Leading energy and services specialist, ENGIE, is playing a key role in developing the new £475 million Midland Metropolitan Hospital in Smethwick in the West Midlands. Work will now re-commence following two years of delays due to the collapse of Carillion, with the project now set to be completed by
A key £150 million project which will transform the way in which Springfield University Hospital delivers mental health services has reached a major milestone. South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG) has agreed deals with Springfield and Tolworth Estate Partnership (STEP), a 50/50 partnership between Sir
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has announced a hospital building programme, but it is just as vital to tackle a £6 billion maintenance backlog that is potentially risking the lives of patients, states a University of Huddersfield professor who chaired a national conference that dealt with the issue of healthcare infrastructure.
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
A total of 150 care home places have been created in Bedfordshire with the introduction of two new luxury developments. Two new £9 million care homes were built in Flitwick and Fairfield, featuring 75 bedrooms, with en-suite bathrooms and stylish communal spaces for dining, socialising and relaxing. Contractor Stepnell worked
The final details have been safely negotiated for the construction of the new Badenoch and Strathspey Community Hospital this summer in Highland. Signed off by the Scottish Government, the plans also include an overhaul of healthcare services in the strath. “My visit to Skye and Lochalsh today has been an
More than three in four small business owners (76%) say business worries keep them awake at night. Whilst sleepless nights are most prevalent among owners of businesses that in serious decline (96%), the new research from Hitachi Capital Business Finance found that even those predicting growth for their business admit
When patients are allowed to recover in a more comfortable environment studies show there is a positive impact on their healing and well-being. Effective building design has been widely used to help patients recover more quickly and hospital staff to work more efficiently. Evidence-based design (EBD), the process of making
Berwick will turn one of its current infirmary into a new £25 million hospital, with all of its previous services still continuing into the new building. After reviewing feedback on previous proposals to develop a joint site with the Swan leisure centre, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Northumberland
RCM, the complete through wall solutions supplier is delighted to announce the addition of Abet Laminati MEG HPL façade to its already impressive portfolio. Robust, compact and long-lasting, MEG – Material Exterior Grade building façade by Abet Laminati is specifically designed for outdoor applications. This versatile and durable range is
Leading energy and services specialist, ENGIE, is playing a key role in developing the new £475 million Midland Metropolitan Hospital in Smethwick in the West Midlands. Work will now re-commence following two years of delays due to the collapse of Carillion, with the project now set to be completed by Balfour Beatty. Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which will run Midland Met, said that securing the services of ENGIE, which aims to embrace a lower carbon and more efficient way of working, was a big step towards opening the hospital. Mark Harris, divisional managing director for ENGIE UK & Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to be working alongside the trust to bring their new flagship site online over the next two years, before becoming a strategic partner at the hospital. “ENGIE has long-term experience in successfully providing facilities management services to a wide range of healthcare establishments across the UK, including primary care facilities and major acute hospitals. We look forward to working closely with the trust and serving the local community.” Trust chairman Richard Samuda said: “This is a key long-term relationship for us, with a shared commitment to local procurement, local employment and the living wage.” Trust chief executive Toby Lewis said: “ENGIE is a major energy provider with a focus on sustainability. We know that our future will move towards a zero carbon position and we want to be at the forefront of that movement. “ENGIE provide facility management services in over 30 hospitals across the NHS and we look forward to working successfully together.”
A key £150 million project which will transform the way in which Springfield University Hospital delivers mental health services has reached a major milestone. South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG) has agreed deals with Springfield and Tolworth Estate Partnership (STEP), a 50/50 partnership between Sir Robert McAlpine Capital Ventures Ltd and Kajima Partnerships. This will see STEP serve as master developer for the site with Sir Robert McAlpine as main contractor for the new mental health units and the park, surrounding public realm and infrastructure. The major scheme will involve the construction of two new mental health facilities set to open in 2022 on its largest site in Tooting, south London. This includes eight new inpatient wards which will be further boosted by the modernisation of the Trust’s community services. SWLSTG has already started construction work on this programme, which will include 839 brand new homes and a 32-acre public park. Ann Beasley CBE, Chair of South West London and St. George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, said: “This is the biggest landmark yet in our Estate Modernisation Programme and we are extremely proud of getting permission to go ahead and being able to start work on these brand-new, first class inpatient facilities. This new environment will make a huge difference to our patients and the way we provide the best quality care towards their recovery. Furthermore, this work will ensure that the Springfield University Hospital site is regenerated in a way which reduces the stigma of mental health conditions by integrating our organisation with our community.” Vanessa Ford, Acting Chief Executive of South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, added: “The wards will revolutionise the way we deliver care for generations to come and ensure we can provide high quality and safe services. The new facilities have been carefully designed alongside our clinicians and service users to provide the most supportive environment and innovative facilities for the delivery of mental health care. As well as good news for patients, the new hospital facilities will be positive for the environment with much more efficient use of energy and working towards a carbon neutral footprint.”
