Once you’ve got a good understanding of the local demands on space and the current state of play with your local property supply, and ideally undertaken utilisation monitoring, you’re probably staring at a spreadsheet (or three), wondering: now what?
In this final blog of our estate optimisation series, I share four steps to make sense of your data and move from diagnosis to decision.
1. Layer data to understand the problem
Your utilisation data tells you how a space is being used. But it doesn’t tell you why.
To get the full picture, you need to layer your utilisation monitoring data together with the other factors that are influencing that utilisation – your space demand and property supply factors, such as:
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Is there low demand for services in the area?
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Is the building in a hard-to-reach location?
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Does the layout hinder service delivery?
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Is the space in poor condition or non-compliant?
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Are nearby facilities better located or more suited?
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Are costs, like rent and service charges perceived to be too high?
Bringing these datasets together will help you diagnose why your spaces are vacant or underutilised. And it also gives you the facts to challenge any assumptions or misconceptions about usage.
2. Scrutinise the data with your peers
Before jumping to any solutions, bring your stakeholders together for a collaborative review.
Workshops can be incredibly useful here, not just to validate your data analysis, but to ask the tough questions about why there is vacant and underutilised space, and explore the causes together.
I suggest you bring in commissioners, providers, property reps and advisors together to get a broader perspective. This will also help you build interest and buy in early, which makes it easier to move forward with confidence.
3. Consider your options
Once you’ve identified the problem, the next step is identifying and reviewing your options. You might be looking at a few clear options or a mix of hybrid ones. But remember, you’re not just choosing what’s possible, you’re choosing what’s practical.
So, when assessing your options and which fits best with your objectives, here are key criteria to weigh up:
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Cost - Affordability is often the biggest driver. Consider both capital and revenue implications, including temporary accommodation, running costs, and long-term sustainability.
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Timelines - Are you working to a tight deadline, like a lease expiration or service relocation? The speed to which you need to find a solution can dictate which options are more viable.
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Space needs - Do you need to have a particular quality of space or different types of spaces under one roof, which drives your preferred option? Think about future needs too, can the space adapt if demand changes?
Balancing these drivers helps you narrow down your options to one or two that are both achievable and aligned with your objectives.
4. Watch out for hidden constraints
Some constraints aren’t immediately obvious, but they can have a big impact. Legal issues around ownership or occupancy, utility supply requirements (especially for energy-intensive services like diagnostic centres), and planning permissions, even for minor changes, can all affect your timeline and budget.
If your changes involve relocating services, you may need to engage the public or run formal consultations. It’s better to factor this in early than be caught off guard later.
Estate optimisation in action – a case study
Reconfiguring a health hub to better serve the local community
Three GP practices and a community services provider in Belmont Health Centre needed more space for their 20,000 and growing patients. We held the headlease, which had 30% vacant space at a cost of £110,000 per year to North West London ICB.
We helped the ICB unlock £1.6 million of capital to reconfigure and refurbish the building, increasing consulting rooms from 24 to 29, providing a new reception and colleague facilities, and improving accessibility. Now there is no vacant space, overall costs for the NHS have been saved, and more patients can be seen.
What next?
The final step in the process is deciding which space optimisation solutions to go for, from refurbishment to consolidation to disposals. Read our NHS Estate Optimisation Guide to find out more about the best use case for different optimisation options.
Download the guide
*That’s what we learnt from our Space Optimisation Survey Feb-March 2025 from 21 leaders from across the NHS.
