Finalists selected in contest to 'radically improve' hospitals

The five finalists have been selected in this year’s Wolfson Economics Prize on how to 'radically improve' hospitals for patients and staff. Each year, the prize invites new thinking to address major economic policy issues. Since the deadline for primary submissions for the 2021 contest in June, the judging panel have marked entries from more than 250 organisations representing 15 countries across the world, including submissions from National Health Service trusts, architectural practices, clinicians and patients, seeking planning and design ideas that could improve the UK’s National Health Service hospitals of the future.

Rt. Hon. Professor Lord Kakkar, Chair of the Wolfson Economics Prize 2021 judging panel, stated: “The entries to this year’s Wolfson Economics Prize have been remarkably impressive. They represent examples of brilliant thinking, the world over, about how better to serve patients and support staff in hospitals. Out of an exceptionally strong field, the shortlisted entries demonstrate particularly ingenious approaches. With a renewed focus on hospital building in the UK, these finalists have a really exciting opportunity to shape how NHS hospitals look, feel and function.”

Submissions range from a plan to bring the hospital back into the town to better serve the local community, a proposal to transform the emergency department with first-class airline-style pods, an innovative multi-sensory hospital inspired by the adaptive qualities of living systems, a hospital masterplan inspired by starfish and a proposal with a seven-point plan to create the ‘complete hospital’, so that they are transformed from 'factories for fixing' to 'places for healing'.

The judging panel also selected three Highly Commended entries, together with two Light Bulb awards for projects containing particularly innovative elements. Tenderstream member Arup was among the team selected for a Light Bulb award for a proposal to repurpose vacant major retail stores in cities and towns as outpatient and diagnostic hubs – using Sheffield and its former Debenhams store as a test case.

The five finalists will have until the end of October 2021 to expand and refine their submissions, before the winner of the £250,000 Prize is announced in November 2021.

Read more about this year’s Finalists and Award Winners on the Wolfson Economics Prize homepage.

Lucy Nordberg
Tenderstream Head of Research

This tender was first published by Tenderstream on 25.02.2021 here

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