St Richard’s Hospital, Temporary Decant Modular Mortuary Facility.

Project Brief

As part of a wider redevelopment programme at St Richard's Hospital, Chichester, a temporary modular mortuary facility was required on a hire basis to maintain essential mortuary services while works to the existing mortuary building were planned.
Elite Systems was appointed by Morgan Sindall to deliver a purpose-built modular mortuary facility capable of meeting the operational, compliance and service requirements of a live healthcare environment. The building was required to provide a fully functional mortuary solution while ensuring continuity of service for the Trust throughout the redevelopment programme.

Client

St Richard’s Hospital (Morgan Sindall)

Sector

Healthcare

Location

West Sussex

Our Approach

Elite Systems worked closely with Morgan Sindall, project consultants and the Trust to deliver a temporary modular mortuary facility that maintained essential mortuary services throughout the hospital redevelopment programme.

The project required a flexible approach as stakeholder requirements evolved during delivery. By combining temporary-quality modular accommodation with a specialist refrigerated body storage facility, Elite Systems provided a fully operational solution tailored to the Trust's needs, while minimising disruption within the live hospital environment.

Our Building Solution

The completed modular mortuary facility successfully supported the hospital's operational requirements while accommodating the evolving needs of the wider redevelopment programme. Working closely with Morgan Sindall, consultants and hospital stakeholders, Elite Systems delivered approximately 94m² of modular mortuary accommodation together with a specialist refrigerated body storage facility (inc body storage 340m ), designed to support mortuary operations within a live hospital environment.

Key Features

The facility also incorporated a range of mortuary, preparation and support spaces, including:

Mortuary / Examination Room
Bier Room
Relatives Room Office
Technician Room
Staff Room
Accessible WC Facilities
Male and Female WC and Shower Facilities
Sluice Room Storage Areas
Electrical Services Accommodation
Reception and Circulation Space

The Main Features

Outside

Externally, the facility included a secure service yard with dedicated ambulance and hearse access, staff and visitor parking, external plant equipment, covered canopy areas, and purpose-designed access routes to support the efficient operation of the mortuary.

Inside

Internally, the building provided a fully equipped mortuary environment comprising specialist refrigerated body storage, a post-mortem room, body reception and handling areas, viewing and family facilities, staff welfare and changing areas, office accommodation, storage, and supporting plant and service rooms designed to meet the operational requirements of the hospital.

Challenges & how we overcame them

What began as a temporary modular mortuary facility developed into a wider programme involving additional compliance works, estate improvements, demolition activities and future healthcare planning considerations, requiring continual design development throughout the project.

Temporary and permanent compounds, access routes and covered walkways were redesigned on several occasions to accommodate changing operational requirements and site constraints.

All works were coordinated within an operational NHS hospital, requiring careful planning to minimise disruption while maintaining safe access for staff, visitors and hospital services.

Construction activities needed to be carefully phased to ensure the hospital could continue operating safely and effectively while improvement works progressed around the site.

The project involved multiple stakeholders, consultants and hospital departments, resulting in evolving requirements and ongoing design refinements throughout the delivery programme.

The modular solution required ongoing adaptation to accommodate changing stakeholder requirements, operational needs and compliance considerations while maintaining programme progression.

Modular Construction

The building was manufactured off-site within Elite Systems’ controlled factory environment before being delivered and installed on site.

Off-site modular construction helped reduce on-site programme time, minimise disruption to the school and maintain consistent quality throughout the build process.

Precision-engineered modular construction also allowed the project team to carefully coordinate installation works within the restricted site conditions

The Results

Following occupation, the building met the Trust's requirements so successfully that the Trust chose to purchase and retain the facility as part of the hospital estate, removing the need to refurbish the original mortuary building. The successful delivery of the project resulted in positive feedback from both the principal contractor and end client, with the principal contractor confirming they would be happy to work with Elite Systems again and commenting:

“The client was delighted with the outcome!”

Tom Bowcock

Managing Quantity Surveyor - Morgan Sindall

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