Healthcare Operator Looking for Premises - Finding Suitable Property for Healthcare Services

Explore what healthcare operators look for when seeking premises, including clinics, treatment centres, diagnostic facilities, care bases, location, planning, CQC requirements, accessibility and refurbishment.

A healthcare operator looking for premises needs more than an attractive commercial building.

The property needs to support the operator's clinical or care model, provide an appropriate environment for patients and staff, and meet the relevant planning, building, accessibility, safety and regulatory requirements.

The type of premises required can vary significantly. A healthcare operator may be searching for a GP surgery, dental practice, outpatient clinic, diagnostic facility, treatment centre, rehabilitation premises, care facility or office from which community healthcare services are managed.

In England, healthcare providers carrying out regulated activities may need to register with the Care Quality Commission. CQC requires providers to identify the locations from which regulated activities are delivered or managed, and its current guidance covers hospitals, clinics, primary care premises, diagnostic facilities, care homes and healthcare management offices.

What Premises Can Healthcare Operators Require?

Healthcare operators can have very different property requirements depending on their service.

Potential requirements include:

• GP surgeries

• Dental practices

• Medical centres

• Private clinics

• Outpatient facilities

• Day treatment centres

• Diagnostic centres

• Screening facilities

• Rehabilitation centres

• Mental health facilities

• Care homes

• Nursing facilities

• Specialist healthcare accommodation

• Community healthcare offices

• Healthcare administration offices

• Former hospitals or medical buildings

The operator should establish the intended service before searching for property because the premises required for a diagnostic facility can be very different from those needed for a community healthcare office.

Healthcare Property Requirements Depend on the Service

The property's specification should reflect how the healthcare organisation operates.

A clinic may need:

• Consultation rooms

• Treatment rooms

• Reception

• Waiting areas

• Accessible toilets

• Staff facilities

• Clinical storage

• Medical equipment space

• Secure records storage

A diagnostic operator may need additional specialist space and infrastructure for equipment.

A community healthcare provider may instead need offices, meeting rooms, training areas, staff facilities and parking for employees travelling to patients.

Understanding the service model helps prevent operators from paying for space they do not need or choosing premises that cannot accommodate their requirements.

Location Is Important for Healthcare Premises

A healthcare operator should assess the surrounding area as carefully as the building.

Important considerations can include:

• Local population

• Patient demand

• Public transport

• Road access

• Parking

• Proximity to hospitals

• Nearby GP practices

• Pharmacies

• Local amenities

• Accessibility

• Staff recruitment

• Local competition

• Visibility and signage

For patient-facing services, accessibility can have a direct effect on whether patients can use the facility conveniently.

For community healthcare operators, transport connections can also affect how efficiently staff can travel between the premises and patients.

Healthcare Clinics and Medical Centres

Healthcare operators seeking clinic premises may look for buildings that can accommodate several consultation or treatment rooms.

A suitable clinic may require:

• Reception

• Waiting room

• Consultation rooms

• Treatment rooms

• Accessible toilets

• Staff room

• Storage

• Clinical waste arrangements

• Secure records storage

• Appropriate ventilation

• Parking

The property's existing layout can influence the cost and practicality of conversion.

A building with several suitably sized rooms may require less internal reconfiguration than an open-plan property.

Diagnostic and Screening Premises

Diagnostic providers can have more specialised property requirements.

CQC identifies stand-alone permanent diagnostic or screening facilities as locations where regulated diagnostic and screening procedures are carried out. Examples include stand-alone health assessment services, CT or MRI facilities and certain medical laboratories.

Operators may therefore need to consider:

• Equipment requirements

• Floor loading

• Room dimensions

• Electrical capacity

• Ventilation

• Patient access

• Staff areas

• Equipment delivery routes

• Storage

• Parking

• Accessibility

The technical requirements should be established before acquiring or leasing a building.

Existing Healthcare Buildings Can Offer Opportunities

A healthcare operator looking for premises may consider existing or former healthcare properties.

