St Georges Hospital NHS Trust
| Used as: | Aseptic Pharmacy Unit |
| Location: | London, United Kingdom |
| Sector: | Healthcare |
| Solution: | Modular Building |
- One of the largest modular cleanrooms in the United Kingdom
- 14 separate modules, allowing for larger room sizes and future growth
- Positioned within a court yard, surrounded by 6-storey hospital buildings and on the roof of an existing facility
- Project management challenge to maintain surrounding operations. Minimal disruption despite 32 articulated lorries and 500 tonne crane with a 60m luffing jib
- Modular method resulted in 5% cost saving
"Without Clean Modules, we would have struggled to build the facility, which we desperately needed to expand our services to the hospital. Their modular solution really made the difference and we are delighted with the results."
Phillip Gent, Principal Pharmacist and QA Manager, St. Georges Hospital NHS Trust
Technical Specification:
This project shows the benefits of using modern modular construction techniques. At every stage, from concept through project planning to final completion, the use of modules proved the most appropriate. The result is a superb advanced new facility featuring the latest equipment that the customer is proud to show to other hospital pharmacies throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. The project was completed on time with minimal disturbance and the final cost was within budget, with a projected saving of 5% compared to other methods.
The numerous challenges included installation above an existing light well, which was not designed to support a new building of this scale. Site access was restricted, as it was completely surrounded by buildings up to 6-storeys high, housing many of the main hospital functions. Disruption to these services would have had a dramatic impact on the operational capability of this major teaching hospital.
A solution constructed from 14 steel modules set on a critical load bearing steel frame was developed, which provided a lightweight but rigid structure for prefabrication off-site and installation with the minimal amount of disruption to patients, staff, emergency services and public transport. The open modules also provided a versatile space within which the state-of-the art new cleanrooms could be created without the usual size limitations imposed by portable buildings. Existing air handling units could be re-located easily and additional units accommodated efficiently.
Military precision planning, involving the Metropolitan Police and London Transport for temporary diversions, allowed the fleet of 32 articulated lorries to move into position on time and in the correct order, despite there being no waiting allowed at the hospital itself. Each lift on to site involved a 500 tonne crane with a 60m luffing jib, which could only operate in calm weather and which took 9 hours to assemble. Safety was paramount, and the planning phase demanded a detailed Health & Safety risk assessment, particularly during the two lifts.