DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION The NHS is likely to face ongoing budget
constraints, making the accelerated build times and efficiencies offered by MMC particularly valuable, as offsite construction reduces the risk of costs escalating unexpectedly. Modular solutions provide healthcare organisations with greater financial flexibility, as units can be leased for short or long durations to suit specific needs. This rental model allows Trusts and other healthcare providers to spread expenditure over time, avoiding large upfront costs.
Different models The leasing model ensures flexibility by allowing Trusts and other healthcare organisations to spend smaller amounts over a given period. This form of transaction is well suited to the NHS whose budget is segmented into CapEx, for investments in buildings and equipment, and OpEx, which covers operational costs and is where leased modular buildings can be classified. Offsite construction also reduces the level of disruption
to the surrounding community, an important consideration given that new neighbourhood health centres will be in busy residential areas. When constructing modular solutions, up to 90 per cent of the build takes place offsite, limiting traffic, congestion or road closures. This is supported by research showing that modular construction can require up to 80 per cent fewer vehicle movements than traditional construction methods. Offsite manufacturing also allows quality and compliance to be ensured. By producing modules within highly controlled factory environments, manufacturers can enforce stringent quality assurance processes, ensuring that each element meets the technical specifications needed for modern healthcare settings. Modular is also suited to healthcare environments due to the flexibility it offers, as these buildings can be purposefully designed to be highly adaptable and specific features can be integrated, such as long, clear spans and open plan layouts which allow units to be
reconfigured internally as service requirements evolve. Reliant on four structural posts, the rest of the interior infill panels on modular buildings can be adapted to change spaces as and when required. The ability to relocate the modules provides further flexibility. This is particularly valuable for health centres, which must accommodate a wide range of clinical services requiring different equipment and delivery models, including vaccinations, mental health assessments, blood testing, and physiotherapy. As local healthcare needs change, modular facilities can be reconfigured, expanded, or repurposed far more easily than traditionally constructed buildings, effectively future-proofing healthcare infrastructure. This adaptability enables centres to introduce new clinical functions, respond to increases in demand, and integrate emerging models of care and new technologies over time.
Form and function Modular buildings can combine this functionality with architectural excellence through thoughtful, innovative
Modular construction can play a key role in supporting sustainability and zero-waste goals.
February 2026 Health Estate Journal 57
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