Box 2.

: Gaps in research

• There are many uncertainties about the future of hospitals. Some of the more important areas where research is needed are:

• Understanding likely future demand
• Improved forecasting of length of stay and other aspects of hospital performance
• The benefits of subspecialisation and methods to reduce the impact of this on access to services
• How hospitals can be staffed in new and imaginative ways
• The development of flexible approaches to planning hospitals
• How to manage change effectively