Project Summary

An “exemplary” design and build scheme, we helped optimise the functionality of one of England’s largest hospitals. The £4m budget project at the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC), Nottingham, converted a ward space that was originally developed in the 1970s into a modern, cutting edge Critical Care Ward. Supporting the Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust in delivering upon its “Tomorrow’s NUH” strategy, the complex upgrade was completed in November 2020, ahead of programme and inside budget. Notably, our programme end date remained fixed despite the pressures associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. Working collaboratively with the Trust, and utilising interactive 3D models, we were able to design the package of works according to the priorities of the hospital’s clinical staff, particularly around space maximisation. Significantly, through proactive early mitigation, we were also able to ensure that the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) did not increase

The detail

Only weeks into construction, the pandemic began. Against this backdrop, we worked with the Trust to stagger possession to facilitate its operational demands and to preserve the continuity of clinical service. We developed strong working relationships with the Trust’s estates team and clinicians, with a commitment to flexible working to ensure the successful project resolution. Although the onset of Covid-19 increased the complexity of delivery, it served to strengthen the resolve of the collective team to achieve the best possible outcomes. Demonstrating flexibility, we reworked the project programme to offer potential options for areas that the Trust could retain past the original possession dates