We recently completed the handover of our modular 20-bed isolation ward at Royal Surrey County Hospital and we’re proud to say that the project won praise from all parties involved for the speed of our response.
The new ward was specified in March as part of the hospital’s COVID-19 pandemic response, and was completed in a timeframe of 14 weeks from initial enquiry to handover. The project was even praised in the House of Commons by Guildford MP Angela Richardson, who asked the secretary of state for health and social care, Matt Hancock to join her in congratulating the hospital in its achievement.
Gary Mountjoy, associate director for estates facilities, health safety and major capital projects at Royal Surrey County Hospital, commented: “Elite is one of the top contractors we’ve ever worked with. A solution like this 20-bed ward would typically take two years to deliver – completing it within 14 weeks, as Elite have done, is unheard of within our industry, and this was only possible through the company’s support and ability to rise to the challenge.
“I would like to thank the whole team at Elite Systems on behalf of Royal Surrey for their long hours and dedication to making the project happen in such a short timeline.”
From the moment the project was announced, agility was of the utmost importance, which is why we responded to the initial enquiry and conducted our first site visit within 24 hours, allowing the hospital to progress quickly to the design and build stage of the process. We collaborated with the hospital throughout, amending the design to suit the needs of the healthcare team, and adapting our manufacturing and fit-out process to ensure a very fast turnaround.
After collaborating closely with the hospital on the design phase, our team commenced groundworks on-site at the same time as the factory team began constructing the 24 modules that would make up the ward building. Utilising our modern methods of offsite construction meant that the timeframe for the project was dramatically reduced.
The outer shell of the building, as well as the partitioning and wall-linings, were built in the factory, as was the anti-bacterial cladding on the walls of the individual patient isolation rooms, washrooms, and other clinical areas. Once complete to this stage, we transported the modules to Surrey and craned them into position, ready for the internal works to be finished, including mechanical and electrical fit-out and plumbing.
The new ward was officially opened on 20th July 2020, less than four months after the first enquiry was made.
Commenting on the project, Elite Systems’ commercial director Jason Bowker said: “This project set a new benchmark for us at Elite, and I am very proud of what we have achieved. We’re delighted to have been able to support the NHS, and I believe we have demonstrated that bespoke modular construction is an ideal solution for healthcare projects – especially where speed is of the essence.”