Potential opportunities include:

• Former GP surgeries

• Former dental practices

• Former clinics

• Former nursing facilities

• Former hospitals

• Former diagnostic centres

• Former care homes

• Medical office buildings

Existing healthcare properties may already contain useful infrastructure, room layouts and specialist facilities.

However, previous healthcare use does not automatically mean that the property is suitable for a new operator.

The building should be reassessed against the proposed service, current regulations, planning position and required alterations.

Former Care Homes and Specialist Facilities

Healthcare operators may also consider former care properties where the building could support a different healthcare or specialist care model.

Potential features can include:

• Multiple bedrooms

• Treatment or consultation rooms

• Communal areas

• Staff facilities

• Accessible bathrooms

• Lifts

• Parking

• Gardens

• Existing fire safety infrastructure

Any proposed change in use should be assessed carefully.

A former care home should not be marketed as automatically suitable for a healthcare service simply because it previously operated under a healthcare or care use.

Accessibility Should Be Considered From the Beginning

Healthcare premises need to accommodate people with different mobility and accessibility requirements.

Potential features include:

• Step-free entrances

• Ramps

• Lifts

• Accessible toilets

• Wider doorways

• Handrails

• Accessible parking

• Appropriate flooring

• Good lighting

• Clear circulation routes

• Suitable reception arrangements

Accessibility requirements will depend on the service and the people using the premises.

Where a building requires significant adaptation, the operator should establish the likely cost before agreeing to the transaction.

Patient and Visitor Areas

Patient-facing healthcare premises should provide appropriate spaces for people before, during and after appointments.

Depending on the service, this could include:

• Reception

• Waiting areas

• Private consultation rooms

• Treatment rooms

• Recovery areas

• Accessible toilets

• Family or visitor areas

Privacy should also be considered.

The layout should allow staff to manage patients efficiently while protecting confidentiality and dignity.

Staff and Operational Areas

Healthcare premises also need to work for the people delivering the service.

Potential staff requirements include:

• Offices

• Meeting rooms

• Staff kitchens

• Changing facilities

• Training areas

• Secure storage

• Clinical storage

• Equipment rooms

• IT infrastructure

For larger operators, staff movement, deliveries, waste management and administrative functions should be considered when assessing the building.

Planning Requirements for Healthcare Property

Planning should be investigated before an operator commits to premises.

The operator should establish:

• Existing use

• Previous use

• Planning history

• Whether a change of use is required

• Proposed internal alterations

• External works

• Parking requirements

• Signage restrictions

• Local authority requirements

Healthcare uses can fall into different planning categories depending on the nature of the service and the building.

The exact planning position should therefore be confirmed for the individual property and proposed operation.

Planning permission and CQC registration are separate matters.

A property can have a suitable planning position but still require the operator to satisfy CQC requirements where the proposed activity is regulated.

CQC Registration and Healthcare Premises

CQC states that providers must register if they plan to provide a regulated activity in England, and carrying out a regulated activity without registration is an offence. Providers must have suitable locations and staff ready before submitting an application.

CQC also assesses the size, layout and design of premises when considering whether a provider can meet the required standards.

This makes the property search an important part of preparing a healthcare operation.

Operators should establish the relevant registration requirements before committing to premises.

Different Healthcare Services Have Different CQC Locations

CQC's current location guidance is particularly important for healthcare operators.

A location can be:

• A hospital

• A day surgery unit

• A clinic

• A GP surgery

• A dental surgery

• A permanent diagnostic facility

• A care home

• An office from which home-care or community services are managed

• A premises from which ambulance or patient transport services are managed

CQC states that different location rules apply depending on how and where the regulated activity is delivered.

This means a healthcare operator should identify the correct service model before deciding what type of premises to acquire or lease.

Fire Safety and Building Safety

Healthcare premises should be assessed carefully for fire and building safety.

