Due to the impact of Covid-19 on front line services and non-essential procedures being pushed back, the NHS is under increasing pressure to clear the backlog and reduce waiting times. One way of helping to do this is to increase theatre capacity as soon and as cost-effectively as possible.
Historically, the easiest option to achieve this would be the use of mobile clinical facilities, however, with the advances in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), high specification buildings are able to be designed and built offsite in a controlled factory environment before being delivered, installed and commissioned in a short space of time.
Innovative solutions
By embracing these alternative building solutions, the NHS will be able to respond to capacity problems efficiently, quickly, and cost-effectively.
Mobile facilities have often been considered as the only time-effective solution to quickly increase capacity, but it’s great to see that the use of modular offsite construction is increasingly being hailed as a more practical and suitable answer to capacity issues and can be used as a temporary or longer-term solution.
Although both modular and mobile healthcare facilities can be used to solve the problem, they are fundamentally different and as such there are pros and cons to helping solve the NHS capacity issues.
Modular or Mobile?
Deployment
Without a doubt, both modular and mobile healthcare facilities are considerably quicker than a traditional build, being onsite and operational in at least half the time.
A mobile facility can be deployed and operational in a matter of days, whereas a modular theatre facility has a typical delivery time of around 10-12 weeks from order to handover.
However, despite the speed at which a mobile facility can be delivered they can have limitations and are not suitable for all types of surgical procedures. For example, due to the size of the theatre space and build specification, surgeons often don’t recommend their use for orthopaedic or ophthalmic surgery.
Specification
At ModuleCo Healthcare, all our facilities are designed by our in-house team with client input and feedback incorporated into the final design and specification, focusing on their specific healthcare requirements.
By working in close collaboration with the end-users, all relevant requirements and equipment can be designed into the theatre to ensure it is suitable to carry out a host of surgical procedures. This also ensures that modular units are compliant with NHS recommendations and ensures patient experience is considered from day one.
Integration
One of the main advantages of a mobile theatre solution is the fact that it is quickly deployed, standalone and if required can be relatively easy to relocate if and when required.
Although a modular theatre may not be as straightforward to install, and may still be seen as a temporary solution, it can be seamlessly integrated into the existing hospital estate. The big advantage of this, since the theatre is built to a higher specification, is that the facility can also be used for contingency purposes if one of the main theatres has issues or cannot be used.
Affordability
After more than a decade of underfunding and more recently increasing pressures due to Covid-19, it is clear that the NHS is facing significant budget challenges.
Key decision-makers are, therefore, searching for the most cost-effective solution and due to the short-term nature of a mobile healthcare solution, the rentals can prove very costly, particularly if the facility is onsite for an extended period.
On the other hand modular healthcare facilities are the perfect option for NHS Trusts trying to meet specific budgets, particularly if the trust are able to forecast or plan a more long-term requirement. Additionally, with the ability to carry out a whole host of procedures, Trusts have a more flexible facility that can often generate revenue.
Making the right decision
Both modular and mobile solutions usually require little upfront capital and therefore allow the NHS to access these much-needed clinical facilities quickly. Before committing to either solution, the NHS Trust need to evaluate which type of facility addresses their needs and fits their budget best.
At ModuleCo Healthcare, we’re proud to work closely with NHS Trusts to understand the needs of hospital workers and their patients, developing modular facilities to meet their specific demands and requirements. We work hand-in-hand with healthcare professionals to create a bespoke modular facility that will respond to changing needs and ensure future resilience.
Modular construction offers both a time and cost-effective solution to NHS challenges, presenting both short- and long-term options for Trusts, adding much needed clinical facilities to their current hospital estate. With the added benefit of a flexible hire or Managed Service Agreement, modular healthcare facilities can be made financially feasible to align to individual budget requirements.
