The constrained site was within a courtyard adjacent to operating theatres and next to major trauma/head injury wards. It was essential that all works were completed within 16 weeks to provide additional bed spaces in the winter.
LST was responsible for creating the external fabric, fitting out new office space and seminar rooms, providing shells for future fit-out at two levels as well as new clinical space. Our team also refurbished an area providing new staff changing facilities and a GP surgery, and delivered all associated mechanical and electrical installations.
Working in a live hospital environment required the site to be safely segregated and the construction programme to be stringently managed. Due to site constraints, deliveries were craned from the site compound over the main hospital block. Work, including crane operations, had to be stopped quickly if the emergency helicopter (air ambulance) was required to take off or land at the hospital.
To minimise disruption in terms of noise and to alleviate environmental concerns, LST liaised closely with each hospital department.
Other challenges included the need for all mechanical and electrical systems to remain live throughout the project, some of which were also connected to areas outside the hospital.
LST completed the project slightly ahead of programme helped by the excellent support provided by the hospital’s project manager and design team. Weekly, and sometimes daily, meetings were also held with the hospital’s team leaders and air traffic control.
“LST demonstrated an excellent understanding of our specific requirements for this project. We would like to particularly commend them on their project management, logistics and programming ability, both from within the office and on site. It is never easy carrying out work on a live site such as a hospital, but LST have demonstrated a genuine concern for the wellbeing of our patients and visitors. Their workmanship and response have always been good, and the sub-contractor workforce efficiently co-ordinated. The team has a 'can do' approach to problem solving and will work with us collaboratively to ensure any problems are resolved satisfactorily. Their communication, both with the project team and the wider stakeholder group, has been positive and much appreciated.”
