Cripps Health Centre, University of Nottingham

Meeting today's needs and tomorrow's challenges

Designed to support a broad and evolving scope of care, the centre has consistently delivered over 150,000 appointments annually. Its size and adaptability have enabled continued growth in clinical teams, including the addition of junior GP trainees and expanded provision for physiotherapy and mental health services. Today, the practice supports around 60 clinical staff, including 21 GPs and 2 trainees.

The building also plays an active role in NHS-aligned primary care research, embedding innovation into its daily operations and contributing to global healthcare developments.

Resilient design in the face of a global crisis

Future resilience was built into the design from the outset, with pandemic-readiness incorporated following learnings from the 2009 swine flu outbreak. The building was designed to be easily divided into “hot” and “cold” zones in the event of an infectious disease outbreak—a foresight that was tested and proven during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, the medicinal garden became a vital asset, doubling as a safe and calming outdoor waiting space while the centre took part in clinical vaccine trials.
 

A model for integrated care

The building brings together a wide range of NHS services under one roof. Alongside 31 GP consulting rooms, it includes enhanced treatment and observation facilities, mental health rooms, eight dental suites, a dedicated physiotherapy area, and a separately operated, yet integrated pharmacy. T This co-location enables seamless, accessible care for both students and the wider Nottingham community.

A garden with purpose

The wellbeing and medicinal garden has become a central feature of the patient journey. With low hedges, accessible pathways, and beds filled with seasonal and medicinal plants, the garden functions both as a therapeutic landscape and a meaningful contribution to patient recovery and staff wellbeing.

A building that enables discovery

Beyond clinical excellence, the architecture of Cripps Health Centre actively supports its pioneering research work. The flexible layout and high-spec clinical spaces are designed not only for patient care, but to accommodate the specific demands of clinical trials - from secure sample handling to discreet participant flows.

Generous consulting space, adaptable treatment rooms, and integrated services mean research activity can run alongside everyday healthcare with minimal disruption. The welcoming, non-institutional environment also encourages participant engagement and trust - key factors in successfully recruiting for large-scale and often sensitive studies.

As a result, Cripps has become a preferred site for both national and international trials, proving how purpose-built design can empower healthcare teams to lead the future of primary care research.

Driving innovation through research

 Cripps Health Centre is an active participant in leading clinical research, often being the first site in the UK, or globally, to recruit to new trials. Recent highlights include:

• Global first recruit: RSV hospitalisation prevention study in infants (Sanofi, 2023)
• UK first recruit: COVID-19 pre-exposure prophylaxis study (AstraZeneca, 2022)
• UK first primary care site: Human challenge vaccine trial for typhoid (Oxford Vaccine Group, 2025)
• Over-target recruitment for Moderna COVID and flu vaccine trials
• Ongoing academic collaborations with Oxford, Nottingham, Cardiff, Keele, and others

These achievements underline the centre’s role as a hub for research-led, future-ready primary care.

Photos by Martine Hamilton Knight