A teal-fronted Macmillan entrance sits beneath a red-brick building, with four cars parked outside under a bright blue sky, calm and welcoming.

Patient-centred healthcare design that improves quality of life

Cancer is far more than a diagnosis. Patients, families, and carers often need practical guidance, emotional assistance, and privacy to process difficult conversations. How can wellness providers create spaces that support patients and carers after a clinical diagnosis?

 

Sunlit red-brick courtyard with a glass entrance, blue-framed windows, and rust-colored planter boxes overflowing with ferns and greenery.

Building on a shared commitment to better healthcare

For people affected by cancer, care often extends beyond medical treatment. Recognizing this, Macmillan Cancer Support, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, and Arcadis came together to create a dedicated support centre at Stepping Hill Hospital, UK. The shared goal was to provide an accessible, welcoming environment where patients, families, carers, and the wider community could get information, connect with specialist services, and find a moment of calm during a challenging time.

From the outset, the project was envisioned as more than an extension of clinical services. The hub was designed as a vital resource that would help everyone navigate every stage of the cancer journey, while future outreach activities and partnerships will extend assistance beyond the hospital campus to anyone who needs it.

Designed with patients, health service professionals, and the public, the centre demonstrates how thoughtful healthcare design can support well-being beyond clinical care while contributing to broader healthcare program management goals.

From feasibility to handover: Arcadis' role in delivery

Delivering the new Macmillan Cancer Support Centre required more than designing a building. From the earliest project stages, Arcadis worked alongside Macmillan Cancer Support and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust to develop the vision, assess opportunities, coordinate stakeholders, and guide delivery. This end-to-end involvement helped ensure the completed facility reflected both operational requirements and the needs of those it was created to serve.

1

Establishing the foundations

Arcadis supported the project from its earliest stages, carrying out feasibility studies and assessing potential locations across the hospital estate. These evaluations helped inform the business case that secured funding and laid the groundwork for the project.

 

2

Bringing design and delivery together

As lead consultant, architect, interior designer, and landscape architect, Arcadis coordinated a multidisciplinary team of structural, mechanical, and electrical specialists while guiding the project through design, planning, construction, and final handover. Combining design and consultancy services with integrated project leadership, the team helped transform a complex brief into a welcoming support unit while maintaining a clear focus on the needs of future users.

 

3

Navigating complexity within a historic setting

The project involved repurposing and extending part of a historic hospital building. Despite structural and construction challenges, the team maintained the project's focus on critical aspects surrounding end users throughout the delivery process. This integrated approach to healthcare project delivery ensured the vision remained intact from concept to completion.

Designing with the people who would use healthcare spaces

The centre was shaped not only by technical expertise, but also by the experiences of those who would use it every day. Stakeholder engagement was embedded throughout the project, helping the team understand how the facility could best support those affected by cancer and everyone involved in their care.

Listening before designing

As the project’s lead consultant, Arcadis worked closely with NHS and Macmillan staff, patient representatives, former patients, people undergoing cancer treatment, and community groups to understand how the centre would be used and what services were needed.

 

Quiet library reading room with wooden bookshelves, display tables, and cushioned chairs beside tall windows; warm lighting creates a calm, inviting atmosphere.

Co-creating spaces around real needs

This collaborative approach reflects the principles of creating supportive spaces with end users, ensuring the facility was shaped by both firsthand patient insight and operational requirements. Through workshops and consultation sessions, contributors helped inform decisions around functionality, privacy, accessibility, and overall user experience.

One of the structure’s key features highlights privacy. Currently there are two quiet rooms for activities such as counselling, and each room has direct access to a private landscaped area. This gives visitors the choice to step outside for a moment of pause or leave discreetly without passing through public areas.

Turning feedback into meaningful design

The resulting structure is an example of people-centred design, where the needs of patients, carers, professionals, and residents directly influenced the outcome.

Creating spaces that prioritize well-being

Every aspect of the establishment was designed to promote dignity, comfort, and emotional well-being. Moving away from a traditional clinical environment, the team developed a comfortable setting that encourages everyone to seek information, access support services, and spend time in a calm and reassuring setting.

Natural light, nature-inspired elements, and biophilic design principles were incorporated throughout the facility to create a comforting and reassuring atmosphere. Dedicated areas for consultation, therapy, and information provide private settings for confidential conversations, while a contemplation garden offers a quiet place for reflection. High-quality materials and carefully considered design features further reinforce the centre's distinctive identity and sense of warmth.

 

A quiet waiting room with purple and gray chairs, tall windows, and a glass door; bright sunlight casts geometric shadows across the carpet.
Private medical exam room with a burgundy chair, sink, and wooden privacy screen beneath a bright stained-glass-style ceiling panel; calm, clinical atmosphere.

A lasting impact on patients, families, and the community

While the project delivered a new physical space, its success is ultimately measured by the difference it makes in everyday lives. By providing specialized support within a safe environment, it helps those affected by cancer gain access to critical resources when they need them most.

Care that extends beyond treatment

The value of the project lies in the guidance it provides to those facing some of life's most challenging circumstances. Operating as a drop-in point of connection, it offers information, guidance, and well-being services for anyone living with or coping with cancer.

Strengthening support across the collective

The facility strengthens the ability of Macmillan Cancer Support and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust to provide more personalized and holistic care. As local activities, outreach initiatives, and partnerships continue to evolve, the centre's impact will extend beyond the hospital estate and into the communities it serves.

The new Macmillan Cancer Support Centre demonstrates what can be achieved when several parties work toward a shared purpose. By combining the expertise of Macmillan Cancer Support, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, and Arcadis, the project has created a safe space where anyone can get assistance, find reassurance, and navigate some of life's most difficult moments with greater confidence and dignity.

 

Bright office meeting room with a wooden table, mixed chairs, tall patterned windows, and open shelves of coffee supplies; calm and welcoming.

What Arcadis can do

The Macmillan Cancer Support Centre demonstrates Arcadis' ability to deliver people-centred wellness environments from feasibility and site selection through design, construction, and handover. Through design, planning, architecture, engineering, landscape design, and project and program management, we help clients create facilities that support well-being, dignity, accessibility, and a better experience for patients, families, carers, and staff.

Working closely with medical providers, local stakeholders, and end users, Arcadis delivers practical solutions that reflect real needs. From repurposing existing assets and creating therapeutic spaces to applying nature-informed design principles, we combine healthcare design with multidisciplinary expertise to create facilities that are functional, welcoming, and built for lasting community impact.