Overview of the brief:
In summer 2019, Stoke Mandeville Hospital contracted ModuleCo Healthcare (MCH) to design and deliver a state-of-the-art modular Sterile Services Department (SSD) to replace their existing, ageing facility.
The project at a glance:
- 784m2 building
- 15-year Managed Service Agreement
- The contract included all works, including planning, demolition, and groundworks as well as the modular building itself, sterile equipment, and ongoing maintenance.
- Collaboration with our manufacturing partner, ModuleCo, and MMM Medical, who supplied the sterilisation equipment for the new facility.
Full project details:
Stoke Mandeville Hospital, part of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, provides emergency and specialist treatments, including maternity services and ophthalmology. Located in southeast England, the hospital also hosts the internationally renowned National Spinal Injuries Centre.
After a competitive tender process, MCH was successfully awarded the contract to replace Stoke Mandeville’s existing SSD, which was no longer suitable for carrying out the vital sterilisation work required by the Trust. MCH was responsible for the successful completion of the entirety of the project, from order to handover, including the planning process, asbestos removal, demolition of the existing building and the associated foundation works to ensure the modules could be safely installed on site.
Our manufacturing partner, ModuleCo, constructed the new modular building off-site at their factory in Gloucester. This meant that the modules could be checked for snagging in a safe, controlled factory environment, eliminating delays caused by external elements such as adverse weather, which is often a challenge with traditional construction.
During the factory works, MCH, ModuleCo and MMM Medical worked collaboratively to ensure the SSD equipment was installed while the building was constructed, again minimising the works that would need to take place onsite. Upon factory completion, the modules were then delivered as 16 separate, 14 metre x 4 metre units, and assembled directly onsite.
Both MCH and MMM Medical continue to work together as part of a bespoke managed service agreement, meaning all of their ongoing support and services are included in the monthly charge to the trust.
Although the project programme took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, MCH was able to continue work despite numerous challenges posed by social distancing and construction work guidelines, therefore keeping delays to a minimum and ensuring that the facility was delivered on time. We were extremely proud to continue providing vital facilities and support to the NHS during such a challenging time.
The outcome:
By choosing a modular approach via a Managed Service Agreement, the facility was delivered in half the time of a traditional build and with less site disruption. This agreement provided the Trust with a true, no capital solution, reducing the overall project time and eliminating the need for significant upfront funds.
The new, high specification facility not only allows the hospital to increase its sterile services functions but eventually will allow them to deliver the service for other local NHS Trusts, providing them with an additional revenue stream.
Marc Sweeney, Head of Sterile Services at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, was extremely happy with the new SSD, saying of the project:
Thanks to MCH we now have the most modern sterile service department in the NHS, allowing our key workers to do their jobs in the safest possible way.
Offsite construction was both a time and cost-effective solution for this project, allowing us to quickly develop a new facility and deliver it on-site with minimal disruption to the live hospital site.
MCH’s unique offering allowed us to receive a high specification building quickly and sustainably, with a cost-effective repayment plan.
If you’re interested in learning more about our modular facilities or our hire solutions, please get in touch today –sales@healthcarehire.co.uk
