Work system design - environmental issues
The design of physical spaces has been shown to play an important role in work efficiency and safety, as well as staff satisfaction in industry and business, including in healthcare environments. Our observations revealed constraints on safety induced by the local physical environment in the OxCRF. Whilst some were amenable to rapid change (e.g. repositioning a clock or a bed for ease of use/access) others would require more time and resource to rectify (e.g. electronic door controls). These findings suggest that, whilst clearly necessitating local appraisal and tailored solutions, the interaction between individuals (both staff and participants) and their environment should not be ignored whether persistent (e.g. the need for appropriate overnight rest areas for staff) or temporary (e.g. as here, groundwork transiently preventing emergency access). Of note, the COV-CHIM study was the first to employ the redeveloped OxCRF and this may have influenced some of our findings.