Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust has begun construction of a new £12m Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC), which will move urgent but non-life-threatening care out of the hospital’s existing Emergency Department.
Work began on 28 September on the purpose-built facility, which is being delivered using modular buildings provided by healthcare infrastructure specialist Vanguard Healthcare Solutions.
The new UTC will replace the trust’s existing centre, which is currently located within the Emergency Department.
Relocating the service is intended to create additional capacity in the Emergency Department and reduce crowding by separating patients requiring urgent treatment from those needing emergency care for serious or life-threatening conditions.
The Trust said the new facility is also expected to provide improved privacy and dedicated waiting, assessment and treatment areas.
The purpose-built accommodation will incorporate measures to support infection prevention and control, while providing improved working conditions for staff.
The project is being funded through £12m of national investment from the Department of Health and Social Care, with the new centre scheduled to open in late December 2026.
John Palmer, Managing Director at RUH, said moving the UTC out of the Emergency Department would free up space for clinical teams treating seriously ill and injured patients.
The Trust is also working to simplify the patient journey and streamline clinical processes alongside the construction of the new facility.
Vanguard Healthcare Solutions is providing the modular buildings for the centre.
The company was previously approved as principal contractor for the UTC modular project under the NHS Shared Business Services framework.
Simon Squirrell, UK Business Director at Vanguard Healthcare Solutions, said the company would focus on delivering the facility while minimising disruption to existing hospital services.
The existing UTC and Emergency Department will remain operational throughout the construction period.
A UTC provides same-day treatment for urgent health problems that are not life-threatening, while emergency departments treat serious injuries and life-threatening conditions requiring immediate assessment and treatment.
