AfH AGM 2026 voting information
Please read through the two motions. You’ll be able to place your votes further down the page.
Motion 1 - Update of rules and structure of AfH
A new organisational structure for AfH to comprise a smaller committee with clear roles and responsibilities to ensure accountability to the membership. A diagram explaining the new structure can be found here.
To support this new structure the following key changes are proposed:
- Introduction of new Principal Officer – “Operations and Membership”
- Reduction of Executive from 12 to eight elected members
- Assignment of roles to all Executive Members beyond the Principal Officers – primarily, Pillar Leads
If approved, these new rules will come into effect from the 2027 AGM. The current Executive Committee will be planning for a smooth transition to the new committee structure during 2026.
Please note that the “Pillar” responsibilities are subject to change, but at this stage will broadly follow these groupings:
- Best Practice – this pillar leads on participation in industry events such as Design in Mental Health, Healthcare Estates and European Healthcare Design, building visits and technical /training aspects of healthcare design including the Building Safety Act and Procurement.
- Fostering Future Talent – this pillar looks after our Student Design Awards, the Anne Noble Research Award and delivers a stream of Future Leaders events aimed at the next generation of healthcare designers.
- Strategic Engagement – this pillar co-ordinates our response to proposed changes in technical guidance via the Future Standards Working Group (FSWG); engages with NHS England and the New Hospitals Programme (NHP) and works with external organisations such as the Healthcare Infection Society and IHEEM (HIS), collaborating on industry initiatives.
- Knowledgeshare – this pillar curates in-person and online events harnessing the knowledge and expertise of our members and sharing new developments in the design of healthcare facilities in acute, community and mental health settings – both in the UK and overseas.
Full details of the new rules can be found here.
In addition to these elected roles, we have identified several “co-opted” roles, including a Commercial lead and an Education & Research lead, which, while not subjected to formal election, but will be part of the AfH Executive.
Full job descriptions for all roles will be drafted in 2026 and published ahead of the invitation for nominations in late 2026.
Motion 2 - Election of president of AfH
It has been some years since we last had a president of AfH, but as the pace of change in healthcare design accelerates, and major initiatives such as the New Hospital programme edge closer to reality, it is more important than ever that the voice AfH be a loud and positive one.
The executive committee would therefore like to propose that we elect a president of AfH for a period of 5 years. This is an honorary role, which will support the work of the executive and chair in promoting excellence in healthcare design.
The candidate chosen will be familiar to many of you I’m sure, and has an exceptional pedigree in the world of Healthcare Architecture.
The executive’s nomination of honorary president is John Cooper.
Below is a citation in support of John by Jaime Bishop, AfH chair.
I warmly support the appointment of John Cooper as President of Architects for Health.
John’s influence on healthcare architecture predates AfH itself. Through his formative role as a founder of Avanti Architects, the practice won the design competition for the ACAD Centre in Park Royal. Completed in 1998, the project attracted wide attention for its innovative brief and architectural quality, and went on to influence much of the best work in the following decade.
Following twenty years at Avanti, John joined Anshen Dyer, where he led the healthcare portfolio, including the design and delivery of Pembury Hospital, one of the UK’s first 100 percent single bedroom acute hospitals. The project reshaped expectations around patient dignity, safety and clinical environments. More recently, his collaboration on the Velindre Cancer Centre has helped set new standards for sustainability and construction methods in hospital design.
John was Chair of AfH from 2008 to 2014 and was instrumental in establishing the European Health Design Congress, now recognised as one of the most respected global forums for healthcare design. In recognition of his sustained contribution to the sector, he was awarded the prestigious Susan Francis Design Champion Award at the 2023 Congress, which I had the honour of presenting to him.
On a personal note, John has been hugely influential on my own career, shaping my thinking long before we worked together and continuing to be a trusted mentor and sounding board. His appointment as President feels both deserved and timely, and would strongly reinforce the values, credibility and ambition of Architects for Health in its wider engagement, drawing on his intellectual authority, personal charm and proven ability to navigate complex conversations with tact and judgement. Throughout his career, John has approached the design of hospitals and health facilities with the same passion, critical rigour and cultural seriousness more often associated with the highest art.
Jaime Bishop
Chair
Voting has now closed
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Make sure you are Signed In to your AfH membership before continuing. You can vote either Yes or No for each Motion. Once you have placed your votes please click on the Submit my votes button. You will receive a confirmation email containing your choices.
Please note: Voting closes on Thursday 5th February 2026.