Intersections Lecture: Lianne Knotts
13 March 2025 18:00 - 19:30
Room G.08, Armstrong Building, Newcastle University
In September 2024, Lord Darzi published a report on the state of the NHS in England following commissioning of an independent investigation by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The review provides an expert understanding of the current performance of the NHS across England and the challenges facing the healthcare system.
Public satisfaction related to the NHS is at an all time low. At the same time, government spending in health has stalled, and although current, national building plans sound promising, existing building stock is getting older and backlog maintenance costs are increasing. Around 20 percent of the primary care estate predates the founding of the NHS in 1948.
So, as architects, what can we do? What opportunities are open to us and how do we look to design and adapt healthcare buildings to meet the needs of current and future generations?
Healthcare needs are evolving, with a re-focus on health and wellbeing. Lianne’s talk will touch on the differing across a range of healthcare sectors – looking at how design for healthcare settings has developed over the years, and how we approach design for the acute estate, community healthcare and to serve our population with mental ill-health.
About Lianne
Lianne is a Director in Medical Architecture’s Newcastle studio where she jointly manages the local team. An alumna of Newcastle University, she is an architect with 18 years’ experience in healthcare design. Lianne specialises in the design and planning of mental healthcare buildings and is a Trustee of the Design in Mental Health Network.
Lianne has substantial knowledge of the health sector and working across a wide range of NHS projects, in areas of stakeholder engagement, health planning, feasibility studies, design and construction. Her strength in the user-consultation process has led Lianne to work collaboratively with local architect and clinical teams worldwide, with current mental health projects in Toronto and Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Lianne’s project portfolio has received awards from RIBA, Building Better Healthcare, Design in Mental Health, and the International Academy for Design & Health.