Hospitals are rarely simple environments. They commonly comprise multiple buildings, several entrances, with car parks or green spaces between them. Staff and patients often need to move between buildings, in and out, day and night. When the weather turns, even a short walk can quickly become quite uncomfortable. This is where well-placed outdoor shelters, canopies and covered walkways can make a real difference.
However, for hospital estates teams, facilities managers, and procurement professionals, outdoor infrastructure must work as part of the wider site. This often includes multiple separate installations catering to different needs, patients, visitors, and staff. Outdoor shelters, canopies, and walkways also need to withstand frequent use and rough weather, and be practical to maintain over the long term.
Each type of structure serves a slightly different purpose, and for hospital teams and managers, choosing the best solution is important. Getting it right from the start helps ensure the installation works well for everyone who uses the site. So, let us explore what these options look like.
Waiting shelters for patients, visitors and staff
A hospital may need a dedicated outdoor waiting area for many reasons, such as patients waiting for transport, visitors arriving early, or staff members needing a moment before or after their shifts.
Properly designed waiting shelters protect people from rain and excessive sunlight without necessarily creating a fully enclosed space. Our waiting shelter range, for example, can be specified in different sizes and with flat or curved roofs. The shelters come with polycarbonate panels that provide additional weather protection. Steel frames can also be galvanised, powder-coated, or both, depending on the requirements of the site.
For hospitals, this flexibility can be particularly useful. A small shelter may be appropriate outside a specific department, while a larger structure may be required near a main entrance, transport collection point, visitors’ car park or staff facility.
The location of the shelter is another important aspect. It should ideally be installed somewhere visible, easy to find and accessible. Think about existing paths and entrances when you are assessing this. Additionally, any shelter should not become an obstruction for pedestrians, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, ambulances or other vehicles. So make sure there is a balance between being visible and close to entrances but also out of the way or navigable.
Covered walkways between hospital buildings
Hospital campuses often develop over many years, resulting in buildings that are separated by roads, car parks or landscaped areas. Moving between them can become uncomfortable, and even impractical, considering that for more than half of the year staff, patients and visitors would be exposed to rain and wind.
In some hospitals, this has been solved by building extensive constructions like skybridges, but they are expensive and may not be practical in every setting. A covered walkway can provide a straightforward solution to this problem at a lower price point.
Rather than requiring every building to be connected internally, the walkway can create a protected route between existing facilities. For estate managers, this can make a covered walkway a useful addition to an existing site without major alterations or prolonged construction work to the buildings themselves.
Another benefit of walkways is that their design can be entirely adapted to the available space. Walkways may need to follow a straight route, incorporate changes in direction or accommodate existing buildings and access routes – this is all achievable. Our walkway and canopy solutions are manufactured to bespoke measurements, with free drawings and visualisations available as part of the design process.
Entrance canopies and the arrival experience
The hospital entrance is one of the busiest areas of a healthcare site. It is used by patients arriving and leaving, by hospital transport and staff, by carers and family members who are visiting.
An entrance canopy is a great idea for many buildings, including hospitals, as it is a fairly minor installation but provides multiple benefits. It provides protection while people move between vehicles and the building. It makes the entrance easier to identify, particularly where a hospital has several access points. It makes waiting more comfortable and shows care for the people who work or visit there.
When specifying canopies, procurement teams should consider materials, structure, and appearance. The structure needs to be appropriate for the available space and integrated with existing pedestrian and vehicle movements.
Drainage is another practical consideration. A canopy should direct rainwater away from pedestrian routes rather than simply shifting the problem elsewhere. Larger walkway and canopy installations therefore need suitable guttering and drainage arrangements as part of the specification.
Material selection for demanding healthcare environments
Outdoor structures on hospital sites are exposed to the same environmental conditions as other public buildings, but the consequences of poor quality and demanding maintenance schedules can be particularly inconvenient on a busy healthcare campus. This is why materials and high-quality craftsmanship are important when specifying installations like canopies, walkways and shelters. Our products are made from durable and strong materials to ensure longevity and ease of maintenance.
Steel is commonly used for shelter and canopy structures because it provides the strength required for substantial outdoor frameworks. The steel can then be further strengthened and protected through galvanisation and powder coating.
Hot-dip galvanised steel is particularly relevant where corrosion resistance is a priority. We offer galvanised finishes as well as combined galvanised and powder-coated options across our range because we know how important the extra layer of protection can be.
Powder-coating also gives estates teams greater control over appearance. A structure can be specified in a RAL colour to coordinate with existing buildings, corporate colours or other site furniture.
Where a more premium finish is appropriate, stainless steel is another option. Our walkway and canopy solutions are all bespoke, which makes it possible for us to offer 316 stainless steel as an alternative where appearance and material performance are important considerations. Speak to us for more information.
The glazing or roofing material should receive the same attention. Polycarbonate is widely used in our structures because it combines low weight with durability and impact resistance. Depending on the structure, specifications include clear and structured polycarbonate panels, including twin-wall panels for larger walkway applications.
A specification built around the whole site
Waiting shelters, canopies and walkways should not be considered purely as standalone products. On a hospital campus, they form part of the infrastructure that connects buildings, protects people from the weather and supports the movement of patients, visitors and staff.
This means that what is an appropriate specification for your situation may be wholly inappropriate for another. It all depends on the location, expected usage, available space, exposure to weather, required appearance and maintenance arrangements.
For hospital specifiers, procurement teams and facilities managers, considering these factors before placing an order can make the difference between simply adding a shelter and creating an outdoor facility that works effectively for the people who use the site every day.
With bespoke sizing, different finishes and a range of roofing and panel options available, hospital waiting shelters, entrance canopies and covered walkways can be designed around the practical requirements of the healthcare environment rather than treated as an off-the-shelf addition.