The Project
The works were to convert a former egg hatchery into a suite of physiotherapy consultancy rooms and associated administration facilities in order to allow all such services to be provided from a location other than Grantham Hospital, which was to become a “covid free” zone. The works had to be completed as a matter of extreme urgency in order to provide services away from Grantham Hospital.
The site formed part of a wider estate in the ownership of Moy Park with the NHS taking temporary occupancy of the site, with the intention being for the site to revert to Moy Park occupation at some point in the near future. Works were to provide a suite of Physiotherapy spaces including consulting rooms and all the associated administration offices, storage space, waiting areas, circulation space etc. The adaptation works to achieve this in a former egg hatchery were considerable including the refinishing of all existing offices, the installation of new floors, walls and ceilings and all associated mechanical and electrical services and fittings.
A further complication was the presence on the same site of live NHS patient services, meaning members of the public would be attending the site and walking in close proximity to the construction works, including passing across the route from the materials storage area to the construction works area, creating a considerable concern and risk of conflict.
The Challenge
The greatest challenge on this programme was achieving the clients required programme, and carrying out works on a site which would also be visited by patients throughout the works. This was all to be done during the height of the Covid pandemic.
The Solution
In order to achieve the required completion date works commenced on site ahead of the completion of full design. A double shift working pattern was also adopted to achieve faster progress on site. These proposals required Make Consulting to carefully review the contractors proposals in order to ensure safe working practices were being adopted. We also ensured proper communication was in place to ensure that the design information continued to flow from designers to contractors.
We also ensured the client was aware of their responsibility under the CDM regulations in order to ensure they did not cause a breach of the regulations through attempts to achieve a completion date which did not allow proper time resources for the work.
The Outcome
Works commenced on site with Health and Safety and all CDM requirements having been given proper consideration and an appropriate Construction Phase Plan in place. Works proceeded at pace and completed on time with no accidents or near misses allowing the successful relocation of physiotherapy services away from Grantham Hospital.
