Work is continuing to ensure Humber NHS Foundation Trust makes the most of its buildings, improving the environment and surroundings for patients and staff.
Serving a population of 600,000 in a diverse area, the Trust has an extensive property portfolio across Hull and the East Riding.
Citycare has been working alongside the Estates Team to project manage various schemes as part of ongoing construction work to improve its buildings.
Adrian Snarr, the Trust’s Director of Finance, Informatics and Infrastructure, said the partnership with Citycare is working well.
He said: “We have continued to build the relationship working with Citycare, expanding the range of capital schemes they have supported us with, and started to focus on the strategic future of the Humber estate. Citycare was a key delivery partner in the development of Humber’s Estate Strategy, which was approved by the board in May 2015, and they are now supporting the Trust with more detailed work around our strategic ambitions. Across the NHS, capital resources are going to continue to be scarce and we continue to work with Citycare to look at innovative models of delivery. As we continue to build a relationship with Citycare, they gain a better understanding of our services, what the risks are and the environment in which we work.”
Overall, Citycare worked across 22 different schemes as part of the capital programme in 2015.
These include:
Humber Centre seclusion suites
This was the biggest and most complex of the projects in 2015, with a full refurbishment of two seclusion suites. Work was carried out one room at a time in a live environment to ensure the centre could remain operational. Work was completed on time and within budget, with a number of specialist items put in place, recognising the environment and patients using it. The purpose of the work was to bring the rooms up to current mental health specification.
Clinical cooling works
This work was done following a pharmacy report across 10 units where drugs are kept on site. There was a requirement to ensure the rooms were maintained at a set temperature to keep the drugs active. It was particularly challenging with it being across various sites and coordination was key to the success of the scheme. Air conditioning was installed alongside clinical cooling systems and the scope of the scheme changed during the project, which Citycare adapted to accommodate the extra work.
Millview Court patient kitchen and en suites
Citycare worked on the kitchen, which is for patient use, and upgraded the existing en suites to meet current standards. It was fully stripped out and there are now lock off, as well as emergency shut down, facilities. The work was carried out in a live environment with minimum disruption to the operation of the unit.
Westlands shower room, bathroom, toilet and en suite
Citycare worked in a live environment in the female inpatient unit, with eight rooms refurbished. The scheme grew from refurbishment of the shower room and bathroom to the eight room programme of work. The work was undertaken safely by fully screening it off and it was finished on time, with the additional work completed ahead of schedule.
Tim Wigglesworth, Citycare Chief Operations Officer, said: “We continue to give support to Humber NHS Foundation Trust in relation to development of their capital programme. We are also continuing to work with the Humber Estates Team to streamline their processes, helping with ongoing maintenance from a cost and efficiency perspective. The longer the positive working relationship with the Trust goes on, the stronger it will become, with us becoming an extension of their team as we learn more about their service and clinical requirements. Now, we are working with the Trust to help them with their capital programme for 2016/17 and we are constantly aware of making sure they get as much as possible for their money.”
