Safety recommendation
HSIB recommends that NHS England and NHS Improvement reviews and updates all health building guidance relating to learning disability secure units to reflect current clinical guidance on ensuring the design and layout provides a suitable environment for patients and staff.
Response:
Health Building Notes give best practice guidance on the design and planning of new healthcare buildings and on the adaptation or extension of existing facilities They provide information to support the briefing and design processes for individual projects in the NHS building programme.
Our forthcoming supplements to Health Building Note (HBN) 03-01 and HBN 03-02 on medium and low secure units have been drafted after engagement with NHS England’s Learning Disability and Autism Programme and the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) to ensure that all low and medium secure units are as inclusive as possible.
Clinical leads agree that if designing a specific Learning Disability secure unit, the guidance in the current HBN would be appropriate. Therefore, we will meet the recommendation R/2022/198 once the supplements to HBN 03-01 and HBN 03-02 supplements are issued (targeted to be ready by the end of the year).
Actions planned to deliver safety recommendation:
Publish final version of HBN 03-01 Supplement 1 Medium and low secure mental health facilities for adults and HBN 03-02 Supplement Medium and low secure mental health facilities for children and young people, by 31 December 2023 (target).
Response received on 16 October 2023.