Ian Strangward’s Post

🚨 Big changes have been announced for the NHS’s New Hospital Programme. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has confirmed a phased approach to hospital construction and has extended the programme into the late 2030s. With £3 billion per year now secured for NHS infrastructure, this is a major shift. Now’s the time for smart, sustainable and modular solutions to ensure NHS hospitals are futureproofed. At Architectural Wallsz, we’re driving this transformation. https://lnkd.in/e4TSPhD9 #NHP #NHS #HealthcareConstruction #ModularDesign

Nearly half of the 40 new hospitals pledged by the previous government are now delayed by up to 14 years, placing immense strain on NHS estates as patient demand continues to rise. A recent BBC article highlights the urgent need for modern and efficient approaches to healthcare infrastructure. https://bit.ly/4h3J4nw   Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged that the original 2019 commitment for 40 new hospitals by 2030 is unaffordable under current plans.   As the NHS grapples with unprecedented challenges, the need for swift and effective solutions in healthcare infrastructure has never been more urgent. At Merit, we believe offsite construction is the solution. Our controlled, offsite process accelerates project timelines, minimises on-site disruption, and guarantees consistent quality. Additionally, our sustainable methods align with NHS net-zero goals, ensuring long-term benefits for patients and staff.   Delaying progress is not an option. Let’s build the high-quality facilities our communities need today, not years from now.   📞 Learn more about our approach and contact us here: https://bit.ly/42mdHA9   #NHS #OffsiteConstruction #Sustainability #InnovationInHealthcare #FutureOfHealthcare

I came across this article through Cheryl Hill, and it really struck a chord with me. Having worked at ST MARY'S HOSPITAL PADDINGTON, I’ve seen firsthand how challenging it is to deliver top-tier care in facilities that are long overdue for investment and modernisation. The news that hospital building projects—like St Mary’s—are being delayed until as late as 2039 is deeply concerning. Outdated infrastructure not only impacts patient safety but also takes a toll on the incredible staff who work tirelessly despite these challenges. While there’s no doubt that rebuilding our NHS estate is a massive undertaking, we can’t afford for these promises to fall by the wayside again. It's time for a clear, funded, and deliverable plan to give NHS staff and patients the facilities they deserve. What are your thoughts on this? How do we ensure these critical projects stay on track? See the full article below: https://lnkd.in/eBGxgKYK #NHS #Healthcare #Infrastructure #Leadership

Plans to build or expand 40 hospitals in England have been delayed by at least a decade, following Wes Streeting's announcement yesterday confirming a new timeline for the New Hospital Programme. https://lnkd.in/etvxnb8S

Cost Blowouts and Governance Failures at New Dunedin Hospital: Time for a Project Rescue? The New Dunedin Hospital project, approved in 2018 with a budget of NZD 1.4b faces major challenges. The plan included a 13,000 sqm Outpatient Building and a 74,000 sqm Inpatient Building for completion by 2026 and 2029. However, costs have now escalated to NZD1.9b. Yesterday, our Infrastructure and health ministers announced that the project would be rescheduled and possibly abandoned after cost estimates surged to NZD3b (NZD30,000+ per sqm), which is three times the cost of similar projects in Europe and the US. An independent review (https://lnkd.in/gdFM-SBM) highlighted governance, cost and [risk management issues. The Outpatient Building will progress, but the Inpatient Building has budget and scope issues, with insufficient contingencies. However, procurement and contracting—key causes of the infrastructure failure—were not addressed in the review. My Assessment and Recommendations 50-60% of infrastructure projects experience cost overruns and time delays, but this case is more severe. Fundamental errors were made by starting procurement and construction without a detailed design, reliable cost estimate, or appropriate contingencies. Here’s how I recommend moving forward: 1. Immediately Cost Revision for the Outpatient Building: Revise cost estimates immediately to prevent further overruns and keep the Outpatient Building on track (carve out a separate contract for this). 2. Renegotiate Contracts for the Inpatient Building: The Inpatient Building contract should be renegotiated with the help of a procurement specialist. The current contractor will want to avoid reputational damage, so renegotiation is feasible. Meanwhile, explore alternative contractors with hospital experience: Here are three suggestions: China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) – the largest global construction firm. Laing O’Rourke (UK) – specialists in large hospital projects, such as Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Skanska (Sweden) – known for their work on the New Karolinska Hospital. 3. Comprehensive Project Cost Update: Revise all project costs, risks, and timelines, focusing on the Inpatient Building where risks are highest. 4. Engage a Specialist Rescue Manager: A specialized project rescue manager is essential. Firms like Mott MacDonald (my ex-employer), Turner & Townsend, or McKinsey have the experience to bring this project back on track. 5. Use AI-Driven Digital Twin Technology: Integrating AI-driven digital twins can improve simulations and real-time monitoring, reducing future risks. Cost of Hiring a Specialist Rescue Manager. Hiring a top project rescue firm would likely cost 2-5% of the total project budget. With a budget of NZD3b, this would translate to NZD 60 million to NZD 150 million—a crucial investment to avoid further cost blowouts and delays. By taking these steps, the New Dunedin Hospital project can be saved.

