market overview


SPECIAL REPORT


Building a futureproof healthcare system


The construction industry has a vital role to play in helping to support the UK healthcare sector – but it needs to work smarter, says John McDonald of GRAHAM


T


oday the British healthcare system is faced with multiple pressures. And, while Philip Hammond claimed


an end to austerity in his last budget; availability of resource remains tight. And that is why we need to look to


other sectors to assess how we can both improve and help futureproof vital healthcare services. A more-strategic, transformational


approach that integrates a number of skills to help alleviate the strain wherever possible is required.


Collaboration is key The built environment can help address these challenges through well-executed estate planning which embraces innovative technology and a more- flexible approach. By utilising the potential of modern


methods of construction, and harnessing the power of the latest digital construction technology; time and cost savings can be delivered across the board. First, Building Information Modelling


(BIM) must play a central role in projects as it allows for more-detailed planning and more-informed, multi-personnel decision-making processes. This enables architects, contractors, engineers, and healthcare professionals


to benefit from a literal vision of a project from the outset. Approaching the healthcare sector’s


built environment in this way can help to secure the support of key stakeholders early in the project and ensure plans are meeting the needs of local communities. The collaboration fostered by this


approach also means existing examples of successful approaches, and the lessons learned from them, can be shared and incorporated to help minimise project risk.


Modern methods In conjunction with this, modern methods of construction are considered by some as one of the key ways in which the UK construction industry will meet the targets set out in the Government’s Construction 2025 Industrial Strategy. In this document the Government


sets out several ambitious goals, including delivering projects 50% faster, reducing construction costs by 33%, and lowering emissions by 50%. And there are good reasons to


believe wider-scale adoption of modern construction methods can help to achieve these goals. In the context of healthcare, these


could help by delivering increased capacity more swiftly. Offsite manufacturing, in particular,


can offer more certainty in adherence to project timescales, with variables such as weather and staffing making less of an impact. An offsite approach also allows for


efficiencies to be gained when units of the same specification are required at scale, as may be the case for bedrooms in a residential care home or wards in a hospital.


Mass production And modern offsite systems are delivered to site with internal and external finishes, insulation, windows and first-fix electrics already installed. This is hugely positive from a


sustainability perspective and an altogether more-streamlined approach. By working collaboratively, skills can


be brought together to ensure that construction in the healthcare sector is streamlined from planning, through preparation, to build. This will enable the creation of


hospitals and care homes that are high- quality, tech-ready, bespoke and flexible, in order to adapt to the ongoing changes the industry will yet face. The use of BIM can also ensure that a


data-rich digital representation of the healthcare estate is created. This can then form the basis of an effective facilities management system, providing crucial details on material and spatial dimensions that can be used to inform efficient decisions on refurbishment and renovation beyond the initial construction phase. By embracing these working


practices, and realising their potential, those of us working in the built environment can play an important role in supporting the needs of the healthcare system. And, with rising demand for first-


class healthcare services unlikely to subside – the time to step up to the challenge is now.


www.graham.co.uk


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