East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) Estates Team has seen strong progress in its Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) results, reflecting the Trust’s continued commitment to creating safe and therapeutic spaces for the people it serves.
PLACE assessments are led by service users, giving them a direct voice in shaping the environments where care is delivered. For Adam Fahn, Assistant Director of Estates and Facilities Management, this is what makes the programme so impactful.
He said: “PLACE helps us see our buildings through the eyes of the people who use them every day. Every score tells a story. If we miss a point, it means someone’s experience of our estate wasn’t quite right, and that motivates us to improve.”
This year, the Trust saw encouraging year‑on‑year improvements across most domains. ELFT performed in the top quartile nationally in several areas, maintained average scores in others, and has acknowledged where more work is needed, particularly within one of the food‑related categories.
Adam and his team manage the full annual cycle of PLACE activity: training patient assessors, coordinating autumn audits, supporting improvement actions over winter and feeding final reports into spring planning.
He said: “It’s a continuous journey. We work closely with clinical teams, keep the Executive Team updated, and secure the investment needed to respond to what our service users tell us.”
Several sites saw standout improvements this year. The City and Hackney Centre in Homerton, as well as the Newham Centre for Mental Health, achieved a significant uplift in cleanliness following close partnership work between Estates, the facilities service provider and Homerton Healthcare Foundation Trust. Dementia‑friendly environments and disability‑supporting features saw large double‑digit gains, and the organisational element of the food score rose by more than six percentage points - an improvement that will benefit patients Trust‑wide.
Service users also highlighted ways mealtime experiences could be improved, prompting deeper conversations between Estates and clinical colleagues about presentation and the environment in which meals are served.
Last year’s extensive action plan, around 750 items, has clearly driven progress. Looking ahead, catering remains a priority area, supported by a Quality Improvement project designed to strengthen how Estates works alongside clinical teams. Plans are also underway for Estates Roadshows to help staff understand how to make the most of the environment and where to seek support.
Adam emphasised the importance of partnership working as preparations begin for the next round of PLACE assessments.
He added: “Simple actions like keeping areas tidy, reporting issues through the helpdesk, and engaging with Environment Assurance Groups make a real difference. Together, we can keep improving the spaces our service users rely on.”