Yorkon News Archives

05/07/2001 – Users welcome new mental health and learning disability centre in Newark

One of the first smaller PFI projects to be undertaken in the UK has been completed in Newark. Designed and built by Portakabin subsidiary and modular building specialists Yorkon, the single-storey, £1.5m scheme for Central Nottinghamshire NHS Trust provides facilities for people with mental health conditions and physical disabilities.

Funded by the Norwich Union Public Private Partnership (NUPPP), the centre replaces a variety of antiquated buildings spread across Newark. It has been designed by Yorkon to create a pleasant and welcoming environment internally and to complement the main hospital building, which was completed in 1996.

The centre provides a wide range of facilities for people with learning disabilities and mental health conditions, and comprises consulting, group therapy and activity rooms; a rehabilitation kitchen; community staff base and administrative offices. It also incorporates a new physiotherapy department to replace the facilities at the adjacent Newark Hospital.

Commenting on the construction of the new centre, Alan Sands, Director of Estates and Facilities at Central Nottinghamshire NHS Trust said, “This project is a major investment in mental health services. It has replaced totally inadequate facilities and is enabling staff from various disciplines to work under one roof, adjacent to Newark Hospital, providing co-ordinated and enhanced services to patients.”

He continued, “In our view, Yorkon has made a valuable contribution, not just in providing a quality building using modular construction and in a very short space of time, but in applying intelligent design ideas to meet our needs. The team managers and their staff like the overall feel and appearance of the building, and the design features such as the use of natural daylight and the layout of the main entrance. The centre also reflects the style of the main hospital building in its use of materials and blends in well to provide visual continuity.”

The scheme is now being operated by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, a major new trust which has been created to provide all mental health and learning disability services for the people of Nottinghamshire.