The UK's first NHS National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) is expected to welcome its first patients in August after significant progress was made in resolving water quality issues that had delayed the opening of the new £105m specialist facility.
The 70-bed centre, located at the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate in Nottinghamshire, had been due to open earlier this year.
However, commissioning was postponed after testing identified that the building's water system did not yet meet the stringent microbiological standards required for a healthcare environment treating vulnerable and immunocompromised patients.
Integrated Health Projects (IHP), the joint venture between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine, was the lead contractor for the project and used the AI construction technology leader Buildots platform to support the delivery.
According to the NRC, investigations carried out by IHP found that the pipework itself was not responsible for the elevated Total Viable Count (TVC) levels. Other issues were identified as causal factors, including mixer taps.
Instead, remedial work has focused on replacing 183 mixer taps throughout the building, stabilising the hot water system and installing a chlorine dioxide unit to help maintain water quality.
Hospital water systems are subject to considerably stricter microbiological requirements than those in domestic or commercial buildings.
The NRC said the target TVC level is below 100 microorganisms per millilitre, equivalent to the standard applied to bottled drinking water.
IHP expects the final remedial work and validation testing to be completed in time for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) to formally take possession of the building in July.
Following handover, the Trust plans a four-week mobilisation period to commission clinical services, prepare equipment and train staff before admitting the first patients.
"Whilst this delay has been frustrating, it has always been essential that the building meets the high standards required before we begin caring for patients,” said Paul Matthew, CFO and Executive Senior Responsible Officer for the NRC programme at NUH.
Until the new centre becomes operational, specialist rehabilitation services continue to be delivered from Linden Lodge at Nottingham City Hospital and Ward C24 at Queen's Medical Centre by the clinical teams that will transfer to the NRC once it opens.
Delivered through the New Hospital Programme, the NRC has been designed to provide specialist rehabilitation for patients recovering from life-changing injury or illness.
The facility will combine inpatient rehabilitation services with research, education and innovation, creating a national hub intended to accelerate advances in rehabilitation medicine.
