James Paget University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, has appointed Morgan Sindall Construction as the primary contractor for two major extension and refurbishment schemes totalling £3.8m.
The projects, which are being delivered as part of wider plans to improve the hospital’s facilities, will provide an upgrade and extension to the accident and emergency department as well as the construction of a new bespoke MRI unit.
The first scheme of works was handed over in December, and includes a partial redevelopment of the hospital’s A&E facilities, including a brand new 14-bed Majors department, four nurse stations, a staff office, utility and equipment storage rooms, along with a new plant room, incorporating a new ambulance entry and paediatric A&E area within the existing lobby.
The team will also construct a new cohort area within the department, where patients brought in by ambulance will wait to be assessed, providing appropriate equipment, facilities and privacy to ensure a first class standard of care is felt from the moment they enter the hospital. This new area will improve waiting time for patients, as well as freeing up ambulances to take more emergency calls
The second project, which broke ground this month, will see the construction of a brand new £1m MRI facility to the north side of the hospital, including a link corridor to the existing hospital building.
Both schemes are utilising modular construction methods to construct the new units off-site at subcontractor Eco Modular’s factory in order to complete the works within a fast turnaround time, and to mitigate the logistical challenges presented by COVID-19 facing many construction sites around the country.
Alister Broadberry, Area Director at Morgan Sindall Construction in the east, said: “We are delighted to be appointed to undertake both of these important projects that will continue to help the staff at James Paget University Hospital carry out their incredible job of saving lives, and provide a benefit to the wider community.
“The use of the modular units will help not only to complete the projects with as minimal disruption to the hospital as possible, but also to keep vulnerable people safe during the pandemic.
“Morgan Sindall Construction has enjoyed a long-standing working relationship with the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and we are looking forward to working with the Trust to strengthen this.”
Despite an extremely challenging programme and initial complex groundworks, the A&E department works enabled the extension to open after Christmas, whereas the MRI unit will handover in March 2021.
