Patients and staff on the major trauma ward at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, south London, are now benefitting from more efficient facilities following a refurbishment project by multi-disciplinary consultancy, Pick Everard.
The Holdsworth Ward has undergone operational and spatial improvements, including upgraded sanitary facilities, bedhead services, and infrastructure elements. Pick Everard completed full RIBA Stage 1-6 delivery covering architecture, structural engineering, design management, health and safety services (CDM), and clerk of works.
John Clarke, director at Pick Everard, said: “While the ward was isolated and completely shut down during the works, this project took place within a live hospital site, requiring a high level of competence and care. Much of the success can be attributed to the collaborative approach between our in-house departments, which provided an effective, coordinated solution for the client. We were able to realise the Trust’s design aspirations within the practical constraints of an existing building, project budget, and demanding programme.”
St George’s is among the UK’s leading teaching hospitals, and south-west London’s largest acute healthcare services provider. It has one of England’s busiest emergency departments, and operates several major trauma wards, constructed in the 1980s.
The major trauma ward’s new design altered the existing arrangement to reduce overcrowding and bring it in line with current regulations, with four multi-bed bays containing 18 beds, and four single rooms with en-suites, and two assisted showers. A new treatment room and dirty/clean utility rooms were added, and the staff room and kitchen space improved, with lockers for private storage.
Installing a new air-handling unit and UPS / IPS plant on the roof required careful coordination, as it houses a helipad and all associated services within a helipad cabin. To mitigate any conflicts with its operation, the Pick Everard team conducted various design option studies and risk analyses on potential plant locations – involving extensive consultations with the building's specialist suppliers and contractors to minimise disruption and mitigate risks during construction.
“While we have extensive experience in the healthcare sector, this was our first project with this NHS Trust,” John Clarke added. “It was attained through the £1.6 bn NHS Shared Business Services Framework that Pick Everard was recently re-appointed to. Originally, we were brought in for a feasibility study, but this became a full Stage 1-6 delivery – a great achievement for the team, and reflective of our understanding and reputation in this sector.”
