This submission showcases the Day Treatment Centre (DTC) at the Freeman Hospital. The construction of a completely new facility designed to provide day surgery and reduce waiting times for patients on elective surgical pathways. The Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust recognised the increasing wait times and the unacceptable situation. Taking decisive action, the new facility was requested to be operational as soon as possible to make inroads into the backlog waiting lists.
What makes this project remarkable is the speed in which the solution was provided. From a blank sheet of paper to the use of a surgeon’s knife took only 10 months! Completing this project some 2 years earlier than traditional methodology has meant circa 16,000 operations will be provided sooner, benefitting many thousands of people in the Newcastle catchment area.
Never before has a building of such complexity, scale and standard been completed in this timescale. The shared belief and commitment of all parties was reflected in the integration of the different objectives. Through full collaboration, all contributors worked together to understand each other’s priorities and provide the right solution quickly and efficiently without needing to compromise.
Three Winning Facts:
- Dedication and pure collaboration between client, stakeholders, design team and contractor to make possible the impossible.
- Main Contractor, Design team and supply chain were chosen based on experience, knowledge, and quality, rather than lowest cost.
- Rapid Engagement process involving multiple stakeholders using innovative design tools.
