Supporting our NHS through COVID-19

In the battle against the global coronavirus pandemic, the healthcare industry is positioned firmly on the front line.

Facing numerous challenges as it fights back, one of the biggest issues the sector is facing is hospital bed shortages with the problem set to get worse if we can’t slow the rapid spread of the virus down. 

In response to the crisis, colleagues in our UK Design business are working hard behind the scenes to support clients and expediate the delivery of healthcare facilities across the country. 

“The team are working many extra hours to deliver in this challenging environment and their efforts are making a real difference in the fight against coronavirus” adds Jen Hamilton, Managing Director for Design. “They are working on some inspirational projects and are, rightfully, receiving a lot of very positive feedback on the back of their commitment to deliver”.

Solving the problems that matter, our architects and engineers are working on the following projects in response to COVID-19:

• Surge Centre Hospitals, Lancashire and North Wales: Our team are providing technical building services advice and design for the delivery of up to four, emergency field hospitals in the North West of England and North Wales. We are currently on site at two field hospitals providing circa 600 beds each, with challenging programmes to be delivered in two to three weeks. Site visits with a wider project team including the army, NHS and main contractor were held in preparation to share vital knowledge on required infrastructure and how to convert exiting sites.
• Intensive Critical Care Unit, pre-assessment room and modular ward, New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton: We are delivering architectural, building services and principal designer advice on a number of projects at New Cross Hospital Wolverhampton, part of one of the worst hit Trusts in the country. In the fallow area of the Urgent Emergency Care Centre, we are advising on a new 8 bed Critical Care Unit, a new 56 bed Modular Ward including 28 critical care beds set over two floors, and Pre-Assessment Rooms for Renal Dialysis Ward C8.
• Oxygen Capacity Works: We used our in-house medical gas Authorised Person and Structural Engineering expertise to advise on the transfer of an Oxygen Vacuum Insulated Evaporator (VIE) from one hospital to another to support COVID treatment. 
• Extending Heart and Lung Facilities, Wolverhampton: Our building services engineers are looking at assisting The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust in connection with extending their three-storey facility.
• Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Birmingham Children’s Hospital: Our architects and building services engineers are supporting the hospital as they reconfigure their intensive care unit. 
• Health clients: Our lift engineers are playing a vital role keeping our key clients moving at this critically important time. We are providing extra services where others have let them down including:
  • Statutory 6 monthly inspections where the equipment has to be isolated if not inspected
  • Equipment reliability investigations.

Thank you to all of our employees who are an essential part of the workforce that is answering the call to serve our community during this global pandemic.

RPS is here to solve problems that matter. We are keen to use our expertise to assist the fast delivery of healthcare facilities to meet the urgent care demand.

Speak to the team for support on your healthcare project.