Due to the closure of the previous three-story Roehampton building, Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was looking for a new purpose-built unit to house its growing outpatient services for the gynaecology, audiology, and ear, nose and throat departments.
After a discussion with the Wernick Buildings team, it was decided that two separate modular healthcare buildings onsite would offer the most-timely and cost-effective solution to accommodate all three hospital departments.
And the first building delivered by Wernick was the gynaecology outpatient clinic – the Willow Building.
Through a competitive tender process, Wernick Buildings presented a full turnkey solution, which included a complete groundworks package and service connection.
Designed for outpatient use, the two-storey BREEAM-rated block offers several HTN/HBN-compliant amenities including consultation areas, procedure and recovery rooms, staff offices, changing facilities, and accessible toilets.
The reception and waiting area feature an open floorplan, creating a spacious welcome area for patients.
The building is comprised of 30 modules and showcases sleek cladding, PV panels, and a state-of-the-art plant room on the second storey.
Wernick worked closely with ADP Architecture during the design process and clinic nurses, doctors, and other staff were consulted in the planning process, assuring their specific needs and requests were met.
Clinical director, Meena Shankar, said: “The building was ready to use very quickly and is very modern and comfortable.
“We were excited about being involved with the design team from the beginning to get exactly what we wanted.”
The clinic features a modern interior with a cool green colour pallet.
The interior was designed to help provide a calming environment for patients who may be undergoing difficult procedures.
And the layout boasts a convenient one-way traffic system to support improved infection control measures highlighted through COVID and includes a patient-sensitive discrete exit.
The interior was designed to be modern and comfortable, with a cool green colour palette
In addition, Wernick was able to provide two temporary modular office buildings to house other displaced departments immediately following the closure of Roehampton Wing.
The building modules were constructed offsite, which allowed for minimal disruption and noise pollution to the surrounding area.
Crews also overcame several challenges when transporting and installing the modules into place on the property.
The building site was landlocked by three roads and located at the front of the hospital entrance near an ambulance and emergency facility so crane operatives had to take special care to manoeuvre the modules in a dense area surrounded by other buildings.
A second clinic – the Aspen Building – housing the audiology and ear, nose and throat departments was completed earlier this year.
Offsite construction methods are attractive to NHS trusts as they can dramatically reduce build programmes.
Facilities can be operational in a matter of months, compared to years for many traditional build projects.
They also reduce onsite disruption and associated health and safety risks.
The building comprised 30 offsite-constructed modules and includes solar PV panels