Yorkon News Archives
14/02/2005 – Yorkon Completes New Cardiac Unit and Reduces Construction Time by 30 Per Cent
Off-site construction specialist and Portakabin subsidiary, Yorkon, has completed the design and construction of a new £2.3m cardiac suite at Lister Hospital in Stevenage, which is part of East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust. The building was built in just seven months from the start of work on site, a reduction on the programme time of around 30 per cent compared to conventional site-based building methods.
In its first year alone, the new centre expects to care for 1,500 people from across east and north Hertfordshire, dramatically improving waiting times for patients and allowing the Trust to quadruple capacity.
Until the facility opened, those patients requiring specialist cardiac diagnostic procedures had to travel to London or use an ageing mobile unit that visited the hospital once a week.
Commenting on the new unit, Peter Gibson, Head of Public Affairs at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, said, "The treatment of coronary heart disease is one of our biggest priorities and is a key area for improvement in the Government's NHS Plan. By completing the purpose-designed building in a considerably shorter timescale, there is a direct benefit to patients who can now be seen and treated much earlier and in a state-of-the-art facility."
"We are very happy with the building and are impressed with the quality of finish. The use of off-site construction also enabled us to significantly reduce disruption to the running of the hospital during the build programme. This was a key factor given the location of the new centre, which is adjacent to the paediatrics unit and in close proximity to the accident and emergency department. I am pleased to report that both staff and patients are absolutely delighted with the new facilities."
Keith Blanshard, Director and General Manager of Yorkon, added, "The logistics of constructing a building so close to other busy hospital departments, including paediatrics, A&E and outpatients, had to be addressed as part of the project, ensuring the highest levels of safety, privacy and security. We also had to maintain access for emergency vehicles at all times and scheduled the cranage operations for weekends, when outpatients clinics are closed, to further minimise disruption. The speed of the modular approach limited the time on site, which was another important advantage for the Trust."
The cardiac unit accommodates the latest in medical scanning technology, a full catheterisation laboratory and control room, associated treatment rooms, a 9-bay recovery ward, facilities for staff and a reception area.
The single-storey building was manufactured off-site at Yorkon's production centre in York and craned into position ready for fitting out and installation of the new scanner. The unit was located in an under-utilised courtyard and linked to the main hospital.
Yorkon has been manufacturing award-winning modular buildings for more than two decades. This highly innovative method of construction is an efficient alternative to traditional site-based construction – saving time, guaranteeing quality and minimising disruption.
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