Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE)
PLACE assessments are an annual appraisal of the non-clinical aspects of NHS and independent/private healthcare settings, undertaken by teams made up of staff and members of the public (known as patient assessors).
Contents
- Documentation
About this standard
- Publisher
- NHS Digital
- Reference code
- DAPB2085
- Publication date
- 30 January 2020
- Status
- Active
Show definitions of statuses
Active. Active standards are stable, maintained and have been approved, assured or endorsed for use by qualified bodies.
Deprecated Deprecated standards are available for use and are maintained, but are being phased out, so new functionality will not be added.
Retired standards Retired standards are not being maintained or supported and should not be used.
- Standard type
- Collections
Show definitions of standard types
Collections. A Collection is a systematic gathering of a specified selection of data or information for a particular stated purpose from existing records held within health and care systems and electronic devices.
Extractions. An extraction is a type of collection that is pulled from an operational system by the data controller and transmitted to the receiver without additional processing or transcription by the sender.
Information standards. Information standards are agreed ways of doing something, written down as a set of precise criteria so they can be used as rules, guidelines, or definitions.
Technical Standards and specifications. Technical standards and specifications specify how to make information available technically including how the data is structured and transported.
- Contact point
england.standards.assurance@nhs.net
Using this standard
- Associated medias
- Applies to
- Residential social care : Care home services with nursing
Topics and care settings
- Care setting
- Community health
- Hospital
- Urgent and Emergency Care
- Walk in centre
Legal basis
- Legal authority
Section 259 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012
More information
PLACE assessments are an annual appraisal of the non-clinical aspects of NHS and independent/private healthcare settings, undertaken by teams made up of staff and members of the public (known as patient assessors). The team must include a minimum of 50 per cent patient assessors. PLACE assessments provide a framework for assessing quality against common guidelines and standards in order to quantify the environment's cleanliness, food and hydration provision, the extent to which the provision of care with privacy and dignity is supported, and whether the premises are equipped to meet the needs of people with dementia or with a disability. The PLACE collection underwent a national review, which started in 2018 and concluded in summer 2019. The question set has been significantly refined and revised, and guidance documents have been updated. The review ensures that the collection remains relevant and delivers its aims.
Page last updated: 08 June 2026