Work is due to begin on the multi-million pound redevelopment of the main entrance and retail area at the University Hospital Southampton (UHS).
The revamp is part of an innovative deal from the hospital’s Commercial Estates Development Partnership (CEDP) – a joint venture between UHS and Interserve Prime.
The partnership, which is for up to 25 years and worth in the region of £150m in total, involves the organisations working together to secure funding for new development projects.
The partnership will be responsible for the design, building and financing of new facilities for UHS, while also providing the trust with a range of estates and support services.
The public-private deal – one of the first of its kind in an acute environment – will deliver a new welcome centre at the hospital and a varied range of retail and food and beverage outlets. The busy location has attracted interest from some of the most-popular names in retail, with tenancies confirmed for M&S Simply Food, M&S Café, Subway, Costa, WH Smith, and The Stock Shop. The new retail area is expected to be complete and fully operational by January 2016.
Nick Johnson, development projects director at UHS, said: “Ensuring a positive experience for our patients, visitors and staff is paramount. By working with Interserve Prime to secure funding, private investment can now be quickly channelled into facilities such as the main entrance and retail area – and this is where our public-private partnership really pays dividends.”
Leighton Chumbley, director at Interserve Prime, added: "We’ve created a solution that not only improves quality and choice by offering an enhanced range of outlets, but provides a vital revenue source for the Trust and a brand new Welcome Centre fitting of the hospital’s reputation for excellence.”
The Welcome Centre redevelopment is the first of several projects planned for the hospital that will generate additional capital and revenue for the trust, which can be invested back into improvements to patient services and care. This innovative approach to use commercial developments to improve NHS acute care facilities is an example of how the public and private sectors can successfully work together.
Interserve Prime and the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust formed a commercial estates development partnership last year to unlock a number of key sites within the hospital estate to benefit the trust. The initial programme of projects – starting with the new main entrance and welcome centre – includes enhanced parking services and a multi-storey car park, a patient hotel, and private patient facilities.
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- Prime Plc
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- WH Smith