CASE STUDY: SUPPORTING STRATEGIC GOALS

Serving a population of about 600,000 people living in diverse urban, coastal and rural areas, Humber NHS Foundation Trust has an extensive property portfolio.

Driven by the need to address a strategic change in Trust priorities, the organisation sought a partner to project manage the design and delivery of their estate capital programme.

Previously, the projects within the capital programme had not been delivered within the planned timescales and the Trust found the quality of the final schemes was unsatisfactory.

Capital spend was reactionary and the strategic and professional fees associated with the programme were too large a percentage of the overall budget.

Solutions:

We were asked to develop a more coordinated approach to the capital programme, which needed to support the strategic themes of improved quality care, transformation through prevention and wellbeing, transformation through integration, improved access to services and improved value.

Working closely with the client team, an approach has been established that ensures schemes are delivered on time, on budget and defect free, while ensuring every pound spent is worthwhile.

Previously, the project management and design stage was managed by an architects’ practice, which also managed the subcontractors and suppliers.

On analysis of this process, it was found efficiencies could be made. The review also highlighted services were not being engaged in the design of their spaces, which was leading to problems at handover.

With client approval, the team began to engage with the clinicians, and often the finance team direct, so the end result was welcomed by both parties.

Working alongside the client and their procurement process, the team ensured the contractors appointed were vetted before appointment and had experience of working in sensitive environments.

The capital programme is ongoing, with work to date including a full refurbishment of a children’s respite centre after a flood event, patient environment works in live, acute, low and medium secure units, development of a wheelchair access training facility, conversion and creation of office accommodation, and day works, including redecoration and refurbishment of meeting spaces and individual rooms.

Asbestos removal and roof repairs, as well as fire alarm upgrades within secure units, have also been carried out.