George Eliot Hospital Wards

Requirement

George Eliot hospital required a new 30 bed ward for orthopaedic elective and general elective patients as part of the Trust’s five-year estate strategy. A high quality, HTM and DDA compliant building was required urgently, and with limited space on site the Trust were considering a multi-storey solution.

Solution

Wernick were appointed under a Pre-Contract Services Agreement to design the building through to RIBA Stage 3. After demonstrating they could provide an economically viable, single storey solution, Wernick were formally appointed as principal contractor.

While the initial programme was 20 weeks, the outbreak of the coronavirus made the hospital’s requirement more urgent. By implementing longer hours and working weekends, Wernick were able to condense the programme to just 14 weeks.

This was achieved despite the outbreak of COVID-19. Determined to deliver the project on time, Wernick worked with their subcontractors and the hospital to devise working methods that would allow them to continue work on site, including strict social distancing measures. These new working methods were communicated through daily briefings and site signage.

The completed single-story building consists of 1000 sqm of gross internal floor space comprising 33 modular units. The fit out includes bedhead trunking incorporating medical gasses, nurse call systems, access control and CCTV, fire escape ramps and nurse stations. Externally, the building is finished to match existing buildings on site.

With the Trust’s long-term strategy in mind, Wernick designed the building to be able to accommodate additional storeys on top of the existing structure.