Areas to investigate include:

• Fire alarms

• Fire doors

• Emergency lighting

• Escape routes

• Fire risk assessment

• Electrical systems

• Gas systems

• Heating

• Ventilation

• Structural condition

• Accessibility

• Security

The requirements can become more complex where patients have limited mobility or where the building contains specialist equipment.

Any necessary safety improvements should be included in the property's overall refurbishment assessment.

Refurbishment Opportunities for Healthcare Operators

Some healthcare operators may actively search for premises requiring refurbishment.

Potential works can include:

• Consultation room creation

• Treatment room installation

• Reception refurbishment

• Waiting room upgrades

• Bathroom adaptations

• Accessibility improvements

• Electrical upgrades

• Heating and ventilation improvements

• Flooring

• Internal reconfiguration

• Fire safety works

• Security improvements

• External repairs

Fraser Bond can support property refurbishment, building works, contractor coordination, repairs and maintenance as part of a wider healthcare property project.

Building Regulations and Healthcare Alterations

Where significant building work is required, building regulations should be considered alongside planning and regulatory requirements.

The operator should establish whether proposed works affect:

• Structural elements

• Fire safety

• Accessibility

• Electrical systems

• Ventilation

• Sanitation

• Energy performance

• Means of escape

Professional advice should be obtained where the proposed refurbishment is substantial.

Parking and Patient Access

Parking can be particularly important for healthcare premises.

Depending on the service, the property may need space for:

• Patients

• Disabled visitors

• Staff

• Deliveries

• Healthcare professionals

• Emergency vehicles

• Patient transport

A property with limited parking is not automatically unsuitable, particularly where public transport is strong.

However, patient access should form part of the initial property assessment.

Buying Healthcare Premises

Healthcare operators may choose to purchase premises where long-term occupation and ownership fit their business plans.

Before purchasing, due diligence should cover:

• Planning

• Property title

• Building condition

• Previous healthcare use

• CQC history where relevant

• Accessibility

• Fire safety

• Refurbishment requirements

• Parking

• Local demand

• Operating costs

• Maintenance

• Insurance

• Future development potential

The purchase price should be assessed alongside the cost of adapting the property for the intended healthcare service.

Leasing Healthcare Premises

Leasing can provide flexibility for operators that do not want to purchase the property.

A healthcare lease should clearly establish responsibility for:

• Permitted use

• Planning

• Alterations

• Refurbishment

• Repairs

• Maintenance

• Insurance

• Compliance works

• Assignment

• Subletting

• Reinstatement

• Lease term

• Break clauses

Where the premises will be used for regulated activity, the operator should also establish whether the proposed lease provides appropriate evidence of its right to occupy the location.

What Property Owners Should Prepare

Owners with premises that may suit healthcare operators should prepare a detailed property information pack.

Useful information can include:

• Property address

• Floor area

• Floor plans

• Number of rooms

• Reception facilities

• Waiting areas

• Bathrooms

• Parking

• Accessibility features

• Existing planning use

• Planning history

• Previous healthcare use

• EPC

• Building condition

• Fire safety information

• Recent refurbishment

• Availability

• Sale or lease terms

Clear information can help healthcare operators quickly establish whether a property deserves further investigation.

A Practical Property Brief for a Healthcare Operator

A healthcare operator seeking premises could prepare a brief such as:

Property required: Healthcare premises

Preferred property: Existing clinic, medical centre, GP surgery, former healthcare building, specialist property or suitable commercial premises

Rooms: Multiple consultation, treatment or office rooms depending on service

Reception: Required for patient-facing services

Facilities: Suitable toilets, staff facilities, storage and clinical areas where required

Accessibility: Appropriate for patients and service users

Location: Accessible area with good transport connections and relevant local demand

Planning: Existing suitable use or realistic planning route

Condition: Ready-to-use or suitable for refurbishment

Parking: Preferred or required depending on service

Tenure: Purchase or long-term lease

Additional requirements: Premises must support the operator's specific healthcare service and regulatory requiremen