Modular AAU ‘the UK’s largest to date’

The project includes a new acute admissions unit (AAU), which is currently being built off-site by Yorkon under a £12 m contract believed to be the UK’s largest involving a modular healthcare building to date. Scheduled for completion for the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust this summer, the AAU forms part of a £34 m reorganisation and modernisation of acute services in the area.

Designed by Murphy Philipps Architects, the three-storey building will provide 120 beds for emergency admissions, two cardiac catheterisation laboratories, diagnostics, pharmacy manufacture and robotics, a library and roof-top plant room.

This spring, 150 steel-framed modules will be transported from the manufacturing location in York and craned into position to form the unit, with partitions, electrics, plumbing, sanitary ware and finishes already in place

Graham Ramsay, medical director at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are particularly pleased that we chose an off-site modular method of construction for the new building as it will significantly reduce disruption to our patients, staff and the local community.”

Yorkon says being able to start manufacture and fitting out of the new AAU before demolition work begins on site has saved six months of programme time, allowing the existing hospital to remain in use longer and the new building to be open and treating patients sooner.

As part of the project Medicinq Osborne will refurbish wards and other accommodation, and reconfigure the hospital’s access roads and car parking.