CONSTRUCTION
Tilbury Douglas provided a new permanent Outpatient Assessment Centre facility at South Walks House, Dorchester. Its team reconfigured two floors of South Walks House into a permanent Outpatient Assessment Centre facility to deliver additional outpatient and high-volume, low complexity (HVLC) procedure capacity. Completed in January 2024, the initiative was led by Dorset County Hospital in partnership with NHS Dorset CCG, Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, Live Well Dorset, and Active Dorset.
Gordon Stirling
and post-hospital care. Community care is the foundation of the UK healthcare system. It is the frontline in keeping people well and healthy, and identifying illnesses early, which is fundamental to prevention. Integrated Care Centres are key to this shift. Co- locating services in accessible community settings reduces strain on hospitals, and ensures faster, more joined-up patient journeys. Without this engagement, the individual may develop chronic conditions or multiple illnesses, which can be more difficult to diagnose and cure. This is both costly in terms of the long-term wellbeing of the individual, but also financially for the NHS. Last year’s report based on the findings of Lord Darzi’s Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England included comments such as ‘the NHS budget is not being spent where it should be – too great a share is being spent in hospitals, too little in the community, and productivity is low’, and said there is ‘a need to embrace new multidisciplinary models of care that bring together primary, community, and mental health services’.
Construction’s role in healthcare transformation At Tilbury Douglas, we believe the built environment must evolve in partnership with these healthcare priorities. We are committed to: n Designing and delivering Integrated Care Centres that support joined-up care.
n Repurposing underused assets to bring health services closer to communities.
n Embedding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles to support wellbeing, sustainability, and economic inclusion.
We understand the social and economic benefits of creating inspiring and functional buildings for NHS
and social care delivery, providing the high-quality environments which support the NHS workforce in efficient and fit-for-purpose buildings to allow the behavioural shift in healthcare delivery which is best suited to the population.
Former council office converted Our South Walks House project in Dorchester is a clear example. By converting a former council office into a modern health centre in a high street location, we helped shift routine care away from the acute hospital, improving access for patients and staff through strong transport links and centralised services. Tilbury Douglas is committed to its ESG strategy, and
our projects contribute to community wellbeing, support local economies, and promote social equity, enhancing the overall societal value, and assisting with improving the influences which directly affect individuals’ wellbeing and healthcare. As the government looks to support people back into employment, an accessible and productive NHS will assist those returning to work or looking to start a career. The construction sector is a great place to seek opportunities, and is very supportive in terms of training, development, and diversity and inclusion initiatives across the industry. Tilbury Douglas’s ‘Better Together’ – the name for all of our diversity and inclusion initiatives across the business – demonstrates our commitment to building a culture based on ‘FREDIE’ (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement) values. As health needs become more complex, and communities demand more localised, equitable access, construction has a vital role to play. By delivering flexible, accessible, and technology-ready infrastructure, we can support the NHS in realising its preventative vision, and help to improve outcomes for individuals while easing the long-term financial burden on the system.
Gordon Stirling, Sector director of Health at Tilbury Douglas, joined the business in the summer of 2023, and has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry. A Fellow of the RICS and CIOB, he is also a member of the Institute of Collaborative Working. For the first 10 years his focus was in the retail sector, delivering premises for Marks and Spencer, Asda, and Tesco. Over the last two decades, he has increasingly focused on delivering national public procurement frameworks for government clients – including the NHS, CCS, DfE, and HMRC -- with the majority of this time working in healthcare delivery. Tilbury Douglas is
a UK-based building, infrastructure, engineering, and fit-out business. It delivers projects
across a range of sectors, including health, education, water, defence, justice, and civic and civil estate. As a UK contractor with strong regional focus, it provides specialist design and build capabilities, and is experienced in project management.
October 2025 Health Estate Journal 97
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