Offsite construction specialist, Premier Modular, looks at the role of MMC in helping to address the waiting list backlog

The winter period is always pressured for the NHS, with a rise in patients who require care.

And, with many hospitals across the UK needing to expand their facilities and maximise bed capacity to cope with rises in patient numbers, both permanent and rental modular solutions could be the way to deliver these specialist buildings at pace.

Operating at pace

Utilising offsite construction methods, modular buildings have the advantage of fast installation times and, due to their prefabricated nature where the majority of the project is manufactured in factory conditions, they create far less disruption than would otherwise be encountered with traditional construction methods.

This means the hospital can continue to serve its patients, with minimal impact on the wider site.

And, with projects able to be completed in a matter of weeks, modular buildings can provide high-quality spaces fast, ramp up capacity, and ensure the hospital is fully prepared for spike periods.

Dorset County Hospital

Combining compliance with fast delivery

The speed of construction for modular buildings doesn’t mean a drop in terms of quality or technical ability.

Modular units are designed with client specifications in mind, including wide corridors, high ceilings, and future-forward technology, such as high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration and integrated building management systems to maintain an optimised internal environment.

Premier Modular has demonstrated the technical ability of offsite construction through the delivery of the UK’s first modular barn surgical theatre, to increase capacity at Maidstone Hospital in Kent. Due for completion in spring 2024, this project is part of a national initiative to shorten waiting lists by introducing 50 new surgical hubs across England.

Known as the Kent and Medway Orthopeadic Centre, the surgical hub will contain three open-plan operating theatres, an X-ray centre, therapy space, a recovery area, administrative space, and single patient and ‘pod’ rooms, providing increased support to local communities.

Modular building is also unique when it comes to financing, offering a range of flexible options to suit every budget.

With capital a limited resource throughout the healthcare sector, financing options for rental or permanent buildings provide transparency and cost certainty from day one, with no nasty surprises.

St Peters Hospital

The need for speed

An ageing population and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic have all contributed to the nation’s complex health needs and extra capacity is vital, with traditional construction methods often too slow to keep up with this urgent demand.

To understand the power of offsite construction to increase capacity fast, take a look at the delivery times on some of our recent healthcare projects:

• North Middlesex Hospital– a rental building to expand ward capacity, delivered in 16 weeks
• Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust– a 650sq m permanent facility upgrade, delivered in 20 weeks
• King’s College Hospital– a permanent outpatient services building, delivered in just over 56 weeks

With precision manufacturing, and zero waste to landfill, modular units can additionally be recycled once they are no longer required, providing circularity to benefit the environment as well as providing quality rental or permanent solutions that ensure waiting lists quickly become a thing of the past.

Building delivery at Kings College Hospital