22 Oct 2007

Interserve, the services, maintenance and building group, has recently completed a series of new build and refurbishment construction projects at Scarborough General Hospital.

The new, £12.6 million, four-storey theatre and endoscopy block and Hull & York Medical School (HYMS) post graduate building is the biggest single development in the area's health economy for some time.  It was handed over to Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust on time, virtually defect-free and within budget, including £1 million of additional works completed within the same time frame.  Specialising in major orthopaedic and day-care surgery, the new building consists of two ultra-clean ventilated (UCV) operating suites and three new endoscopy suites together with recovery wards, pre-operative assessment clinics, consulting rooms and associated staff administration, reception and rest rooms.  There is also a separate extension to the existing HYMS post-graduate teaching facility.

The four-storey layout with its separate plant room, developed with the Trust, optimises patient flow and staff access in and around the critical areas of theatres and endoscopy suites.  Thermal modelling techniques were used to aid design on all floors, creating spacious theatres and endoscopy suites with wide, accessible corridors, and consultation rooms and staff rest and administration areas all with natural light and ventilation.  This open, bright and relaxed environment is adjacent to private interview/pre-procedure rooms, while innovative changing area design and access gives improved privacy and security for patients and clinical staff alike.

The Interserve Health team adopted lessons learned from previous ProCure 21 work to ensure that the project evolved through close stakeholder and end user consultations.  Design team meetings and briefings were held with clinicians and staff in the areas in which they would later work, in order to gain input on optimum layout and equipment positions. This inclusive approach ensured buy-in from the start, saving time and money by avoiding possibly costly re-design work.

From the outset the aim was that the new buildings would be designed around the needs of the patients, healthcare professionals and support staff. This was achieved through the development of open partnering relationships between the Trust and Interserve Health, breaking down sector barriers.

John Vyse, executive director of Interserve Plc, said: "This represents a significant new development in healthcare facilities for the people of Scarborough, completed on time and on budget.  Our team has worked hard to ensure that our activity has not interrupted the excellent care provided by Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust to its patients, and we look forward to continuing our strong working relationship with the Trust in future."

Keith Beverley of Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust added: "Interserve has delivered some superb new facilities for the people of Scarborough.  Its hard work and professionalism has helped us to continue to care for our patients without interruption throughout the build period."

The Scarborough scheme forms part of a growing health-sector workload in the region, with Interserve working across the North East from local offices in Stockton-on-Tees, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Castleford, West Yorkshire.  Recent projects have included a major development at Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, a medium-secure unit at Fieldhead Hospital, Wakefield, mental health projects in Grimsby and work at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.