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has announced a hospital building programme, but it is just as vital to tackle a £6 billion maintenance backlog that is potentially risking the lives of patients, states a University of Huddersfield professor who chaired a national conference that dealt with the issue of healthcare infrastructure. Professor Mike Kagioglou is Dean of the School of Art, Design and Architecture at the University of Huddersfield and specialises in the importance of infrastructure and building design to healthcare. He was invited to chair the 2019 National NHS Estates Conference that took place in London and featured speakers who included Sir John Naylor, author of an influential review of NHS property and estates. At the close of the conference, Professor Kagioglou – co-editor of a book titled Improving Healthcare through Built Environment Infrastructure – provided a summary of the issues that had been raised and he highlighted the level of chronic under-investment in the NHS estate. “Since 2010, the UK’s capital expenditure on healthcare has gone below the OECD average [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development], so the need for investment in this area is huge. There is a £6 billion of backlog maintenance in the NHS estate, which means lives are potentially put at risk,” said Professor Kagioglou. “About half of the backlog is in critical areas,” he continued. “It can include operating theatre services that have not been maintained and electrical, mechanical and gas systems that have not been updated according to specific schedules. “There are some serious issues there in relation to the healthcare estate. They are resulting in operating on breakdown maintenance schedules rather than preventative ones,” said Professor Kagioglou, who added that many NHS trusts are in deficit, meaning the money is not available to catch up with the maintenance backlog. The Government has announced that it is to fund the building of new hospitals, but it is also vital to fix the backlog maintenance to ensure that the current infrastructure operates properly and safely, argues Professor Kagioglou. In addition to chairing the NHS Estates Conference, he has been invited to speak at the large-scale and long-established Healthcare Estates event taking place over October 9-10 in Manchester and organised by the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management. Expected to attract an attendance of 4,500 attendees and more than 250 exhibitors, the programme includes seminars and keynote addresses from experts who include Professor Kagioglou. The title of his talk is ‘Total Delivery’ of Healthcare Infrastructure for Patients, Users and Communities. Professor Kagioglou will cover topics including the contribution the built environment makes to healthcare outcomes; how evidence-based design should be used in creating health infrastructure; and how new technologies such as building information modelling can be utilised. The University of Huddersfield’s Innovative Design Lab, led by Professor Patricia Tzortzopoulos who is co-editor of titled Improving Healthcare through Built Environment Infrastructure, undertakes significant research in healthcare infrastructure and medical devices.
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.
A total of 150 care home places have been created in Bedfordshire with the introduction of two new luxury developments. Two new £9 million care homes were built in Flitwick and Fairfield, featuring 75 bedrooms, with en-suite bathrooms and stylish communal spaces for dining, socialising and relaxing. Contractor Stepnell worked with care home developer Frontier and care home provider Baycroft to deliver the projects. “We were delighted to have been chosen by Frontier as its construction partner and we are so pleased to have delivered these care homes to a high specification that meets the individual needs of residents,” said Rob Speirs, Stepnell’s Rugby regional director. “Stepnell is continuing to increase its portfolio of high-end luxury care homes in the UK, with health and care being one of our biggest sectors. Our delivery teams and care specialists understand how the final details of the finish make a practical difference to the buildings and residents, and we are really proud to have helped provide this modern, beautifully designed living space,” he added. Designed by architects Harris Irwin Associates, each home boasts its own cinema room, gym, café, hair and beauty salon as well as high-quality guest accommodation and a children’s play area for visitors. “Today marks the culmination of many months of hard work and dedication from the Stepnell team. John Neil and his team have worked tirelessly to provide two landmark care homes befitting of the contemporary brand and vision of our care home partner Baycroft,” Luke Harris, head of construction for Frontier, commented. “We are absolutely delighted to have witnessed these schemes develop from the ground into the contemporary, high end care homes they have become. These homes are half of the portfolio we are delivering for Baycroft and we look forward to seeing the buildings fully operational in the near future.”
