Demanding NHS contract wins pave way for more

Jul 17 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal

THE North East division of a UK construction group has just secured two major NHS contracts and says it is confident of doubling its turnover to £50m.

Galliford Try Partnerships North, at Ponteland in Northumberland, has already begun work one phase on of the £763,000 refurbishment of the Leazes Wing of Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, which will involve the complete strip-out and overhaul of two departments.

Phase two of the project, the value of which is still to be confirmed, will involve similar work for the immunology and emergency assessment units (EAU).

The firm, which employs 140 workers in the North East, was previously known as Kendall Cross before it was bought by nationwide construction and housebuilding group Galliford Try in November 2007, and now believes it is about to enter a period of rapid growth with the backing of its larger parent.

It has now begun to expand into some of its new owner’s key markets, including civil engineering, facilities management and renewables and expects to secure more contracts with the health service.

Contracts manager Peter Galbraith said the NHS contract was “going to be a very interesting but challenging project as we ‘re working within a live health environment where our attention to cleanliness must be absolute.

“In addition, due to the tightness of the site, our compound is actually some distance away from where we’ll be working, forcing us to go through live wards.

“However, we’re experienced in this sort of work and will be making extensive use of air filtration equipment, changing lobbies and special feet-cleaning stations.

“The project’s mechanical and electrical element will also involve close co-ordination with the Freeman’s own estates department for temporary closures of the facility.”

Last month the company started work on the £2.1m refurbishment of parts of the Freeman Hospital in Heaton, which will see staff working at the site for the next 40 weeks to upgrade the sterile services unit and the endosocopy ward.

This is part of a number of large developments in the North East being handled by the company, which said 55% of its targeted workload was already secure for the year to July 2010.

The company has also recently worked at the Ouseburn Farm in Byker, as well as a £1m refurbishment of Monkwearmouth Station in Sunderland and new student accommodation at Stepney Lane in Newcastle.

It is also working on a number of affordable housing schemes, and has more than a year’s worth of work in its books from Your Homes Newcastle – worth £5m.