BEIPI has published a new report calling for a fundamental shift in how hospitals are designed, built and maintained to reduce infection risks, cut costs, and combat antimicrobial resistance.
The Built Environment Infection Prevention Initiative – a special interest group of the Healthcare Infection Society – developed the report Building Safer Hospitals: Developing Practical, Multidisciplinary Solutions to Fight AMR following two multidisciplinary workshops held in London and Manchester in early 2026. The report brings together insights from healthcare professionals, infection prevention specialists, architects, engineers, construction experts, and representatives from the NHS.
The workshops were delivered in collaboration with IHEEM, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), Architects for Health (AfH), and the New Hospital Programme (NHP). Participants explored how hospital design and refurbishment can strengthen infection prevention and control, identifying both the opportunities and barriers to achieving safer healthcare environments.
The report highlights growing momentum across the healthcare and construction sectors but acknowledges significant challenges, including financial pressures, workforce constraints and the gap between policy development and practical implementation.
The report calls for:
- Enhanced IPC education and competency development across healthcare, design and engineering professions.
- Stronger accountability and risk-based decision-making throughout healthcare construction projects.
- Increased investment in multidisciplinary research and innovation.
- Improved knowledge sharing and collaboration across sectors.
- Greater integration of infection prevention expertise into governance, planning and procurement processes.
Manjula Meda, chair of the Healthcare Infection Society, said: “The end goal is simple," said. "Every healthcare building should actively contribute to reducing infections. Safer hospitals are not just a design aspiration; they are a public health necessity.”
