Morgan Sindall Construction’s Eastern Counties business has been appointed by the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH) to deliver a new £25 million state-of-the-art diagnostic centre near to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Procured through the NHS Shared Business Services (SBS) framework, the new NNUH Diagnostic Centre will include five MRI machines, four CT scanners, two Ultrasound rooms and two X-Ray machines, bringing essential health services closer to the local community.
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is a large NHS academic teaching hospital in the Norwich Research Park on the western outskirts of Norwich. The Norwich Research Park brings together four independently renowned research institutes; John Innes Centre, Quadram Institute, Earlham Institute and The Sainsbury Laboratory with the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH).
The new 40,000 sq. ft structure will be situated next to the Quadram Institute on the Norwich Research Park, connecting the pre-existing infrastructure at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital to the new services. A steel frame will be installed with brick façade in keeping with the rest of the University Hospital estate.
As part of Morgan Sindall’s Intelligent Solutions approach to supporting its customers to decarbonise, the Eastern Counties business will implement carbon reduction measures throughout the design and construction process. The team will utilise Morgan Sindall’s carbon reduction tool CarboniCa, which will ensure that potential carbon outputs are managed and reduced across the entire building lifecycle.
The new diagnostic centre will benefit from an air source heat pump system and is aiming for a BREEAM Excellent rating.
The Eastern Counties business has a strong track record in delivering high-end healthcare facilities across the region, having recently celebrated a topping out ceremony at the charity-funded Priscilla Bacon Lodge Hospice and completing a number of vital upgrades at James Paget University Hospital during the last decade with live further works being delivered.
Alister Broadberry, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Eastern Counties, said: “Bringing essential, specialist services closer to local communities is paramount in serving the area in which we operate, as new facilities such as Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital’s diagnostic centre will play a key role in supporting patients and healthcare staff in the rapid diagnosis of disease, relieving pressure on waiting times and hospital workloads.
“Our open and collaborative approach means that we have been able to deliver sustainable healthcare facilities locally, regionally and nationally that are adapting to the changing needs of the community. The diagnostic centre is set to become a prime example of great design and the team’s forward-thinking approach, further enhancing Morgan Sindall’s reputation in the region.”
Simon Hackwell, Director of Strategy & Major Projects at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH) said: “Demand for almost all aspects of diagnostics has been rising year on year. Imaging is such an important part of so many of our clinical pathways, including cancer and other urgent referrals. The centre at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital will be in a new building on the Norwich Research Park. This means it will be separate from the hospital’s emergency and inpatient demand and allows us to maximise throughput with planned appointments. Taken together the programme across Norfolk is the largest investment in health facilities since the Norfolk and Norwich hospital was built over 20 years ago. After so long in the planning we are really looking forward to working in partnership with Morgan Sindall to get on and deliver this for our patients.”
