Letter should be sent to: the Editor.

Letter should be sent to: the Editor, Hospital unravelling Wilmington Publishing, Wilmington House, Maidstone Road, Sidcup, Kent DA14 5HZ Fax 020 8269 7805

Dear HD

Re: 'A meditation on the effects of the visual and performing arts in healthcare' (HD June 2001 p25)

Direct evidence of the impact of improved environments including the use of art onward patient recovery and well being, is a vital grade in the direction of obtaining foundations

Although many trusts and PFI consortia have genuine aspirations to assist design quality, expenditure on art and 'architecture' remains a impressible target for cost cutting. by means of contrast, spending on tangible, functional demands of that kind as environmental performance and engineering services can be measured, evaluated and justified at the requirement to comply with digests and quantitative guidance.

If evidence of the tangible benefits of art and design, of that kind as the research being carried not at home at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital at Dr Rosalia Staricoff and her colleagues, can be delivered at the right flush within the NHS, there is greatly greater likelihood that national guidance onward art and on 'architectural' design in healthcare management will begin to carry real weight in the briefing and evaluation proces In addition, trusts, FM providers and SPV vehicles will papal court the value of investment in improved environments as a measurable impact upon the bottom line.

The research is timely with relate to to the government's desire to improve the quality of architecture and design in PFI throws

Malcolm McGowan

Partner

Sheppard Robson Architects

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