A deal has been reached with national contractor BAM to deliver a major scheme at Guy’s Hospital in London. The firm will work with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust to deliver four brand new cancer wards on the third and fourth floors of Bermondsey Wing.
Based on AHR designs, these works will involve stripping out parts of Bermondsey Wing to its shell, and building several new en-suite wards, with the teenage and young adult ward being the first phase. Other new facilities will include nursing areas, offices and a gym. BAM will also carry out extensive mechanical, electrical and pipework upgrades under the £10 million contract.
This project sees BAM return to Guy’s Hospital, where it has delivered eight projects since 1949.
“Our main challenge is going to be working around the live hospital environment. That means very close liaison and developing high quality working relationships. One member of our current team even worked on our scheme here nearly 30 years ago so we have a good understanding of the building. Upgrading ventilation, heating and lighting services in a hospital is complex and we have our own in house specialists to deliver this which represents a big reduction in risk because we don’t have to rely on others,” said Rod Stiles, BAM’s London Director.
“Of course, everything has changed since 1949. Just as medicine and healthcare has moved on in leaps and bounds, construction is unrecognisable, being much cleaner, much safer and we build using sophisticated design software, robotics, and virtual reality techniques. Our people have diverse careers and are treated so much better.
“Our long history makes us the oldest major contractor in London – there are a very few older firms but none were major players at the time we began trading. That makes it special for us to re-engage with a customer as renowned as Guy’s and St Thomas’ and to celebrate 70 years with a fresh scheme to help people in London recover to live healthier lives,” he added.
The new cancer wards at Guy’s Hospital are scheduled to complete in 2021.
