A new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at the Newmarket Community Hospital has been completed by Morgan Sindall Construction and handed over to West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT).
Morgan Sindall’s Eastern Counties business was appointed to the WSFT’s project via the CWAS2 / Procure 23 (P23) framework for the design and construction of NHS capital projects.
The new facility will provide local communities with faster and more streamlined access to a wide range of tests, such as MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound, lung function and cardiology. This means waiting times will be reduced for patients, and a decrease in the length of time between being referred for tests, having appointments, getting results, and beginning treatment.
Since opening its doors in December last year, the CDC saw 2,800 patients and conducted at least 3,500 tests and scans in its first eight weeks.
The tier one contractor employed its Intelligent Solutions approach during the design and construction of the 1,000 sq m. facility. Morgan Sindall utilised modern building techniques, such as offsite manufacturing, to speed up the construction process and deliver a factory quality finish.
Examples of the offsite manufacturing approach include the structural framing system for the external walls, which were pre-designed and manufactured, arriving as an assembly kit which could be quickly installed. The intumescent coatings on the building’s steel frame were also applied offsite, ensuring optimum coverage and drying conditions while cutting out a step onsite and allowing other trades to start working sooner.
Much of the internal components were also manufactured and prefabricated offsite, further streamlining the installation process. This included the doors, all furniture, fixtures and equipment (FFE), and sink pods, with the hygienic sink systems pre-plumbed so they only had to be connected to the water services to start working.
To help the Trust meet the NHS 2040 net zero targets, the CDC has been created using low-carbon prefabricated materials and sustainable methods of construction. This included neutralising the water used in concrete production with specialist equipment, reducing the building energy use through modern design and building simulation techniques, and offsetting further energy use with renewable sources. In total, this has led to a reduction in carbon equivalent to heating almost 21 houses for one year.
Air source heat pumps provide the CDC with an efficient source of heating and hot water and 123 photovoltaic (PV) panels have been installed as part of the scheme both on the CDC and across the Newmarket Community Hospital site. The building’s temperature is regulated through constant air volume (CAV) heating and cooling, with heat recovery units to ensure consistent and efficient temperature control.
The combined green building features will generate at least 46% of the CDC’s energy, 36% above the original target, showcasing the Trust’s commitment to building for the future in a sustainable way.
The Newmarket CDC forms part of a national programme to improve local access to diagnostic testing. Investing in the Newmarket Community Hospital site is a commitment of the WSFT and almost £15m of funding was secured from the national CDC programme to help reduce health inequalities in the region by providing patients with access to the care they need, closer to where they live.
To ensure the building meets the needs of all, engagement took place with public, patients and staff to ensure the interiors of the building are accessible. These groups were also engaged on the themes for the décor, with the CDC reflecting the landscapes of Newmarket and its proud racing heritage.
Alister Broadberry, Morgan Sindall Construction’s Eastern Counties Area Director, said: “We’re delighted to have completed the new Community Diagnostic Centre at the Newmarket Community Hospital as we know that it will provide a wide range of vital health and well-being benefits for the local area. Creating buildings for the communities in which we operate is central to what we do, therefore collaborating with the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust on this modern, tailored facility that brings key services closer to those people that need them meant a lot to the whole team.
“Our sustainable, carbon cutting approach to construction aligns with the Trust’s environmental commitment. This made for a collaborative and successful project which utilised methods such as offsite manufacturing to reduce emissions and waste as well as the use of technologies such as air source heat pumps and PV panels, which enable the facility to operate sustainably.”
Dr Ewen Cameron, chief executive for the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the CDC is seeing its first patients. This modern, state-of-the-art facility brings enormous benefits for our communities by helping us cut waiting times and reduce health inequalities in the region.”
