From care closer to home to care in the home: The potential impact of telecare on the healthcare built environment.

Many billions of pounds are being spent modernising the UK’s healthcare infrastructure. Investment programmes for new primary care facilities, and new acute and community hospitals are underway. When completed the previously out-dated built environment for healthcare will largely be replaced. Parallel to this investment, a major overhaul of the way health services are provided is underway. In the coming decade, a decentralisation of services, including acute and diagnostic work, from in-patient hospitals and into community settings – not only closer to people’s homes but to the home itself – seems inevitable. What impact might this have on future infrastructure requirements? Discussion on this question is increasingly urgent, given that the choices that are being made today will determine the built infrastructure for healthcare for decades to come. This chapter outlines the key trends that are likely to impact on the future demand for healthcare built infrastructure, focusing on the introduction of ‘telecare’