Modular construction specialist Darwin Group has delivered a new ward, scaling 1744 sq m, for The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.
During the height of the UK’s COVID-19 lockdown, Darwin Group constructed brand-new, Respiratory Wards at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton. The two-storey build, provides an additional 54 beds split across two floors, providing two distinct additional areas for critical respiratory care.
Using Darwin Groups modern methods of construction and complete in-house service, the modular build was designed, manufactured and built in less than 12 weeks. Part of the construction was built off-site at Darwin Groups factory facility in Shrewsbury. The team then progressed the build on-site within a live hospital environment. Darwin Group’s commitment and dedication to adapt and strengthen its already comprehensive site working practices to observe social distancing measures, successfully enabled it to provide these much-needed facilities in spite of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to a high-quality structure, the new ward also features an air handling unit built specifically for high infectious disease which supplies in excess of 10 air changes per hour to protect both the patients and the staff.
Stew Watson, Head of Estates Development at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted with the new facilities that Darwin Group has provided at New Cross Hospital. The new Wards have been constructed to very high quality standards having also taken account of emerging COVID-19 Design Guidance mid development. The experience we have had working with the Darwin team has been excellent. This was an ambitious project, within demanding time frames together with a challenging site location during the height of the Pandemic, but we do not feel that the fast-track programme we set the Darwin Group has in any way been compromised as to the high standards that we expect at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.”
Charles Pierce, Managing Director at the Darwin Group, added: “This is our second of three permanent hospital wards that we are proudly delivering this year in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Each site has its individual needs and it’s thanks to the team’s expertise and consideration of their environment that we are able to deliver sites in such tight deadlines. It was our pleasure to be able to play our part in supporting the national health care’s response to the pandemic and we hope that the new ward provides them with the extra space they need to continue doing a remarkable service.”
Darwin Group’s highly skilled in-house team provided a unique turnkey service covering all stages of the design, planning, engineering and construction from start to finish, helping to deliver the necessary hospital space required.