MPBA Member Industry News 📢 Harnessing the potential of flexible #modular #buildings to directly reduce the #NHS backlog of some 7.6 million individual cases can help transform the #future of the service and make it secure for the long term, according to a #report published today by #healthcare facilities experts Darwin Group and Portakabin The report titled ‘The End of the Waiting Line’, commissioned by Portakabin and endorsed by the NHS Trust membership organisation NHS Providers, concludes that the ageing NHS estate, which carries a staggering ongoing maintenance cost of £11 billion, can benefit directly from a holistic approach to the patient journey which factors in the use of adaptable clinical and non-clinical buildings to safeguard patient care, safety and staff support These flexible spaces can be added to existing #hospital #buildings in a matter of weeks, offering an instant solution to allow #patients to be seen and treated more quickly To read the full article head over to our website : https://lnkd.in/d6h_P9Q2 #mmc #mpba #offsiteconstruction #offsite #construction #modernmethodsofconstruction #buildbetter #modular #modularconstruction #manufacturing #constructionindustry #healthcareindusty

With part of the former Grafton Gaol site secured, modern spaces for administration, training and support services are being created, allowing clinical care to remain at the heart of Grafton Base Hospital.   The $263.8 million hospital redevelopment will enhance emergency, imaging and acute care services for the Grafton and surrounding communities.   Learn more at https://lnkd.in/d_cezX6M.

MPBA Member Industry News Harnessing the potential of flexible #modular #buildings to directly reduce the #NHS #backlog of some 7.6 million individual cases can help transform the #future of the service and make it secure for the long term, according to a #report published today by #healthcare facilities experts Darwin Group and Portakabin The report titled ‘The End of the Waiting Line’, commissioned by Portakabin and endorsed by the NHS Trust membership organisation NHS Providers, concludes that the ageing #NHS estate, which carries a staggering ongoing #maintenance cost of £11 billion, can #benefit directly from a #holistic approach to the #patient journey which factors in the use of adaptable #clinical and non-clinical #buildings to safeguard #patient care, #safety and staff support These flexible spaces can be added to existing #hospital #buildings in a matter of weeks, offering an instant solution to allow patients to be seen and treated more quickly https://lnkd.in/dHqb-K7T

Back in 2019 when the then Government announced it would deliver ‘40 new hospitals by 2030', there was a degree of cynicism about how realistic the plan was, and whether many of the projects could really be classified as new builds. A leaked government 'playbook' - reported by Health Service Journal in 2021 - on how to describe the projects added to the concern. Over time, that cynicism has understandably increased and yesterday we saw what felt inevitable for many months - that the New Hospital Programme would need to be reset. The upshot from Wes Streeting's announcement to Parliament yesterday is that the remaining schemes in the programme that were waiting for the go ahead will be allocated to one of three 'wave' groups: ✔️ Wave 1 schemes are expected to begin construction between 2025 and 2030. These schemes include hospitals constructed primarily using RAAC, and have been prioritised as patient and staff safety is paramount. ✔️ Wave 2 schemes are expected to start between 2030 and 2035. ✔️ Wave 3 schemes are expected to start between 2035 and 2039. 📆 On the one hand, the revised timetable feels more realistic and credible and the government will now be held to account for delivering against it. We should also remember that it provided extra capital investment in the last #Budget But on the other hand, it cannot be underestimated how much of a blow this is to patients, NHS staff and those leaders who have had their projects delayed by years. They have to continue to make do in very difficult conditions. At NHS Confederation we've been hearing from many members over the last 24 hours who are deeply disappointed about the outcome. Their concerns fall into three categories: 1️⃣ Ongoing risks to patient safety. 2️⃣ The negative impact this will have on reducing waiting lists and improving productivity. 3️⃣ The ongoing costs of maintaining old buildings. One member says the delay will add up to £150m to the cost of their new hospital as they will have more years of propping up an old building. As Lord Darzi said in his government review of the #NHS , the NHS has been starved of capital in the last decade, with £37 billion of under-investment. We are left with many hospitals that have leaking pipes and collapsed roofs, and that's not to mention the huge impact on mental health, community and primary care estates. So, while the reset of the NHP was much needed, this is a huge setback to the sector and will have significant consequences across the country. It also again shows that our current approach to allocating scarce capital investment is grossly inefficient and in need of reform. To help restore the public and NHS staff confidence that will be damaged by this, the government needs to stick to the revised timetable and deliver on its commitments. NHS Confederation Acute Care Director Rory Deighton has been making these points on behalf of our members in the national media today, including on BBC News this morning.

Modular construction, the key to clearing the NHS backlog? A report titled The End of the Waiting Line has recently been published outlining what healthcare experts feel to be the key issues within the NHS and suggesting how to improve them, including modular buildings. One of the main issues within the report is the current NHS backlog, sitting at around 7.6m cases. If modern building methods can be utilised to support this problem, what are we waiting for? Check out the article here: https://lnkd.in/drbAtDUQ #ModularConstruction #NHSBacklog #HealthcareConstruction