LSI Architects was commissioned by NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System to design diagnostic centres for James Paget University Hospital and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn.
It was previously announced that hospitals in Norfolk and Waveney will be receiving new diagnostic centres after the projects were given the green light by the Department of Health and Social Care.
The James Paget University Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn are two out of three acute hospital sites to benefit from new diagnostic centres in the Norfolk and Waveney areas.
The £85.9m investment into these three centres by the Department of Health and Social Care is the largest capital investment from this government body that the region has received for over 20 years.
Patient experience was at the heart of the design of the diagnostic centres
“Both centres have been delivered on time and within budget, with the James Paget site now welcoming patients, and the centre at the QEH set to open in the autumn, making them both amongst the first of the NHS’s Community Diagnostic Centre initiative,” Steven Cotton, Associate Director of LSI Architects, said.
James Paget University Hospital is part of James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn, part of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Trust.
R G Carter, a UK-based construction firm, is the main contractor on both of these diagnostic centres.
The design process
The diagnostic centres at both the James Paget University Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital shared an identical design brief including a challenging maximum gross internal floor area.
These diagnostic centres have been developed with a similar sense of identity to reinforce that they are part of one programme, The Norfolk Diagnostic Assessment Centre (DAC) programme.
The Norfolk Diagnostic Assessment Centre (DAC) programme began as a single, large diagnostic facility at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
“After evaluation the programme developed into a shared service, with new facilities to also be provided at two other regional Norfolk hospitals, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn and the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston, placing the facilities into the community and significantly reducing travel time for the majority of patients. All three buildings have been developed with a similar sense of identity to reinforce that they are part of one programme,” Cotton explained.
The stakeholder engagement process was also supplemented by a DQIfH (Design Quality Indicator for Health) review
Patient experience was at the heart of the design of the diagnostic centres. In response to this brief patient pathways were developed through intensive stakeholder engagement with clinical teams at each hospital to establish a highly efficient circulation plan focusing on those patient pathways.
The result was an internal layout that supported the clinical teams in creating a high-quality patient experience.
The floor plan for the James Paget site went through a further stakeholder review process to refine the design in support of the hospital’s teaching programme. This included expanding certain clinical control rooms to facilitate student observation and mentoring.
The stakeholder engagement process was also supplemented by a DQIfH (Design Quality Indicator for Health) review and close collaboration between the teams continued throughout the construction process.
Challenges faced and conquered during the design process
Space and cost were the primary challenges faced by the planning team at LSI Architects on this project.
"A primary challenge for both centres was accommodating the necessary diagnostic equipment within the limited available space. Cost also presented a challenge, however close and continual collaboration with cost consultants Lexica enabled value engineering to be integrated throughout the entire design process," Cotton explained.
For the diagnostic centre at the James Paget Hospital, there was a desire from the planners for the elevations to be ‘broken up’ to give a more intimate feel and scale to the building
Finally, the design team positively engaged with local planning departments and responded to a number of comments as a result of the consultation process.
"For the diagnostic centre at the James Paget Hospital, there was a desire from the planners for the elevations to be ‘broken up’ to give a more intimate feel and scale to the building. This has been achieved using recessed panels to compliment the brick banding," Cotton said.
The functional aspects of the Centres
Both centres are two-storey buildings, with the ground floor of each dedicated to diagnostic equipment and associated facilities and the first floor of each building is dedicated to the extensive plant requirements.
To further establish a shared sense of identity between the two buildings, both buildings are clad in a buff brick and feature a double-height covered entrance area and brick colonnade over two-storeys, as well as a recessed brick reveal detail.
The massing steps back at the top storey and makes the centres primarily single-storey in appearance. The design team added this detail to allow each building to nestle comfortably into its surroundings.
The design team thought about lighting and how natural light can be utilised in the buildings.
Further, the design team thought about lighting and how natural light can be utilised in the buildings.
For each building, the main entrance lobby, reception, and waiting area were designed to sit behind a tall glazed recessed curtain walling, bringing generous amounts of natural light deep into the space.
"This takes on design principles associated with ‘human comfort in buildings’ whereby environments that are comfortable for their occupants can help improve the overall experience for patients and staff using the space and have a positive impact on their social, physical, and mental well-being. The use of natural day lighting throughout the buildings for example, with views to the outside for both patients and staff, has been an important feature of the designs from the beginning," Cotton said.
Sustainability
Both buildings have been designed to achieve Net Zero Carbon in operation and BREEAM Excellent, supporting the local and national estates strategies aspirations of becoming net zero carbon.
Both buildings have been designed to achieve Net Zero Carbon in operation
This has been achieved by ensuring that the buildings are all-electric, eliminating the use of fossil-fuels, as well as the installation of solar PV’s.
Patient experience
The new James Paget Community Diagnostic Centre opened in July.
Patients are now benefiting from having a dedicated centre close to home that offers a simplified patient pathway and less stressful medical experience
"Feedback from users of the new James Paget Community Diagnostic Centre has been very positive since it’s opening in July. Patients are now benefiting from having a dedicated centre close to home that offers a simplified patient pathway and less stressful medical experience," Cotton enthused.
Featured companies
- Companies:
- James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn
- R G Carter Construction