UK's largest acute admissions unit arrives on site in Watford
18 April 2008
The largest acute admissions unit (AAU) in the UK has arrived on site at Watford General Hospital. The scheme for West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust is also believed to be the UK’s largest modular building project in the healthcare sector.
The project is part of a £25m ProCure21 contract awarded to Medicinq Osborne. Modules for the new AAU have been constructed off site by Yorkon in a £12m contract. 142 steel-framed modules have now been delivered to site and craned into position. The modules are substantially complete with partitions, electrics, plumbing, sanitary ware and finishes already in place – reducing the programme time by up to 50 per cent and minimising disruption to patient care.
Scheduled for completion this summer, the new facility, which will be linked to the existing A&E department, will radically change the way patients in West Hertfordshire receive emergency care. It will offer rapid assessment and consultant-led diagnosis for emergency cases to improve the patient experience and dramatically reduce the long-term effects of serious conditions such as strokes and heart attacks.
Designed by Murphy Philipps Architects, the AAU will provide 120 beds for emergency admissions, two cardiac catheterisation laboratories, diagnostics including x-ray, ultrasound and CT scanning, new hospital pharmacy with robotic dispensing, a library and roof-top plant room.
Graham Ramsay, Medical Director at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust said, “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Medicinq Osborne on this exciting project. 2008 will see a major improvement in hospital care in West Hertfordshire and the development of the Acute Admissions Unit will play a crucial part in securing the very best hospital services for the 21st Century.” He added, “We are particularly pleased that we chose the off-site approach for providing the new facilities as it significantly reduces disruption to our patients, staff and the local community during its construction.”
Stephen Liddle, Chairman of Medicinq comments:
“This project represents the level of innovation that exists within Medicinq Osborne. We were delighted to be awarded this contract and to have the opportunity to implement cutting edge construction techniques in order to deliver a world class healthcare facility.”
The off-site approach offers many advantages to contractors as well as building end users. Work started on the new AAU off site in York before demolition works were carried out on site. This parallel working significantly reduced the programme time, allowed the hospital site to remain in use for longer, and the new building will be open and treating patients much earlier.
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