Modular buildings
Portable building companies supporting the health sector The approach to coping with the coronavirus crisis has been vastly different across the globe. China used the might of 7,000 workers and 1,000 construction machines, operating 24 hours a day to build hospitals but the strategy here in the UK is very different. In addition to repurposing existing facilities to create NHS Nightingale Hospitals, modern methods of construction are being used. Here, Jackie Maginnis describes how her members are supporting NHS trusts and healthcare providers to increase capacity MPBA members are rallying to support this unparalleled situation. Both volumetric modular companies and those involved in the manufacture and hire of portable buildings are ramping up to meet demand. Temporary and volumetric modular buildings are now firmly in evidence at hospitals nationally. Given the critical nature of the healthcare industry, the necessity to quickly source low cost, modern and fully functional buildings is an imperative. Because these structures are manufactured offsite, they can also be installed without causing disruption to daily routines. In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, many MPBA members are increasing their manufacturing capacity to support healthcare providers planning for increased resilience as a result of the ongoing situation. More than 1,300 people Given answered an advert
for carpenters, labourers, joiners and fitters to help Darwin Group manufacture emergency hospital units to help combat the virus. From the company’s manufacturing centre, wards for more than 150 new beds are being built using their advanced modular design system. The manufacturing centre will be working virtually 24 hours a day, seven days a week to get the buildings delivered in the shortest possible time. The buildings will be going to three NHS trusts in the North West, Midlands and Home Counties regions. The volumetric modules will be transported to the three sites, from their Shropshire manufacturing centre, where the installation and site completion teams will commission the wards for use. Just three weeks after receiving the instruction, the McAvoy Group team pulled out all the stops to configure, deliver and install a Primary Care t Covid-19 Centre at Causeway h e critical Hospital in Coleraine for the n a t ure of this Northern Health and necessi crisis, the Social Care Trust. t y t The new 12 o q source u section building modern ickly and fully fu was installed nctiona in just one day b l
and has created much needed additional facilities and capacity for staff to assess and care for additional patients. The assessment unit provides 14 consulting rooms, office, utility room, separate exits for patients and staff, reception and staff welfare facilities. Healthcare construction solutions Another company ramping up to meet demand is modular and portable building manufacturer Thurston Group, who was given a brief by Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust. The project is being managed at the firm’s production facility in West Yorkshire. Construction work started on March 30. Flattened steel has been used to create seven box units, each one around 10 metres long and three metres wide. They will be hoisted onto a low-loader and driven to the hospital, where a 200tonne crane will lift the units into position so they can be joined E
uildings impera is an tive
Issue 20.2 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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