The guide followed NHSPS research revealing nearly nine in 10 NHS leaders have low to medium awareness of how their estate is currently being used, over 50% lacked the full comprehensive data needed to make informed decisions and one-third lacked the capacity to implement effective changes.

Simon Taylor, director estates policy, strategy & capital projects at NHSPS, said: ‘Estate optimisation is now critical to meeting patient need and NHS reform. This guide provides NHS leaders with the right practical steps to unlock the full potential of their estate, using the expertise and knowledge of the property experts across NHSPS and the wider system.'

The newly released guide, developed by experts at NHSPS, outlines a clear, flexible framework for: assessing space demand and property supply; understanding space utilisation; and weighing options for transformation, savings and reinvestment.

It also includes expert insights from across NHSPS teams and partners, with contributions from Jenny O'Donnell, infrastructure, capital, estates and sustainability lead at NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB, and Vissy Plati, senior designer at Ryder Architecture.