ModuleCo, a specialist in modular healthcare facilities, has delivered a turnkey modular Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) for Barking, Havering, and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust at Barking Community Hospital.
This state-of-the-art facility is one of the first of the forty new community diagnostic facilities promised by the government to enhance NHS services.
The new modular CDC is poised to perform 50,000 scans and tests annually, significantly expediting the diagnosis and treatment of patients in the local community.
Among its many innovations, the facility introduces minimally invasive procedures using a cytosponge to detect cancer or pre-cancerous conditions of the stomach and gullet, and colon capsules that contain a small disposable camera to capture thousands of images as it travels through the gut, aiding in symptom identification.
This state-of-the-art facility is one of the first of the forty new community diagnostic facilities promised by the government to enhance NHS services
Manufactured to almost 90% completion off-site at ModuleCo’s specialist manufacturing centre in Gloucestershire, the facility was simultaneously built while enabling works were conducted on-site.
This approach not only reduced the overall project timeline but also minimised disruption to the small hospital site and the surrounding community.
ModuleCo’s design team engaged extensively with future end users of the facility, ensuring that the provided accommodation, equipment, and finish met the precise needs of both patients and staff.
The ground floor features specialist CT and MRI scanning rooms with a central control room, seven diagnostic/assessment rooms tailored to various specialties from cardiology to phlebotomy, and a spacious open-plan waiting area with an integrated reception desk.
Manufactured to almost 90% completion off-site at ModuleCo’s specialist manufacturing centre in Gloucestershire
The facility also includes essential support spaces such as clean and dirty utilities, a changing places room, a platform lift, and two stair cores to enhance access.
The first floor is dedicated to staff facilities, including changing areas, showers, and rest spaces, with a future-proof design for potential retrofit to accommodate more diagnostic/assessment areas.
Aiming for a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, the project incorporates low-carbon technologies such as air source heat pumps and PV panels, which occupy the available roof space.
The enhanced performance of the building’s thermal envelope also aligns with the new Part L building regulations, ensuring efficient heating and cooling.
Aiming for a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, the project incorporates low-carbon technologies such as air source heat pumps and PV panels
ModuleCo also managed the challenging enabling works, coordinating with UKPN, Essex and Suffolk Water, and Transport for London.
This included the installation of a new HV power supply, housed within a newly-built substation, and the provision of new water and fibre supplies, making the new facility standalone from the rest of the hospital site.
A standby generator ensures resilience in case of a mains power outage.
Trust Chief Executive, Matthew Trainer, said: "The centre will have a huge impact on residents across northeast London in the heart of Barking. For those worrying they might have cancer, it means we can give them the news they need quicker, either the all-clear so they can get on with their lives or, if they are diagnosed, we can give them the treatment they need."
Councillor Maureen Worby, an early supporter of the CDC, said: "I can’t explain how much of a difference this is going to make for our local residents. The commitment from the very beginning to have patients involved in the design is wonderful. It means patients feel relaxed, comfortable and that they are going to be put first."
Top image: Barking Community Diagnostic Centre Image credit: ModuleCo