHS Direct
• one-stop-shop for social services
• housing advice and benefits office
• voluntary sector base
• community police base
• crisis self-referral point
• needle exchange
• social initiatives
• banking services
• creche and/or nursery
• catering facilities (vending, coffee shop, cafe, restaurant or community kitchen)
• retail facilities
• pharmacy facilities (community or retail pharmacy)

Decisions need to be made on a project-by-project basis to establish if there is significant demand for such services, and how they could be managed and funded. Design solutions for integrated stakeholders, which include catering, retail, pharmacy, health promotion, social services advice and voluntary sector services, are discussed under the ‘Establish your detailed design brief’ section.

Symbiotic pattern

Providing they comply with the seven criteria set out above, non-health or social care functions can alternatively or additionally be provided alongside the main premises, as follows: 

• health club (private or public sector)
• library
• specialist training facilities for IM&T or life skills
• residential (key worker, social or private)
• creche and/or nursery
• catering facilities (vending, coffee shop, cafe, restaurant or community kitchen)
• retail facilities
• pharmacy facilities

Note: The last four functions can be included in either an integrated or symbiotic pattern.

Identifying potential stakeholders

In either event, it is the responsibility of the project manager and the project director, and possibly private sector partners, depending on the procurement route followed, to search for such partners through the local authority (planning, policy, leisure and education departments) and local commercial agents.

Possible planning restrictions

The local authority should be consulted early in the process, as they may wish to restrict such partnerships to protect local businesses, to avoid over-development of the site or because of traffic implications.

Expressions of interest from potential stakeholders

From a long list of potential stakeholders, a shortlist of suitable partners or stakeholders should emerge as the project begins to crystallise. This will usually occur at the same time as the functional content of the health and social care element of the project is developing. At this stage commitment from such partners should be tested, by judging their initiative and willingness to commit time and financial resources to the project. The legal and financial framework for their involvement should be mapped out by identifying whether a capital contribution will be required in addition to revenue payments, which may be in the form of rent, lease payments and service charges.