WEST HULL HEALTH HUB
Modality Partnership Hull had operated at full capacity from Springhead Medical Centre for almost 70 years, and the building was no longer fit-for-purpose.
Unable to offer scope for expansion, primary care and clinical activity was becoming more and more restricted, remaining limited to GP services. This meant Modality Partnership was unable to accommodate the anticipated increase in patient numbers in this area of Hull and faced major challenges to integrate its services.
As a result, the brief was to construct a fit-for-purpose health facility that would provide flexibility and allowed space for future expansion. Suitable space was identified upon a green field site located to the West of the City of Hull upon Calvert Lane, a major transport artery.
Having worked together on several Health Estate and LIFT buildings across the city, health estates company Citycare once again appointed Sewell Construction to build what is now known as the West Hull Health hub.
The Solution
The solution was a new two-storey health centre, the vision was to transform the way Springhead Health Centre provides care for its patients and for the new health centre to become part of Modality Partnership Hull’s Primary Care network in Hull and East Riding.
"Congratulations to the practice and the team behind the construction of the hub. We’re very proud to have this fantastic new building to add to Hull’s other outstanding healthcare facilities."
A MODERN SOLUTION
The health centre is highly insulated with large, glazed panel and curtain walling is utilised throughout to provide a bright interior. The open plan layout allows for disabled access and mobility scooter storage with private clinical spaces. There is more social spaces for staff, with increased parking for all building users, including a drop off point for taxis and ambulances and EV charging points.
The build also included a new substation to feed West Hull Health Hub and the future housing development.
A sustainable solution
Constructed using the BRE’s Environmental Assessment Method meant that a wide range of sustainable strategies were embodied in the design. The floor layouts offers flexibilty for the future and the rooms are standardised so they can have a number of uses. The building maximises natural light and ventilation throughout the day to reduce the building’s energy requirements, and has high standards of insulation throughout.
Photovoltaic panels were installed on the roof to support further reduced energy usage.
The challenges
The build was during the Covid-19 pandemic, so this cause disuptions to material delivery, labour and meant increased measures needed to be taken to avoid any spread. Early stakeholder engagement meant design and procurement remained on programme, with regular reviews and mitigation plans implemented with required.
There were numerous protected trees and shrubbery on the plot, which meant extra measures were taken to keep these, and we had to suspend some hedge removal work due to nesting birds in the car park. The residential location of the site restricted working hours and also meant logistics for site transport was complicated and site parking limited. Asbestos and knotweed was encountered on the site, which was removed by their relevant specialist contractors.
The results
An integration of services under one roof within the community, with the aim of limiting the need for hospital admission or care.
The two-storey building has 32 clinical rooms, including GP and nurse consulting rooms, treatment rooms, clinical support areas and office accommodation, as well as a reception and waiting area, a wheelchair accessible lift, baby changing area and buggy parking, a pharmacy and adjacent car park.
West Hull Health Hub is now part of Modality Partnership Hull Division which has a total of more than 60,000 patients across four sites in the city.
West Hull Health Hub social value journey – more than just a building
Testimonial from Dr Bushra Ali
“It will make such a difference to patients and clinicians, providing greater access to existing and improved health services, increased appointments and more flexibility and space in a fit-for-purpose environment. We need to have the facilities to adapt and be flexible, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and this much-needed facility will benefit thousands of patients in west Hull. Thank you to NHS Hull CCG and Citycare for their unwavering vision to make this a reality.”
“Many thanks once again for the health centre tour that you gave me. I was absolutely fascinated, and I was still buzzing hours later. Your knowledge is truly exceptional. The health and safety throughout the centre was outstanding and I listened intently to your description of all the new methods and how they worked, truly amazing. In truth, I could have stayed there all day and looked in every single room and have tried to see more of the ventilation system that was in place. To sum it up Rob, with you, Dave, and the rest of your marvellous crew at the helm, the owner and directors can be assured that their company is in very safe hands and should be very proud.”