The final details have been safely negotiated for the construction of the new Badenoch and Strathspey Community Hospital this summer in Highland. Signed off by the Scottish Government, the plans also include an overhaul of healthcare services in the strath. “My visit to Skye and Lochalsh today has been an opportunity to find out more about the work underway to deliver the recommendations in Sir Lewis Ritchie’s report on out-of-hours services,” said Health Secretary Jeane Freeman. “Reading the latest report and hearing from members of the community, the clinicians and other partners has reassured me that NHS Highland are moving in the right direction. I have been particularly impressed with the level of commitment and drive shown by the community and their representatives working with NHS Highland and their partners to develop solutions together.” The plans are part of a joint £48 million full business case submitted to Scottish Ministers to modernise community and hospital services for two NHS Highland localities – the other area being Skye, Lochalsh and South West Ross. The Government’s Capital Investment Group has now approved the full business case submission; which means construction of the two community hospitals will begin this summer. “This investment represents a major step forward for NHS services in both Skye and Badenoch and Strathspey. It supports our efforts to modernise and transform the delivery of healthcare and, in terms of our promise to improve out-of-hours care on Skye, it is very much in line with the recommendations of the Ritchie Report,” said NHS Highland’s chief executive Iain Stewart. “We are delighted to be able to turn this vision into reality and I would like to recognise the huge contribution made by local communities, staff and partner agencies in reaching this stage. The redesigned services will be more stable, more sustainable and will deliver a better experience for our patients and wider communities,” he added. £4.6 million will be used to refurbish and retain existing facilities in Grantown, Kingussie, Broadford and Portree. However, both Ian Charles Hospital in Grantown and Kingussie’s St Vincent’s Hospital will close when the new Aviemore hospital opens its doors.
More than three in four small business owners (76%) say business worries keep them awake at night. Whilst sleepless nights are most prevalent among owners of businesses that in serious decline (96%), the new research from Hitachi Capital Business Finance found that even those predicting growth for their business admit they seldom get a good night’s sleep (84%). The Business Barometer findings come at a time when concerns have risen over the mental health of small business owners across the UK, with reports of anxiety and depression rising at the end of last year. Hitachi Capital’s study reveals that it’s not just businesses that are already struggling that have nightmares, fast growing ones are just as likely to be taking their business worries to bed with them (84%) – they just have different nightmares. For small companies predicting growth over the spring and summer months, red tape (40%), compliance (28%) and dealing with skills gaps in a growing workforce (20%) were their top concerns. For those decision makers expecting their business to decline, the key worries related to market uncertainty (44%) and how to retain business (26%). The Business Barometer survey – which has now run for five years – asked 1,177 small decision makers to share some of the issues that they were currently worrying about and kept them awake at night. The biggest worriers London emerged as potentially the worst place to run a small business in terms of sleepless nights, with almost nine in ten business leaders in the city (87%) saying business worries kept them awake at night. Those in London were most likely to start the working day with bags under their eyes in the country – with night-time business worries in the capital rising by 14% since the start of 2018. Retail was the sector most likely to give business owners nightmares. More than four in five small business owners (87%) within the retail sector admitted to being kept awake at night by business concerns – rising from 75% a year ago. Others sectors where entrepreneurs were more likely to experience sleepless nights included transport (78%, up from 69% at the start of 2018), real estate (80%), and education (76%). Resting easier The Business Barometer also indicates not all owners have been letting their business concerns come to bed with them. Entrepreneurs in Yorkshire reported getting a better night’s sleep over the course of the 12 months (31%, Q1 2019 vs. 25%, Q1 2018).
When patients are allowed to recover in a more comfortable environment studies show there is a positive impact on their healing and well-being. Effective building design has been widely used to help patients recover more quickly and hospital staff to work more efficiently. Evidence-based design (EBD), the process of making changes to the built environment based on research to improve outcomes, has helped lower the incidences of hospital-acquired infections, medical errors, patient accidents, and staff injuries. “The environment’s influence on a patient’s well-being was first, scientifically, explored by professor Roger Ulrich in his 1980s study that sought to determine whether there was any measurable positive influence in a patient’s recovery when they were given rooms with different views,” commented Gareth Rees, Head of UK Strategic Market – Healthcare Siemens Smart Infrastructure. “The research showed that patients who had views overlooking nature [rather than that of a building] experienced shorter stays, needed fewer pain medication and were more optimistic about their prospects. These findings paved the way to a greater awareness and understanding of how space and hospital architecture can affect our physical condition and state of mind.” Using EBD techniques today architects and designers have been developing solutions for better healing environments. Healthcare facilities often have unique individual requirements with specialised hospital rooms requiring bespoke implementations for patient recovery wards, operating theatres, pressurised rooms and laboratories. Careful design can improve safety and productivity, reduce staff stress levels, lower resource wastage and enhance environmental sustainability. There is a delicate balance between