Seven Leading Design and Construction Firms Join Forces with Healthcare Infection Society to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance
Seven of the UK’s leading design and construction organisations have joined the Healthcare Infection Society (HIS) to help tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and reduce healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) through smarter built environments.
The organisations—Arup, Currie & Brown, Laing O’Rourke, Introba, Perkins&Will, P + HS Architects, and Sisk—are co-signatories for the next edition of The Silent Pandemic whitepaper, produced by HIS’s Built Environment Infection Prevention Initiative (BEIPI). This initiative explores how design, construction, and maintenance of healthcare facilities can play a crucial role in preventing infections and combating AMR.
All seven firms participated in the inaugural Silent Pandemic Workshop in March 2025, which brought together infection prevention specialists and built environment experts to explore how hospitals and healthcare facilities can be designed, constructed, and maintained to minimise infection risks. The outcomes of that workshop informed the first Silent Pandemic Report, which highlighted key challenges and priority areas for practical action.
The forthcoming whitepaper will build on these foundations, investigating why HCAIs persist and emphasising the importance of cross-industry collaboration to develop safer healthcare environments.
HCAIs remain a major challenge for healthcare systems worldwide and are a key driver of AMR, identified by the World Health Organization as one of the top global public health threats. Preventing infections through effective design reduces reliance on antibiotics and slows the spread of resistant organisms.
“Antimicrobial resistance is already undermining our ability to treat common infections and perform routine procedures safely,” said Manjula Meda, Chair of HIS.
“Through BEIPI, we are uniting infection prevention experts with the construction and design sectors to ensure the healthcare spaces we build today can protect patients, staff, and communities tomorrow.”
The new whitepaper will be launched at the Healthcare Estates Conference in Manchester this October, showcasing practical solutions for reducing HCAIs through built environment innovations.
Edith Blennerhassett, Director at Arup, said:
“Tackling AMR in healthcare settings requires well-designed facilities, robust cleaning regimes, proper PPE use, and a focus on hygiene by all hospital users. We are proud to support HIS and BEIPI in bringing together all stakeholders to solve this critical challenge.”
John Bodley-Scott, Senior Design Manager at Sisk, added:
“After participating in the Silent Pandemic Workshop, we are delighted to join the steering committee for HIS. We look forward to collaborating with other designers and contractors to improve the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of healthcare buildings.”
James Gordon, Associate Director at P+HS Architects, commented:
“Evidence-based design has a vital role in protecting patients and staff. By working closely with infection prevention specialists, we can create healthcare environments that are functional, welcoming, and actively reduce infection risks. We are proud to contribute to BEIPI and collaborate across the sector to address the urgent challenge of antimicrobial resistance.”
Through initiatives like BEIPI and collaborative research, HIS and its partners are shaping the future of infection prevention in healthcare facilities, ensuring that UK hospitals are safer, more resilient, and better equipped to tackle antimicrobial resistance.
