How Should Health Providers Plan Staged Refurbishment Works?

By HATZ Health Team | Latest update October 2026

Refurbishment projects are often necessary to improve ageing healthcare facilities, upgrade infrastructure, support contemporary models of care and enhance patient experience.

However, healthcare providers face a unique challenge.

Unlike many other building types, healthcare facilities often need to remain operational throughout the delivery of improvement works. Patients continue receiving treatment, staff continue providing care and critical services must remain available despite construction activity occurring nearby.

For this reason, staged refurbishment has become one of the most effective strategies for delivering change within occupied healthcare environments.

The success of a staged refurbishment project depends on much more than construction sequencing. It requires careful planning, stakeholder engagement, operational analysis and an understanding of how healthcare services function every day.

What Is Staged Refurbishment?

Staged refurbishment involves delivering improvement works in a series of planned phases rather than undertaking all construction at once.

The approach allows healthcare providers to:

• Maintain service continuity
• Reduce patient disruption
• Protect critical operations
• Retain building functionality
• Manage risk more effectively

Rather than closing an entire facility, parts of the building remain operational while other areas are temporarily isolated and upgraded.

This approach is particularly valuable where healthcare services cannot be interrupted.

Start With Operational Understanding

Before staging can be planned effectively, providers need a clear understanding of how the facility operates.

Important questions include:

• Which services are critical?
• Which spaces are used most heavily?
• What functions cannot be interrupted?
• How do staff move through the building?
• How do patients access services?
• What services may be temporarily relocated?

The answers help identify the operational constraints that should guide the project strategy.

The strongest staging plans begin with understanding healthcare delivery rather than construction logistics.

Identify What Must Remain Operational

Most healthcare facilities contain services that cannot be suspended during refurbishment.

These may include:

• Consultation services
• Mental health programs
• Treatment spaces
• Community health services
• Diagnostic functions
• Pharmacy operations
• Administration and support services

Early identification of these functions helps determine what areas can be refurbished and when.

The objective is ensuring healthcare services remain available throughout the project.

Plan Decanting Carefully

Temporary relocation, often referred to as decanting, is a common part of staged refurbishment.

Staff, departments or clinical services may need to move temporarily while works are undertaken.

Successful decanting requires consideration of:

• Available temporary accommodation
• Clinical workflows
• Patient access
• Information systems
• Staff communication
• Equipment transfer

Poorly planned decants can create operational disruption that exceeds the impact of the construction itself.

Planning should therefore focus on how people will continue delivering and receiving services during each stage.

Use Construction Zones Strategically

Physical separation is often one of the most important tools available during occupied healthcare projects.

Construction zones should be clearly defined and managed to minimise impacts on operational areas.

This may include:

• Temporary partitions
• Controlled access points
• Alternative circulation routes
• Dust management measures
• Acoustic protection
• Safety barriers

Clearly separated work areas help reduce risk while allowing healthcare activities to continue nearby.

The Australasian Health Facility Guidelines identify construction and renovation activities in healthcare settings as requiring formal risk-management processes because of their potential effects on patients, staff and healthcare operations. [healthfaci...nes.com.au]

Protect Patient Access

Patients should continue to access services safely and confidently throughout the project.

Healthcare providers should consider:

• Temporary entrances
• Accessible routes
• Revised wayfinding
• Parking arrangements
• Drop-off locations
• Waiting environments

Changes that appear minor from a project perspective can create significant difficulties for patients and visitors if they are not properly planned.

Good staging strategies place patient access at the centre of decision-making.

Consider Infection Prevention During Every Stage

Infection prevention is a critical consideration during healthcare refurbishment.

Construction activities can introduce:

• Dust
• Airborne contaminants
• Water-system risks
• Service interruptions

The Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control recommends involving infection prevention professionals during planning, design and construction activities within healthcare facilities. [acipc.org.au]

Each stage should therefore be assessed individually to identify and manage potential infection risks.

This is particularly important where construction occurs adjacent to active healthcare services.

Communicate Constantly

Even well-planned staged refurbishment projects create some disruption.

Clear communication helps healthcare providers manage expectations and reduce uncertainty.

Communication may include:

• Staff briefings
• Patient notifications
• Temporary signage
• Facility maps
• Project updates
• Operational notifications

People are generally more accepting of temporary disruption when they understand:

• Why the project is occurring
• What changes to expect
• How long conditions will remain in place

Communication should continue throughout every stage of delivery.

Allow Flexibility Within the Programme

No staged refurbishment project progresses exactly as planned.

Existing buildings often reveal:

• Hidden services
• Unforeseen defects
• Operational constraints
• Access limitations

As a result, project teams should build flexibility into staging programmes wherever possible.

This allows organisations to respond proactively rather than reactively when challenges emerge.

Adaptability is often one of the most valuable qualities within a successful staging strategy.

Think Beyond Construction

The most successful staged refurbishment projects focus on outcomes rather than building work alone.

Providers should continually ask:

• Is care being maintained?
• Are staff supported?
• Can patients access services?
• Is safety protected?
• Are operational objectives being achieved?

When these questions remain central throughout delivery, staged refurbishment becomes more than a construction strategy.

It becomes a healthcare-delivery strategy.

Staged Refurbishment Supports Long-Term Facility Renewal

Many healthcare facilities require renewal over many years rather than through a single project.

Staged refurbishment can become part of a broader asset strategy by:

• Extending facility life
• Improving performance incrementally
• Supporting future investment decisions
• Managing risk progressively
• Maintaining service continuity

Rather than viewing refurbishment as a one-off intervention, organisations can treat it as an ongoing process of improvement.

This often creates stronger long-term outcomes for both facilities and healthcare services.

Conclusion

Staged refurbishment allows healthcare providers to improve facilities while continuing to support patients, staff and community services.

Successful projects depend on careful planning, operational understanding, stakeholder engagement, infection prevention and effective communication.

The strongest staging strategies recognise that healthcare delivery remains the priority throughout construction.

When this balance is achieved, facilities can evolve without compromising the care people rely on every day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is staged refurbishment?

Staged refurbishment involves delivering improvement works in a series of phases while parts of the facility remain operational.

Why is staged refurbishment common in healthcare?

Healthcare services often cannot close for extended periods, making phased delivery one of the most practical approaches available.

What is a decant strategy?

A decant strategy outlines how staff, patients, equipment and services will be temporarily relocated while work is undertaken.

How can patient disruption be minimised?

Through careful planning of access routes, wayfinding, communication, temporary facilities and staged construction zones.

Why is infection prevention important during refurbishment?

Construction activities can introduce risks that affect active healthcare environments, making infection prevention a critical part of staging and delivery planning. [healthfaci...nes.com.au], [acipc.org.au]

Related Reading

• How Can Healthcare Facilities Be Upgraded While Remaining Operational? →
• Why Is Stakeholder Engagement Critical in Healthcare Projects? →
• How Can Disruption Be Minimised During Healthcare Construction Works? →
• What Are the Risks of Working in Live Healthcare Environments? →
• What Should Healthcare Providers Consider Before Refurbishment?→

Planning a Healthcare Refurbishment Project?

Whether you are planning a minor upgrade or a major facility renewal programme, HATZ can help develop staged delivery strategies that minimise disruption while maintaining patient care, staff productivity and operational continuity.