providing the ideal recovery conditions in patient rooms and an optimal work environment for staff to deliver the best possible care. The provision of WiFi and personal control over room conditions are important elements for patient satisfaction. Room automation controlled by a patient’s smartphone or tablet allows the precise control over temperature, ventilation and other functions that affect comfort. Wearable tags can also be deployed to monitor the vital signs of patients to automate control of a recovery environment. Circadian lighting that follows a patient’s natural daily rhythm or sleep/wake cycle reduces tiredness and enhances recovery sleep while audio levels can be improved through the use of sound-absorbent materials installed in ceilings and flooring. Acuity-adaptable spaces lessen the movement of patients reducing stress on both patients and staff. Operating theatres are complex environments that need to be spacious, hygienic and well-lit (with overhead surgical lights). Generally windowless temperature and humidity levels are tightly controlled. Pressurised rooms are designed to isolate a patient with infectious diseases and require air management and filtering systems. Medical or clinical laboratories where approximately 70 percent of treatment decisions are made require stable conditions with exact controls over temperature, humidity and sometimes, pressure. Smart infrastructure and IoT technologies are an expanding area of interest to healthcare planners and allow owners and operators of hospitals to leverage more from their existing assets which are becoming more intelligent- producing and using data to perform better throughout their lifetime. Total Integrated Power and lighting control systems, air, space and asset tracking solutions all improve energy usage, space utilisation and real-time location usage. Concluded Rees: “Hospitals are never going to be places that any of us are going to particularly enjoy visiting but through better physical environments designers can speed up our recovery and alleviate a lot of the stress and fear. Better performing buildings can provide higher comfort levels and well-being for all occupants.”
Berwick will turn one of its current infirmary into a new £25 million hospital, with all of its previous services still continuing into the new building. After reviewing feedback on previous proposals to develop a joint site with the Swan leisure centre, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) agreed on the development. “We are delighted to be able to announce that the new hospital will be built on the site of the much loved (Berwick) Infirmary,” said Northumbria Healthcare CEO Sir James Mackey. “Following extensive joint public engagement, and a thorough review of all alternative sites, we believe this is the best option which also commands the support of both staff and the community – a factor which is very important to both the trust and the CCG. “It is clear that the joint development was not what the town wanted. Instead, people demonstrated their support for a stand-alone hospital on the current site. Accordingly, we have listened, responded and worked together to come up with this plan as an alternative.” The authorities will put a major emphasis on eradicating the need to travel for minor or routine appointments in the plans by ensuring they track and publish the number of miles patients have to travel on a yearly basis. The design of the facility will also focus flexibility, embracing new technology and ensuring outstanding care. “This is great news for Berwick and we are delighted to see the project moving forward in a way that meets the needs of the local community. Patients are at the heart of our services and this decision is as a direct result of the feedback we have heard,” added Janet Guy, chair of Northumberland CCG. “We very much look forward to working with Northumbria Healthcare to provide a first class health facility for the people of Berwick. It’s very exciting and is brilliant news for both the NHS and the town.” Preliminary talks are underway with a number of possible developers.
RCM, the complete through wall solutions supplier is delighted to announce the addition of Abet Laminati MEG HPL façade to its already impressive portfolio. Robust, compact and long-lasting, MEG – Material Exterior Grade building façade by Abet Laminati is specifically designed for outdoor applications. This versatile and durable range is made up of a rigid core combined with a decorative surface consisting of weather-resistant thermosetting resins. The high pressure laminate (HPL) is often used as rainscreen cladding, as well as on balconies. Having the BBA Agrément certificate makes MEG an ideal choice for architects and with 58 colours, 31 woodgrains, 5 concrete and metal effect finishes the possibilities are huge. The new agreement between RCM and Abet Laminati to supply MEG facades follows RCM celebrating a most promising start to the year with ever increasing orders in their façade ranges. “As a company we have been going from strength to strength and it is a great achievement that we are able to bolster our façade range by adding the unique and versatile Abet Laminati MEG cladding range. We are always looking to the future and strive to give our customers the best possible solutions to their projects.” (Ian Quinton, Managing Director RCM) About RCM Established in 2004, RCM is a major supplier of complete through wall solutions to the UK construction industry. Supplying specialist building boards, façades, breather membranes and airtightness solutions, RCM offers a fully integrated approach to the building envelope whilst delivering on time and budget. RCM are a market leader in providing innovative products and solutions designed and tested to meet the demanding needs of construction. Specified for use in external façades, fire protection, acoustic, airtightness and decorative applications, RCM’s extensive portfolio has been installed on many of the UK’s largest projects. CPD Seminars For those interested in finding out more, RCM provides informative CPD sessions including a guide to materials, applications and specification considerations for building boards, internal and external linings and rainscreen façades, covering: What a specifier needs to consider Board materials and benefits Board applications Work on site For more details call 0800 612 4662 or email info@rcmltd.biz.
