Guidance consistently recognises that bed spacing requirements contribute towards the control of HAIs. All NHS boards and care providers should aim to meet the minimum bed spacing requirements laid out in the guidance below and in keeping with the date of design and construction of the building. This takes account of ergonomics within the clinical environment and not just healthcare associated infection (HAI) risk.  Some other health and care settings may choose to adopt this guidance e.g. hospice settings.

Adult in-patient facilities designed post 2010 should achieve 3.6m (width) x 3.7m (depth) dimensions of SHPN 04-01, HBN 00-03 and SHFN 30.  Width of 3.6m is measured from bed centre to bed centre. Since 2014, HBN 00-03’s Figure 45 states a day treatment bay should achieve 2.45m width/centre-to-centre dimension.

Current NHS Scotland Guidance on bed spacing is listed below:

• Core guidance - General design for healthcare buildings (HBN 00-01)
• Core guidance - Clinical and clinical support spaces (HBN 00-03)
• Critical care units (HBN 04-02)
• HAI-SCRIBE Manual information for project teams (SHFN 30 Part A)
• HAI-SCRIBE Implementation strategy and assessment process (SHFN 30 Part B)
• HAI-SCRIBE question sets and checklists (SHFN 30 Part C)
• Adult in-patient facilities (SHPN 04-01)
• In-patient accommodation - supp 1 - Isolation facilities in acute settings (SHPN 4 sup 1)