MODERN METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION
Modular provides solution for fully compliant wards
Through extensive meetings to discuss the estate needs of NHS Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups, key representatives from the modular building sector are developing fully HTM, HBN, and DDA-compliant standardised offsite solutions for hospital wards and theatres. As Andy King, deputy managing director at Wernick Buildings, and Technical Chair of the Modular and Portable Buildings Association, explains, these discussions follow the UK Government’s announcement, both in its New Hospital Programme and Health Infrastructure Plan, that the NHS must adopt new and Modern Methods of Construction.
Procuring a modular building for healthcare has never been easier. Frameworks such as NHS SBS make the process a simple one. The availability of healthcare-focused frameworks allows customers to accelerate the procurement process, and provides peace of mind as they work with a pre-approved supply chain that has proven its ability to provide quick, capable, and cost-effective solutions. While other sectors – such as education – have been able to quickly adapt to Modern Methods of
Construction, healthcare presents a more challenging prospect for both contractor and client. Put simply, healthcare buildings are substantially more complex, and the sector itself has a lot more moving parts.
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional pressure on healthcare services, and particularly hospitals, which has accelerated the adoption of modular solutions. The NHS faces numerous challenges, including the need to maintain essential and elective treatments, while also managing growing waiting lists and preparing for a possible ‘third wave’. As a result, the pandemic seems to have brought with it a realisation that flexible spaces that can quickly accommodate changes in use and increases in occupation numbers are crucial. Against this backdrop, the need for additional staff and patient accommodation has increased drastically, with an urgency for quick and cost-effective solutions becoming more apparent. Modular construction methods offer a solution, as buildings are designed to be flexible, and to be able to cater to a range of needs. New buildings can be delivered in quick timeframes, and spaces are designed to be adaptable and easily reconfigured for future needs.
Developing the solution By partnering with NHS Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups, Wernick Buildings has been able to gain critical
56 Health Estate Journal August 2021
The George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton is already benefiting from the new HMflex building system. It required a 30-bed, fully HTM and DDA-compliant ward – which was manufactured, delivered, and installed, by Wernick Buildings in 2020.
insight into the long-term needs and challenges of the healthcare sector. Such discussions have allowed us to develop bespoke building systems that meet all the specific needs and requirements of the sector.
Three years ago, NHS Improvement (NHSI) contacted the Modular and Portable Building Association (MPBA) due to a growing frustration with non- HTM compliant healthcare solutions being offered across the modular buildings sector. NHSI, along with the MPBA, proposed a conversation with key members of the modular construction industry to discuss the possible development of standardised engineered building systems that are HTM and HBN- compliant. Over the course of a year, Wernick Buildings, along with other key representatives from the modular building industry, were invited by NHSI to attend a number of meetings to discuss possible solutions. The team was asked to explore
the possibility of developing a modular building system that could be easily utilised and deployed within healthcare settings, aiming to embrace standardised designs for frequently used hospital areas such as wards and operating theatres. As a result, new designs were developed to enhance the use of modular buildings in the NHS.
HMflex
Wernick’s response to the issue was HMflex, an innovative new modular building system, specifically designed to meet the spatial and technical requirements of NHS wards. The concept was designed over a two-year period following discussions and extensive research. The four-bed inpatient ward is made up of two modular units that, when delivered on site, provide a watertight space which is ready for final fit-out in just 24 hours. Buildings can be 80 per cent fitted out at the factory, and feature ‘plug
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