COMPLEMENTARY ARCHITECTURE AT QUEEN ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL

Modular building provider Wernick have completed a new 72 bed building at Queen Alexandra Hospital for Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust. Providing urgently needed treatment and recovery areas, the £8.2 million building took just 28 weeks to complete, from design to handover. Rakesh Sandhu, Head of Sales at Wernick Buildings, discusses this fast-paced project and the advantages of the modular building method to the healthcare sector. R: As one of the busiest metropolitan hospitals in the South of England, Queen Alexandra Hospital Portsmouth were in urgent need of expansion to accommodate an enlarged patient base. Proposals for the redevelopment of the hospital included the construction of a state of the art £58m Accident and Emergency Department and a new multi-story car park. However, the most pressing need for the hospital was additional ward space to be used primarily for supporting patients recuperating from head injuries or strokes. The new specialist unit would free up much needed general ward space within the main hospital. Wernick worked on a building solution for the project which maximised the amount of fit-out taking place in the factory, dramatically reducing the amount of time needed on site and limiting disruption to patients and staff. In just 28 weeks, the hospital received 2992 m2 of clinical space – 15 four bed wards and 12 single bed wards with en-suites spread across two floors. An architectural-led external façade design provides an aesthetically pleasing building which blends into the surrounding area. HOW DID THE HOSPITAL PROCURE THE BUILDING? R: The Trust originally approached Wernick regarding a temporary decant facility, but after discussion with our team, they could see that a permanent design and build solution would better suit their needs. This coincided with an injection of funding due to rising needs within the hospital. As well as through direct award, clients can take advantage of the service provided by the NHS SBS (Shared Businesses Services) Framework, a service which aims to help the NHS respond to the pandemic. The Framework Agreement covers the purchase, hire or lease of modular design solutions. Registered suppliers go through a vetting process which checks quality, pricing and health and safety, among other things. As such, frameworks provide a fast and efficient route to procuring a new modular building, allowing expediated procurement whilst still fulfilling NHS Trusts’ governance procedures. You can also find Wernick Buildings on the ESPO, LHC and Fusion 21 healthcare frameworks. Early engagement with a modular provider is key, and the Queen Alexandra Hospital project is a great example of this. Working with a modular provider from the Concept Design stage of the project opens up additional opportunities for the building, and the full potential of modular construction. It also helps to prevent delays and any unnecessary costs incurred at the design stage. From inception, we engaged with Wernick’s chosen consultants on planning and design and worked collaboratively with the team to fulfil their ambition for the project. Director of Estates for Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust, Mark Neal, commented: “A collaborative approach was used to develop the design of the new facility at Queen Alexandra Hospital. Externally, the new building complements the existing facilities on-site by utilising Wernick’s HMflex building system. The new facility means that Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust can effectively meet the increase in demand for additional bedspace for Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.” WHY WAS A MODULAR BUILDING A GOOD FIT FOR THE HOSPITAL? R: Queen Alexandra Hospital required an emergency facility, delivered on time, with minimal disruption to hospital activities. Programme reliability and speed are fundamental benefits of modular construction making it ideally suited to healthcare environments. Recognising this as a remedy to the pandemic backlog, Central Government has shown a preference for modular healthcare buildings. Since the announcement of extra Government funding to address additional needs caused by COVID-19, Wernick has developed relationships with a number of NHS Trusts to supply desperately needed theatres and ward space. Manufacturing a building in a factory setting, while building work takes place on site, cuts construction programmes by around 60%. Modules are taken to site by lorry and craned into position, a process which can take just one or two days. As a result, movement of vehicles and the number of personnel required for each project can be reduced by as much as 90% compared to a ‘traditional’ build. This means lower noise pollution and disturbance to patients – as well as fewer carbon emissions and diesel fumes from power generators and construction vehicles. Sites with tight access points or a small footprint also benefit from decreased movements on site. Where required, modules arrive with interior fixtures and fittings in situ, further reducing the time required at the location. Modules are constructed to strict standards – Wernick’s modules are manufactured under ISO 9001 and 14001, in a dedicated facility, using a building system which fits the client’s budget and aesthetic. These systems are carefully designed to minimize material waste during the construction phase, and any waste produced is fully recycled, all without compromising the performance of the building for its intended use. The look of the building was an important consideration for the hospital trust – who specified external cladding to match their buildings already on site. The result is a building that is indistinguishable from the hospital’s ‘bricks and mortar’ buildings. A link to the main rehabilitation building, provided using an additional module, further creates the illusion of a building that has always been there. There is no end to the aesthetic possibilities of modular buildings, whether you require a building which blends into the landscape or one which catches the eye. Wernick’s in-house design team have the expertise to bring architectural flair to any project. Our online case studies are a great place to see what is achievable. Modular providers will also work with architect firms for building design, with early engagement the key ingredient for a successful project. We work with many clients, like Queen Alexandra, who require a permanent building solution to suit changing requirements. Modular construction provides flexibility as buildings can be expanded or relocated as needs dictate. Future-proofing your building allows for additional modules to be added later, either alongside, linked