Awards success for Dunwoodie hospital project

Jun 10 2009

Commercial feature

THE new purpose built single storey unit attached to the existing emergency assessment department at North Tees Hospial in Stockton-on-Tees was created as a result of a major review of acute services in the region.

The brief for Dunwoodie Architecture and Design from the trust was "to create a new facility to the latest healthcare standards in surgical care, to provide a new model of care for patients with emergency medical needs in a calm environment, built in a very short space of time to the prescribed budget.

The requirement for a further 42 assessment beds linked to the existing 18-bed unit, in an effort to reduce the waiting time for patients, better streaming of patients and producing greater operational efficiencies challenged the design team and contractor to produce a state of the art facility. By working closely with the Trust Project Team, Dunwoodie evolved a plan utilising the external envelope for producing natural light to ward accommodation and grouping all of the ancillary facilities around a central core.

With a mixture of single and multiple rooms all en-suite, consulting rooms are planned at the entrance to the facility and staff rooms/stores are discretely planned strategically within the 1700sq metre plan.

The accommodation is grouped around a large open plan naturally lit nurse base, to provide essential viewing and control by staff of a potentially difficult department. The unit provides a clean modern environment, spacious yet economically planned, meeting the HTM space requirements.

The design/contractor team realised at an early stage that normal procurement of the healthcare facility would not be achieved in the timescale available. The off site construction methodology and fitting out of the facility provided by Yorkon and managed by Interserve Health proved to be the correct vehicle upon which to achieve the critical target of exceptional quality, 6 month programme to completion and achievable budget via the Procure 21 route.

The modular steel framed modules were erected in a very short time on site and fitted out to the very latest standards. The unit is equipped with the latest technology and is constructed to the stringent healthcare standards of engineering and building technology.

The unit was erected during the winter months and delivered in 24 weeks from start on site. Key features of the project included:

* Quality interiors which provide a vastly improved therapeutic environment, and a safer environment for staff and patients.

* A quality architectural product which creates an impact through its exceptional planning and detailing.

* A quality construction product using a well tried and tested modular solution to solve a major healthcare need quickly and efficiently.

* A healthcare product that does not diminish the natural environment and contributes to sustainable development over its lifecycle.

The unit went on to be awarded awarded a "highly commended" prize in the "Best Value" category at the Constructing Excellence in the North East Awards 2009 and was "highly commended" as the runner in the Best Healthcare Construction Product category at the 2008 Building Better Healthcare Awards.