Modern Methods of Construction specialist, MTX, has handed over a new endoscopy unit as part of Phase Two of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in Oldham, one of the largest in the UK.

The 1,800sq m facility comprises three endoscopy procedure rooms, four consulting rooms, a waiting room for around 20 people, recovery areas, and various ancillary accommodation.

An enclosed plantroom on the first floor is located towards the rear of the building.

The application of MMC principles and the use of precisely-engineered structural steel units, pre-manufactured offsite while groundworks were underway, enabled MTX to deliver high-quality healthcare facilities faster, safer, greener, and more cost-effectively than traditional building techniques.

Preparing foundations for the new two-storey unit presented particular challenges and involved the removal and disposal of a substantial quantity of contaminated soil at the former factory site.

After thorough site investigations, MTX produced a detailed plan for dealing with the challenges and creating the foundations for the new unit.

A retaining wall was constructed to buttress the sloping site which included a basement area and a former reservoir, requiring specific measures to ensure effective site drainage.

While groundworks continued, MMC structural steel modules were manufactured offsite to shorten the project duration and were craned into position at Salmon Fields ready for fit-out.

The new purpose-built facility is located at Salmon Fields, a short distance from The Royal Oldham Hospital.

It will allow the trust to offer more endoscopy procedures a year, helping to speed up diagnosis and treatment for patients.

MTX project lead, Gareth Roberts, explained: “At MTX we have extensive experience dealing with the specific challenges of brown field sites such as Salmon Fields.

“We worked closely with the structural engineer to find a cost-effective solution for the groundworks and remediation strategy which was developed throughout the design stage.”

Oldham CDC in Salmon Fields, Royton opened in December 2022 and has since served over 30,000 patients in the region.

Jude Adams, NCA chief delivery officer, said: “We are delighted that our new unit is now open, creating that all-important additional capacity for our endoscopy services in the local area and helping us to meet national NHS targets.

“The unit has three endoscopy rooms and will allow us to streamline the number of testing pathways, aiding with early diagnosis.

“Since the CDC opened almost two years ago, it has seen great success in providing rapid testing in the heart of the community as well as giving us the ability to offer patients multiple tests in one visit if needed.”

The Oldham CDC is a commercial partnership between the NCA, which runs The Royal Oldham Hospital, and Alliance Medical Limited, working alongside partners including Oldham Council, NHS Greater Manchester, and NHS England.

It is one of the country’s largest out-of-hospital diagnostic centres.