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Tag: estates

Blog: Pioneering the ‘Third Way’ for NHS Estates

A clinician in full PPE and blue scrubs in a dark operating theatre - there is a large, circular surgical light in the background

Recent reports from the Royal College of Surgeons and national media paint a compelling picture: waiting lists now exceed 7.3 million patients, with over 170,000 waiting more than a year for treatment. The 2025 UK Surgical Workforce Census highlights burnout, limited theatre access, and rising attrition among trainees. Meanwhile, almost half of NHS surgeons are operating just once a week due to bed shortages and outdated facilities.

Case Study: James Paget Orthopaedic Outpatient Centre

James Paget Orthopaedic Outpatient Centre - exterior 3/4 view. The building is clad in dark grey paneling and features bright yellow hand rails for the ramp and stairs.

The Trust needed a same-day emergency care (SDEC) unit to bolster its urgent and emergency care offering. To provide the best patient flow through the current hospital building, the optimal location for the SDEC was next to the hospital’ emergency department (ED). The space neighbouring the ED was being used to house the Trust’s orthopaedic outpatient services.

Case Study: James Paget Orthopaedic Elective Centre

James Paget Orthopaedic Elective Centre - exterior

The JPOC and Oulton Suite are a transformative step for healthcare delivery at the JPUH in Gorleston, Norfolk.
Operating seven days a week, 50 weeks a year, it will provide a planned 1,400 extra theatre sessions annually…

Case Study: Hinckley Community Diagnostic Centre

Bird's eye view of the CDC

In collaboration with NHS Property Services (NHSPS), University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL), Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council, and the MP for Hinckley & Bosworth, Dr Luke Evans (who is also Shadow Health Minister),
LLR ICB approached Darwin Group for its
expertise in delivering quality healthcare facilities.

Case Study: Sutton Cottage Hospital Decant Space

Sutton Cottage decant space - consultation room interior

Sutton Cottage Hospital at Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was first built in 1897. It has been developed in four stages, with the most recent addition in 1936. Issues like uneven floors and out-of-date infrastructure were limiting the accessibility of the building, which led to the Trust’s decision to undertake a significant renovation project at the site. Planned for 12 months, this project will see substantial improvements to the existing site for patients and staff.

Blog: Reframing NHS Surgical Challenges as Opportunities for Evolution

A clinician in full PPE and blue scrubs in a dark operating theatre - there is a large, circular surgical light in the background

Recent reports from the Royal College of Surgeons and national media paint a compelling picture: waiting lists now exceed 7.3 million patients, with over 170,000 waiting more than a year for treatment. The 2025 UK Surgical Workforce Census highlights burnout, limited theatre access, and rising attrition among trainees. Meanwhile, almost half of NHS surgeons are operating just once a week due to bed shortages and outdated facilities.

Blog: Flipping the Script on Value in the NHS

Clinician in blue scrubs in an operating theatre, adjusting a pendant light

The NHS was founded on a radical promise: that healthcare should be free at the point of need, funded collectively, and delivered with compassion. That promise still holds. But to protect it, we must evolve how we think about value—especially when it comes to the estate.

Case Study: Two-storey Ward Building at Leighton Hospital

Darwin Group was able to utilise the company’s innovative modular build systems to provide a new 60 bed two-storey ward building featuring a mixture of single and multi-bed bays, complemented with ancillary accommodation – utility spaces, storage and staff areas – and a specialist physiotherapy space.

Case Study: Older Adult Mental Health Ward in Surrey

New Spenser external - garden and pergola

Due to the on-going construction of a new mental health hospital on the site of the former Abraham Cowley Unit (ACU), a temporary facility was required to offer capacity for older adult mental health care for a few years. Additionally, the new construction would need to be easy to repurpose, to help the Trust adapt to the ever-changing needs of the estate.

Case Study: Airedale ICU and General Ward

Airedale ITU and general ward exterior 3/4 image, the building features white, blue and grey cladding and large windows

Prior to commencing our construction project, we conducted thorough site surveys that revealed unfavourable ground conditions in the intended construction area. Additionally, the site exhibited significant changes in elevation.

Blog: Why Static Estates Are Failing Winter Care

Outside a hospital emergency department. Ambulances are parked and there is snow on the ground.

Every winter, the NHS faces a tidal wave of demand. But while frontline staff stretch to meet it, the buildings they work in stay frozen in time. Static estates—rigid, outdated, and crumbling—are failing to support modern care. And the consequences are felt in every corridor, waiting room, and emergency department across the country. At Darwin Group, we believe infrastructure should be an enabler, not a barrier. So, let’s talk about why static estates are breaking down, and how dynamic, modular solutions can change the game.

First look inside Norwich’s new community health centre as spring opening approaches

Local councillors and health leaders visit Magna Medical Centre, which will transform how health and care services are delivered, by bringing services closer to where patients live and providing wider services to support healthy lives. A new £11 million health centre on the outskirts of Norwich will open this spring, providing health services to thousands of patients.

RBH breaks ground on new Coast Building

Royal Bournemouth Hospital has started the main construction phase on the Coast Building, a state-of-the-art ward and catering block, that will expand patient capacity and elevate University Hospital Dorset’s services as part of the national New Hospital Programme.

The Coast Building will feature 110 new beds across four levels, a larger kitchen and catering facility, and modular, adaptable spaces designed to meet evolving healthcare needs. Spanning 10,800 square meters, the facility also reflects a commitment to sustainability, with renewable energy supported by photovoltaic panels.

New-look modular mental health bedroom earns praise at industry conference

Industry experts and service users have welcomed changes to Bedroom Evolved; a pioneering modular mental health bedroom built by healthcare construction firm Darwin Group. The firm recently showcased its new-look project at the Design in Mental Health Conference for a second year running and said feedback from visitors was very positive.

New surgical centre at Southmead Hospital takes shape

The external structure of the new Elective Centre at Southmead Hospital has now been completed. More than 200 modules have been lifted into place by a crane over six weeks to create the building structure. The centre is a joint project between North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW), supported by Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Integrated Care Board.

‘Spaces are powerful’ – Creating spaces for greater staff and patient experiences

Although there is no one-size-fits-all approach to improving the wellbeing of your workforce, the evidence base on the most effective initiatives and approaches is constantly evolving. This can provide a useful basis for reviewing the approach and making decisions as we know how important it is to retain our valued NHS workforce.

‘Working environments and break out spaces are key,’ says Raffaela Goodby, Chief People Officer at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Reimagining Estates Funding: In Partnership with NHS Confederation

Capital is a scarce resource in the NHS, yet high in demand. Existing estates are deteriorating, creating a potentially unsafe and uninviting environment for patients and staff.

But with limits on funding and an ever-changing landscape for providing care, how will the NHS meet current demands, accommodate changing needs and continue to reduce backlogs in care, all while providing outstanding patient care? Darwin Group recently partnered with the NHS Confederation to deliver a webinar on these issues.

Spotlight: Interview with Stephanie Hassanali, General Practice Nurse

As a general practice nurse in a Primary Care Network (PCN) Stephanie Hassanali has a rare insight into the challenges facing GPs.

She has been a nurse for 12 years and in general practice for the last eight of those, working across 11 practices as part of two PCNs in London.