PROCUREMENT FOCUSING ON SOFT VALUES Cross-profession collaboration, a focus on soft values and a procurement process that seeks the best solution rather than the lowest price. That is the key to creating care environments that are healthpromoting and sustainable over time according to Annika Lückner, project manager of the new Djupängen retirement home in Hammarö municipality. ANNIKA LÜCKNER, PROJECT MANAGER, HAMMARÖ MUNICIPALITY
Annika Lückner likes to make things difficult for herself and for others, at least when it comes to as important and substantial
administrations have worked in close collaboration. “They built and were responsible for the hard values while
an investment as a new residential care facility with 120 flats
we took responsibility for the content and soft values. “It is un-
in a municipality with just over 16,000 inhabitants.
reasonable that the perspective of nursing, which is the core
“We chose a work method that would demand more of us and of our project partners. But we had to if we were to get the best possible outcome for the elderly residents,” she says.
of what we want to achieve, doesn’t come into the picture until the very end. It's just unacceptable,” says Annika Lückner. This way of working made it possible for their vision of how the care environment would be perceived to lead the
It can’t be the case that the perspective of nursing, which is the core of what we want to create, comes into the picture until the very end, then it will not be good.
way. This was only further strengthened by the fact that Hammarö collaborated with an architect that not only understood, but was interested in the nursing perspective. “We had a work group consisting of people from various professions, including those who were to staff the Djupängen facility, to get as many perspectives and as much expertise as we could. The purpose was to gain a holistic picture of the demands, opportunities and needs. We also carried out discussions with stakeholder organisations such as PRO
Annika Lückner is referring to how the procurement of furnishings for the Djupängen facility was formulated.
(the Swedish national organisation of pensioners).” When it comes to furnishings, Annika Lückner is of the
The municipality wanted to get away from a one-sided focus
opinion that furniture companies need to be allowed into
on price. Instead, they chose an approach where it became
the process early on, both to get an understanding of the
possible to request a functional solution based on the vision
procurer's vision and needs, and to have the opportunity to
of a warm and welcoming care environment.
contribute their expertise.
“We invited interior design companies and tried to
“Furnishings are absolutely vital for how the facility is
describe the feeling we wanted to accomplish rather than
perceived; they give the environment it’s feeling. I view
ask for suggestions for products. It was an open-ended
furniture companies more as partners than suppliers, people
question leaving the companies to interpret our meaning
you can talk to and exchange knowledge and ideas with.
and come with ideas. This puts greater demands on suppliers,
Kinnarps have really lived up to our expectations in this de-
but the result is better for everyone – the residents, staff,
partment and made a big contribution with their Next Care©
relatives and municipality,” she says.
concept, which goes to show that they understand the special needs of care environments.”
The other key to success was collaboration. From the time that the project started in earnest in 2017, the social and service 16
Too good to be true? When asked whether everyone has pulled in the same direction from day one, Annika Lückner
