Yorkon completes new emergency assessment unit at North Tees Hospital

Off-site construction specialist and Portakabin subsidiary, Yorkon, has completed the construction of a new ProCure21 project for Interserve Project Services at the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton.

The £2.8m contract involved the off-site construction and fitting out of a new state-of-the-art 42-bed Emergency Assessment Unit required by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust. The 1,710sqm single-storey extension to the existing department has expanded the number of assessment beds on the Stockton site and is part of the Government’s drive to reduce waiting times for emergency cases.

The scheme comprises 42 steel-framed modules, which were manufactured in York and installed on site in just a few days – minimising disruption to patient care and reducing the programme time for the new unit.

The building was delivered in just over six months from start on site and provides a range of facilities for acute emergency surgical care. These include four-bed wards and single ensuite bedrooms, an isolation ward, high dependency beds, consulting rooms, ward manager’s office, waiting areas, quiet room, staff changing facilities and rest room, and an interview room.

The unit has been equipped with the latest technology. Wireless workstations are available for use at patients’ bedsides and this is one of the first units in the country to have an electronic information board. It will treat around 30,000 patients each year.

Consultant Dr Nick Roper said, “After much planning, it is brilliant to see the new unit up and running. We have designed in features such as isolation rooms, ensuite bathrooms, no-touch taps and bespoke window blinds. The final result is a spacious and calm working environment, which is properly equipped to look after patients with emergency medical needs.”

Kevin Oxley, Director of Operations at the Trust, said, “This is a fantastic building. We are impressed with the benefits of the off-site approach and the speed of construction, which allowed us to introduce a new model of care at an earlier stage and so benefit from operational efficiencies. The unit has the feel, quality and appearance of the best traditionally-built building and is allowing the Trust to achieve the highest levels of clinical care. The installation process went very well and the building is defect-free.”

Shaun Paramor, Project Manager at Interserve Project Services, said, “Yorkon were selected for their reputation and experience in the healthcare sector – and I am pleased to report they performed very well. They delivered a quality building, constructed to Interserve’s high standards. The modular approach shortens the programme time which has cost benefits and gives the client beneficial use of the building at an earlier stage. It is also a clean and efficient way of constructing a building, despite working through the winter months.”

The Emergency Assessment Unit adopts the latest thinking in emergency surgical care and is staffed by specialist medical teams, giving quicker access to treatment, more efficient streaming of patients and greater operational efficiencies for the Trust. It was built following a review of acute services in the region, which centralised emergency surgical care at the University Hospital of North Tees.

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Editor’s Notes

1. The advantages of off-site construction for healthcare projects include:

- programme times reduced by up to 50 percent, allowing earlier completion with a positive impact on patient care
- reduced disruption to patients, staff and the local community during construction
- fewer vehicle movements to site
- safer, quieter and cleaner
- improved quality and reduced future maintenance
- a high level of design flexibility internally and externally
- buildings can be expanded without decanting
- improved thermal efficiency for lower running costs and reduced carbon emissions
- helping to address the shortage of skilled labour affecting the construction industry
- cost control and reduced material wastage
- guaranteed delivery on time and on budget.

2. Off-site construction involves the manufacture of steel-framed modules in a controlled factory environment, using production line technology, whilst the foundation works are completed on site. The modules are delivered to site by road where they are craned into position in just a few days ready for fitting out.


For further PRESS information, please contact:

Joanne Bridges, PRO – Yorkon
Tel: 01489 570898
Fax: 01489 570888
jbridges@bridgescommunications.co.uk