offsite construction


Fresh approach for ground-breaking facility T


he McAvoy Group has been awarded a £15m offsite construction contract for a new


wing at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington. Due for completion in the spring, the


6,500sq m, three-storey building will house one of the UK’s first purpose- designed ambulatory care units, on the first floor, with the other two floors fitted out in the next phase of the development.


Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, said: “With this new development, the trust is demonstrating a dynamic approach with its use of modern methods of construction. “The quality of the facility to meet


the clinical requirements is our main driver for an offsite solution. “We will also benefit from a huge


reduction in the build programme – from at least two years to just 12


The trust is demonstrating a dynamic approach with its use of modern methods of construction.


The ambulatory care unit will provide


medical, surgical and nurse practitioner- led care in a relaxed and comfortable environment, enabling up to 150 patients to be treated the same day across four specialisms without the need for hospital admission. This will help to decongest the


emergency department, enabling patients to be seen by the most- appropriate clinician earlier. The new wing is being constructed by


McAvoy using an advanced offsite solution to reduce the build programme by half to less than 12 months.


Rising demand This will help Northumbria Healthcare Trust to meet the rising demand for patient services in the region and maintain its position as a world leader in emergency medicine. Commenting on the use of offsite


construction, Robert Sanderson, deputy director of capital projects at


months. This will bring enormous benefits for reducing waiting times in A&E next year and the new ambulatory care unit will enable us to assess, treat and discharge patients more quickly.” Raymond Millar, construction director


of The McAvoy Group, added: “We are again pushing the boundaries of offsite construction. “This is a highly-complex project on a


live hospital site and we are integrating with the design of the existing hospital and using offsite construction to deliver the building to a very-short programme, achieve exceptional value for money, and to the trust’s stringent quality standards. “We have developed a hybrid


solution which incorporates both offsite and in-situ building methods and are maximising fit-out in the factory for this first phase to enhance quality and reduce disruption to staff and patients.” The project features a number of


innovations in offsite construction. For example, it will use larger,


bespoke modules up to 14.85m long which have been specially engineered to provide a structural flooring solution that seamlessly integrates with the existing hospital building. This will meet the key requirement for


efficient patient flows, removing the need for ramps and steps.


Industry first Mechanical ventilation, heating and cooling systems will also be installed in the ceiling voids in the McAvoy factory. This is believed to be an industry first for the healthcare sector. Designed by healthcare specialist,


P+HS Architects, working with McAvoy as principal contractor, the new wing will replicate the appearance of the existing hospital, which opened in 2015. It will have a faceted external facade


to create curved ends and will be finished in blue and white render. This hybrid construction solution has a


three-storey offsite structure with an in-situ built curved link on each floor, a rooftop plant room, and full-height stair towers. The dedicated, 2,000sq m facility for


ambulatory care will provide services in medicine, surgery, gynaecology and orthopaedics. Facilities include waiting areas; interview, assessment, and treatment rooms; a plaster room with mobile X-ray; trolley bays; patient lounges; ultrasound; single en-suite rooms; a nursing station; staff rest room; clinical stores; utility rooms, and an open-plan office. The scheme was awarded through


the NHS Shared Business Services framework, which facilitated reductions in procurement time and cost.


www.mcavoygroup.com www.pandhs.co.uk


34 healthcaredm.co.uk


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