CONSTRUCTION
The new GP ‘streaming’ building at James Paget University Hospital in Great Yarmouth was completed in 13 weeks using an Algeco modular hire solution.
time, because of the platform-based approach, they are creating a cost- effective, efficient solution for tackling the pressing estate shortages in the health sector. Project teams will be able to drive cost efficiencies within the NHS, and build wards and A&E departments in a fraction of the time that it takes for a traditional build, with minimal disruption to the rest of the hospital. Increasing capacity is one way that the NHS can focus on delivering great patient care and tackle waiting times.
The Seismic platform approach The Seismic platform approach (see
https://www.seismicgroup.co/why- seismic) has revolutionised the way we work. For instance, previously, the bottleneck in the modular industry was making the steel frame, yet with Seismic we have been able to more than quadruple throughput. That has made a huge difference for NHS providers looking for efficiencies in their construction delivery programme. In fact, the standardised Seismic approach is 75% faster, and achieves a 47% improvement in value, compared with traditional construction techniques. In sustainability terms, Seismic offers
up to a 70% reduction in operational and embodied carbon. This is achieved through factors including design efficiency, materials selection, and manufacturing effectiveness, culminating in reduced wastage. Let us now look at some healthcare construction projects where the benefits of offsite build have been strongly in evidence.
Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield Offsite methods were utilised in the design and construction of the new two-storey Clinical Support Unit (Opthalmology) at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield. The permanent offsite-manufactured building, housing an advanced eye clinic and state-of- the-art office space, was constructed using a steel-framed modular building
70 Health Estate Journal September 2023
The streaming service at James Paget University Hospital has been in service since last autumn, and has helped alleviate pressure on the busy A&E department.
system, which allowed large elements of the build to be completed off site. A rapid construction schedule minimised disruption to the hospital environment, and meant that service-users were able to access the new Ophthalmology Unit at the earliest opportunity. The environmentally-friendly design includes increased levels of insulation, low-energy lighting, energy-efficient heating systems, and water-saving technology.
New facilities at King’s College Hospital, London Offsite methods were also used to deliver a highly complex £15 m project for King’s College Hospital in London. A new five- storey building, consisting of operating theatres and wards, was added to a live hospital site. Our offsite team delivered a hybrid structure to the lower ground and ground floors, with a further four storeys of modular structure above, including solar shading to two elevations.
Remediation of existing buildings While we can see that the benefits of permanent offsite builds provide a way forward for replacement and expansion of healthcare buildings, often it is a temporary decant solution that is required to house patients and staff while remediation work is carried out on existing buildings. The replacement of reinforced
autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) planks at a number of hospital is one such good example. RAAC has a structure similar to honeycomb, which allows water to penetrate it, causing serious deterioration over time. The RAAC planking features mainly within roof structures, and many of the buildings – including healthcare facilities – that were constructed using RAAC between the 1960s and the 1980s are now in need of urgent replacement. The Department of Health & Social Care provided £110 m of ring-fenced cash to address the immediate RAAC issues in 2021-22, and has committed to providing another £575 m to Trusts during the current Spending Review
period, which runs to the end of the 2024- 2025 financial year. Clearly, large-scale improvements to
roof structures have the potential to cause significant disruption to both patients and staff, potentially increasing local waiting lists even further. Modular buildings for hire can alleviate this problem, by allowing hospitals to ‘decant’ patients to temporary hire facilities while work is being carried out. This is a quick and straightforward solution which doesn’t require capital expenditure. The temporary facilities are fully equipped, comfortable, and to patients and visitors, completely indistinguishable from a permanent build.
Streaming service for A&E Department Another example is of our modular hire solution currently being used to tackle waiting times at the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Great Yarmouth. Although this project doesn’t involve RAAC, it illustrates just what can be achieved using modular healthcare buildings for hire. Envisaged as a GP streaming service, the layout consists of six of our building modules arranged in single storey format. They have been combined to create a series of consulting rooms, interconnected by waiting areas and corridors. Around 14,000 patients per year are now supported by the service, and receive appropriate treatment without having to wait to be seen by Emergency Department staff.
Our modular building for hire was
delivered on time and on budget, within the required schedule of just 13 weeks. This approach could just as easily be used to provide continuity of patient care during an offsite build of a ward or entire hospital. We are currently taking a similar approach at a Northampton school, where our modular hire units are being used as teaching spaces until we hand over the permanent offsite build. In fact, we are seeing this approach achieve impressive results across the education sector, where offsite has effectively become the de facto
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