Portable & Modular Buildings
In this article, Robert Snook, Director and General Manager at Portakabin, looks at how a highly complex ward and theatre facility was constructed in less than four months to help meet the increasing demand for orthopaedic services.
How a complex hospital building for orthopaedic services was constructed in less than four months
U
niversity Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust had an urgent requirement for a highly complex, 4,200sqm interim ward and theatre building to facilitate the transfer of orthopaedic services to another hospital.
The purpose-designed scheme would occupy a constrained site immediately adjacent to the main building at Royal Stoke University Hospital and would be in use for the next five years. A highly innovative modular solution from Portakabin was developed to fast-track construction and to deliver a high quality, fully fitted building in less than four months. The £13.5 million project was the largest contract in the 52-year history of the Portakabin Group’s Hire Division and was one of its most challenging schemes in terms of programme and site constraints. The building’s structure comprises 124 steel-framed modules, each weighing up to 9 tonnes and up to 14m long. These were installed in only 18 days, which included weekend working, to further minimise disruption to patient care. This large, two-storey modular building has provided 56 new in-patient beds as single ensuite rooms and four-bed ward bays; two large state-of-the-art, clean air theatres for all orthopaedic procedures; theatre recovery room; ‘dirty’ and ‘clean’ utilities; staff changing room; reception; kitchenette; offices; 33-person ‘crash team’ lift, and an integral plant room. The new facility was constructed and fitted out to permanent standards, in compliance with current Building Regulations and with a design life of at least 60 years. This was a highly challenging project in terms of scale, logistics, difficult access for vehicles, and the extremely close proximity of existing wards which had to remain fully operational throughout. To minimise disruption, Portakabin maximised work off site wherever possible. The modular solution allowed the building structure to be installed complete with wall finishes, internal partitioning, mechanical and electrical services, and flooring already in place
Building & Facilities Management – February 2016
to further reduce the programme time. Pre-assembled bedhead trunking and fitted furniture also helped to minimise time on site and disruption to patient services whilst maintaining the highest quality standards
During the cranage phase, Portakabin managed and maintained access for 200 students to the adjacent Keele University Medical School and co- ordinated operations with West Midlands Air Ambulance for inbound emergency patients. Access for emergency vehicles across the site to the Infectious Diseases Unit was also provided throughout the project. The building installation involved detailed logistical planning and a 350-tonne crane on a highly restricted site close to a busy road. The Trust’s theatre management team had very specific requirements for the building design to achieve outstanding infection control and to improve the flow of patients to maximise capacity and frequency of operations. These criteria were met and despite a number of design changes, the building was delivered on programme. Outstanding and detailed project management was key as was early engagement with the client. Roles and responsibilities were clearly defined at the outset and detailed to the client and stakeholders to ensure smooth lines of communication and fast decision making An open, transparent and collaborative relationship with the
Trust was maintained throughout and regular meetings with the client and subcontractors ensured a clear understanding of any issues at all stages. The Trust’s project manager also visited the Portakabin factory to see at first hand the quality controls in place. Quality is engineered into the Portakabin building system. Modular construction is not weather dependent and the building is manufactured off site with greater precision and accuracy than site-based construction for superior quality control The hiring of modular accommodation for short-term use is a fast, flexible and cost-effective way for healthcare providers to expand or relocate services, particularly on constrained hospital sites and can be funded from revenue rather than capital budget streams. Complete, fully-fitted buildings can be delivered in a fraction of the time of a site-based construction solution and without compromising standards. Critically, buildings can be installed with far less disruption to patient care and the solution is much safer and quieter as fitting out can be carried out off site. Modular solutions can be used to provide interim ward accommodation, recovery suites, dialysis units, diagnostic facilities, out-patient departments and treatment centres – and should be constructed to the latest healthcare best practice design standards. To attend a CPD seminar to find out more about interim modular buildings, visit
www.portakabin.co.uk/cpd.
portable & modular buildings
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