Case study: A beacon of future primary care services

Modality Partnership (Hull) had operated at full capacity from Springhead Medical Centre for almost 70 years, and their 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 land was identified upon a green field site located just one mile from the existing surgery, on Calvert Lane in West Hull.

Due to the changing landscape for delivery of private finance models across the UK, the development was to be taken forward using a third-party developer approach by Citycare and investor Community Health Partnerships, on behalf of NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group. This would be the first time this model of delivery has been utilised to deliver health estate transformation in Hull.

As the trusted NHS estates partner, Citycare had already delivered 13 health centres across the city on behalf of NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group, including the Jean Bishop Integrated Health Centre.

Solution:

The solution was a new two-storey health centre designed to transform the way The Modality Primary Care Network provides care for its patients.

Citycare support health and social care delivery through transformational estates solutions, and its main roles on this project included:

• Estates strategy and planning to deliver a more integrated health and social care system, with a fully utilised, fit for purpose estate to support it. Citycare acts for all stakeholders in the health system whether commissioners or providers – becoming the glue that joins different parts of the organisational landscape together,
• Assistance in the development of the Modality Group Business Case,
• Leading the development of a successful planning application for the development,
• Programme and project management,
• Contracting with the construction supply chain partner to undertake the construction of the new health centre,
• Development management, particularly in design, land acquisition, planning and project funding and construction delivery.

Forming part of Modality Partnership Hull’s Primary Care network in Hull and East Riding, the new West Hull Health Hub was delivered by Sewell Construction, which has previously worked alongside Citycare in the development of the health estate in the city.

Challenges:

• Programme was monitored and managed closely throughout the build process taking account of material and labour disruptions present due to the Covid-19 pandemic,
• Early engagement with suppliers, designers, and contractors ensured that design and procurement remained on programme,
• Being constructed in a residential area within west Hull, resident communication was key to keep local people updated on progress of the build and the vision for what was being created,
• Minimising disruption where possible.

Results:

The brand-new West Hull Health Hub was handed over to Modality Partnership in December 2021, just over a year after construction started on site. Integrating health services under one roof will allow patients to access more services in their local community, reducing the need for hospital admission or care.

The new 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 serves over 60,000 patients across four sites in the city.
A proven model of delivery.

The happy client:

Dr Bushra Ali, GP and Partner at Modality Partnership and member of the NHS Hull CCG Board

“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.”

Erica Daley, Chief Operating Officer at NHS Hull CCG

“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.”