NHS Requires System-Wide Flexible Strategy to Secure the Future of its Estates and Buildings: New Report
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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.
Reimagining Estates Funding: In Partnership with NHS Confederation
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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.
Major work begins as Darwin Group construct new state of the art NHS building
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As part of the New Hospitals Programme, major work has begun at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in the delivery of a multi-million-pound hospital building that will increase patient ward capacity across the region.
Ground breaking ceremony marks exciting milestone for Hinckley’s Community Diagnostic Centre
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Pioneering construction firm Darwin Group joined key delivery partners to celebrate the ground breaking ceremony as construction commenced on the new community diagnostic centre in Hinckley.
Healthcare Estates Capital Value: Roundtable Report with HFMA
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With too little capital funding available, how can the NHS ensure it gets the most value out of its investment in infrastructure and equipment? A recent HFMA roundtable, in partnership with Darwin Group, made some suggestions.
Spotlight: Interview with Stephanie Hassanali, General Practice Nurse
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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.
Construction underway on new Diagnostic Centre at Yeovil District Hospital
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Pioneering construction firm Darwin Group and Prime invited key delivery partners to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony as construction commenced on the new diagnostic centre at Yeovil District Hospital.
14 years and counting – meet Senior Site Manager, Nik Davelis
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From liaising with clients and ensuring projects are completed on time and on budget, to running a safe site, no two days are the same for Darwin Group’s experienced senior site managers.
A dramatic yet thoughtful evolution for mental health treatment
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Darwin Group Principal Architect Louis Sullivan and his team have poured a lot into a very important project. The team first unveiled ‘Bedroom Evolved’ at last year’s Design in Mental Health Conference and it will be returning for this year’s event.
Could a new way of funding healthcare estates be the shot in the arm the NHS has been looking for
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With NHS repair backlogs reaching record levels, and the future of the new hospitals programme facing an uncertain future, leading modular construction firms Darwin Group and Portakabin bosses are calling for a rethink around how healthcare estates are planned and funded.
Darwin Group and Portakabin have combined their strengths to deliver excellence in modern healthcare environments.
Healthcare Focus: Misconceptions of modular construction
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We put the spotlight on Production Director Adrian Mitchell to talk about the misconceptions of modular construction and why more and more healthcare estates are choosing it over traditional building methods.
Stick-built or traditional construction has long been the standard within the industry. However, modular buildings have gained popularity in recent years as a flexible, sustainable and cost-effective option for various applications. But according to Adrian Mitchell, there are still some common misconceptions that can cause confusion or hesitation when considering modular as an option.
Community health hubs: Could they be the answer to saving £26 million for an average-sized ICS?
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With financial pressures increasing for NHS Trusts year-on-year, could the introduction of more community health hubs be one way to help improve health outcomes while saving millions simultaneously?
Work starts on new £49 million Elective Centre at Southmead Hospital
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The Elective Centre is a joint project between North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) supported by Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board and NHS England. It will enable an additional 6,500 operations to be carried out across the area every year.
Construction of new Learning and Development Centre at Calderdale Royal Hospital underway following ground breaking ceremony
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Darwin Group and Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) have celebrated the start of construction of a new, state-of-the-art Learning and Development Centre at Calderdale Royal Hospital. An official ground breaking ceremony took place on Friday 11th March, and was attended by representatives from both CHFT and its construction partners, Darwin Group.
Darwin Group partners with leading Independent Care Network
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Leading healthcare construction firm, Darwin Group, is proud to announce its partnership with the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN), the only membership network for independent healthcare providers across the UK.
Darwin Group’s Resilience Ward is the fast, compliant, permanent capacity solution for NHS estates
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A new ‘fast deploy’ ward to help NHS trusts struggling with the unprecedented combination of RAAC problems, winter pressures and backlog maintenance has been launched by leading specialist healthcare construction firm Darwin Group.
Why NHS winter pressures could be the worst ever this year – and how we can help
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As the seasons change and we begin the march into autumn, experts are warning the NHS could be heading into its worst ever winter. With new strains of Covid already widely reported, some people are calling for mask wearing to be reintroduced in certain settings. A potential increase in infections coupled with the Government decision to reduce this winter’s Covid and flu immunisation programme has left experts concerned about capacity. But it’s not too late to think about tackling the problems on the horizon.
Leicester Royal Infirmary – Discharge Lounge
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When University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust needed help to relieve its winter bed pressures and reduce ambulance wait times, it turned to Darwin Group to help.
Acute Medical Unit – Wye Valley Trust
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Wye Valley NHS Trust instructed Darwin Group to create a fast-track 24-bed ward, complete with five four-bed bays, four single-bed rooms, nurse bases, utility rooms, clinical disposal rooms, a pharmacy and associated ancillary spaces.
Ambulance Receiving Centre – Wolverhampton
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Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital had its winter pressures eased thanks to a new Ambulance Receiving Centre (ARC) that
was constructed by Darwin Group in just
18 days onsite.
SDEC for Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
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When Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust recognised an urgent need to develop an effective Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) provision to reduce pressure on inpatient beds, it turned to Darwin Group for help.
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust – ICU and general ward
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The Trust approached Darwin Group with an urgent need to construct new ICU accommodation and general ward facilities due to the presence of RAAC within the existing hospital estate. The Trust had the crucial requirement of managing capital expenditure within a critical timeline, which necessitated a fast-track programme and a budget that should not be exceeded.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust – Operating Theatres
![The exterior of the operating theatre building at Grantham. The entire building is clad with a mix of blue, grey and white cladding panels, while the lower floor features regularly spaced window and glass doors, all of which are frosted. To the right there is a large tree, and the sky is blue with white clouds.](https://www.darwingroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/HERO.jpg)
When United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) identified the need for increased theatre capacity at Grantham and District Hospital to help reduce waiting times, it turned to Darwin Group for help.
Mid Cheshire NHS Foundation Trust 60 bed ward
![A three-quarters overhead view of the new ward building at Leighton Hospital, showing a range of plant machinery on the roof. This includes four photovoltaic solar panel arrays and a number of HVAC and air-conditioning units. Surrounding the new ward building are the older brick buildings of the hospital estate. The new ward building is finished in blue, grey and white cladding.](https://www.darwingroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/DJI_0105-3000x2250.jpg)
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.
New NHS day case surgical unit at St Luke’s Hospital, Bradford
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Leading healthcare construction firm Darwin Group is set to deliver a new multi-million pound surgical day case unit at St Luke’s Hospital after Bradford Council granted full planning permission.
Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratories in Basingstoke
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The Trust commissioned Darwin Group to build two new cardiac catheterisation labs to replace an outdated lab and a temporary facility at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital – the first modular build of its kind in the country.
New ward and ICU wins project of the year award
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On Thursday 12th May, Health, Estates and Facilities Management Association (HEFMA), hosted its annual award ceremony in Milton Keynes. AGH Solutions (Airedale NHS Foundation Trust) was awarded ‘Project of the Year’ at the awards for their £15m modular build project that Darwin Group Ltd is delivering.
The project includes a new 15-bed intensive care unit (ICU) and 30-bed ward onsite at Airedale Hospital. AGH Solutions worked hard with Darwin Group Ltd to deliver the project designed to tackle the RAAC risk, the remedial works necessary to keep the building safe, and the development of a 3500m2 ICU and 30-bed ward, which is the first known all-electric inpatient unit in the NHS.