MODERN METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION
Striking Plymouth facility has an eye to the future
The striking new Royal Eye Infirmary (REI) building created off site for Derriford Hospital in Plymouth by Modern Methods of Construction specialist, MTX, opened to patients in October 2023 to meet increasing demand for eye surgery and treatment from across Devon and Cornwall. As HEJ editor, Jonathan Baillie, discovered from two of those involved in the project during a visit to Derriford, its rapid provision was made possible only through the innovative FLEX managed services project package developed by MTX, and ‘extraordinary collaboration’ between the contractor and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust.
The new offsite-manufactured three-storey REI building brings together outpatient and surgical eye treatments previously provided within the main Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, and is designed to enable operations on an additional 520 patients each month, plus an additional 2,300 outpatients appointments annually. Formed from 112 volumetric modules, it incorporates three operating theatres, an increased number of treatment rooms, and an expanded area for young patients. Its ‘off site’ location on William Prance Road also improves access for patients, with a drop- off zone and parking immediately outside. The ground floor incorporates three
operating theatres, recovery areas, and treatment rooms, with one of the three dedicated to sub-specialisms such as oculoplastic, orbital, and corneal surgeries. The first floor houses consulting/ examination and testing rooms, while the second features offices and plant areas for the medical IT and uninterruptible power supplies and air-handling systems. As part of the project, MTX has also built an adjoining Energy Centre, housing HV and LV switchrooms, medical gases, and a water tank.
Critical success factors MTX and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) say that among the ‘critical success factors’ on the project were adapting the new REI building’s design to the sloping site location, dealing with a sub-basement void uncovered during site preparation, achieving the required building specification and compliance, and managing the tight timescale and a limited budget. MTX’s FLEX five-year managed services solution was, it says, a key element in progressing the project – ‘providing the flexible financial arrangements that enabled it to proceed’. MTX explains: “An early project start
guaranteed access to Government funding for the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, and avoided increased inflation-
The striking new Royal Eye Infirmary building created off site for Derriford Hospital in Plymouth by MTX opened to patients in October 2023.
related costs that would have been inevitable had the project been delayed.” MTX describes FLEX as ‘a true no-capital and cash-neutral solution which covers all the project costs – from groundworks through to hard and soft FM requirements’ – and which can operate either as a hire or managed services solution. It said: “FLEX enables fast expansion of clinical capacity via a simple ‘pay-as-you-grow’ fixed- term monthly fee, with us delivering fully compliant facilities using Modern Methods of Construction for rapid deployment.” The MTX team can handle all pre-construction, construction, project management, service, and maintenance, to deliver a full managed service. Working closely alongside existing FM teams, the ‘package’ includes ‘tailored’ hard and soft FM.
Progressing quickly to retain funding The timescales precluded a full tender, and the Trust’s Procurement team identified that the project would be challenging to deliver within the budget and time constraints, particularly as the preferred structure of the deal was an operating lease, requiring the supplier to share some of the associated risks. Following
discussions with various suppliers, it became apparent that MTX was the only one prepared to share an element of risk and offer the full turnkey package of design, build, finance, and operation. MTX also offered the option of wrapping the services into a managed healthcare facility agreement to achieve a VAT-efficient model. The Trust had worked successfully with MTX on numerous projects previously, and identified that a combination of using MMC principles, and more quickly securing the necessary finance via FLEX, could save up to six months in the project schedule. MTX said: “A collaborative approach was essential to ensure project delivery within the required timescale and limited budget. This began at Outline Business Case stage, with us fully engaging through the RIBA 0-1 stage while our Pre-construction team assisted with the structure’s design. The underpinning collaboration and co- operation between the Trust as the client, and us as the contractor, were essential in successfully completing the build programme.” To find out more, I visited the building, meeting MTX Project director, Paul
June 2024 Health Estate Journal 39
All photos courtesy of James Leask Frazer
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