to, or on top of the existing building. Again, this is ideally achieved with early engagement with a modular buildings supplier. You can expect a typical design life for a modular building of 50 years +, and your building, with normal general maintenance, will provide all of the comfort you’d expect from a ‘permanent’ building. Once the building reaches the end of its life-cycle, it can be repurposed for other uses – this is a building method which provides an end-to-end reduction of carbon emissions. HOW ARE WERNICK’S MODULAR BUILDINGS SUITED TO THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR? R: Wernick supply high quality, bespoke modular buildings which are suitable for a multitude of applications, from university lecture halls to custodial suites. We specialize in delivering fast track projects in live environments. For decades, the NHS has entrusted Wernick to supply high specification, durable spaces, suited to the unique needs of a healthcare setting. Our turnkey service allows our clients to take a step back and hand responsibility of the design and build to a trusted supplier. Wernick’s dedicated Construction division manage each project from start to finish, and a Project Manager attends site regularly to ensure open-ended communication and the smooth running of the programme. For hospitals such as George Eliot in Nuneaton, Wernick work alongside our trusted partners, consultants and specialist suppliers to supply fully compliant facilities. In 2021, Wernick delivered two buildings for the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust – a 30 bed orthopaedic ward and a hybrid twin UCV theatre suite – both of which met the Trust’s obligations under the Health Technical Memoranda (HTM) and Health Building Notes (HBN). For the theatre building, Wernick produced a concrete floor module which delivers a 3m floor to ceiling height, well suited to intricate operating environments. Skirtless Ultra Clean Ventilation (UCV) canopies and satellite lighting enhance both operating areas, maximising the spacious and modern feel of the facilities. As well as theatres, pre op and recovery rooms, the building features a bright and open staff base, changing rooms, showers and a staff room. Ultimately, a fit for purpose and pleasant place to work and a welcoming place to be treated. For Queen Alexandra, Wernick’s specialist modular team developed a standardized modular system with the pandemic in mind. Designed for increased heights, spans and widths, it allows us to incorporate a four-bed ward within just two modules. Working with NHS trusts and fire engineers, we designed and tested the exterior envelope of the building system to meet all of Part B non-combustible building regulations. At design stage clients can specify which items they want incorporated into the standard design – these include doors, IPS, plumbing and electrics. All standard components are provided with warranties and a digital operation and maintenance manual is provided with the buildings. We installed and fully fitted the new system in our factory car park – this allowed the client to visit us and see the building up-close before delivery. The modules’ plug and play connections meant that they could be lifted and moved directly to the hospital and reconnected. Utilising our new system reduced the programme from an anticipated 44 weeks to just 28 weeks -which, along with an earlier finish – helped to reduce pressure on other departments and ambulance waiting times. It has since been rolled out to other hospital projects such as Kingston Hospital in London to help relieve pressure on the NHS. DID WERNICK OVERCOME ANY CHALLENGES WITH THE PROJECT? R: Putting the safety and comfort of staff and patients first, Wernick fast-tracked the development of our new system to ensure speed of build. This increased the pre-manufactured value of the building to 75%. On-site deliveries, vehicle and plant movements and sub-contractor visits all reduced by at least 30%. The building site was in close proximity to the hospital’s helipad and directly beneath one of its two incoming flight paths. Whilst craning in our modules, we worked with the hospital’s estates team to devise a ‘Helicopter Response Procedure’ to ensure that once notified of any inbound aircraft, all installation works could be ceased safely and swiftly. During our time at the hospital, construction began on a multi-storey car park in the vicinity of the new building. Working around another contractors’ plant vehicles, staff and deliveries added an unexpected challenge to the build, but not one that couldn’t be overcome with continuous lines of communication between the car park suppliers and Wernick’s experienced construction team. In addition, the main blue light route to the hospital’s accident and emergency department also acted as the main access route to our building site. Despite any challenges, our team delivered the building ahead of schedule and the results speak for themselves. WHAT ARE THE KEY FEATURES OF THE BUILDING? R: As well as the 27 wards, with space for 72 beds, the two-storey building comprises of therapy rooms, stores, offices, a patient day room, and there are kitchens on each floor. We completed each room with a higher specification of M&E, and contractors installed severe duty doorsets and specialist services such as HTM compliant bed head trunking and medical gases. The building is linked to an existing building at the first floor via an additional module, (taking the number of modules used for the build up to 77) ensuring comfort and privacy for patients, as well as allowing the smooth transfer of patients to other areas of the hospital as required. We finished the building with rain screen Trespa cladding panels to compliment nearby buildings and to give the building a sleek and modern feel. HOW DID WERNICK ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY DURING THIS PROJECT? R: As with every large project that Wernick undertakes, community engagement is extremely important. In this instance, we took advantage of local guidelines and liaised with Portsmouth City Council’s Economic Growth, Skills and Employee Committee to engage with the local workforce. In accordance with the Portsmouth Plan (2012), Wernick developed a Local Employment and Training Strategy to provide employment opportunities for job seekers classified as NEET (not in employment, education or training) living within a 10 miles radius of the site. We have also engaged with Highbury College’s Construction and the Built Environment department to provide work experience placements for several of their students, and implemented our initiatives for training and upskilling our existing work force throughout the duration of the project.

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