The Constructing Excellence Offsite Manufacturing & Technology Group recently hosted an insightful session exploring how industrialised construction is shaping the New Hospitals Programme (NHP)—one of the UK’s largest infrastructure initiatives. This ambitious programme is delivering next-generation hospitals through a centralised approach that combines modern methods of construction (MMC), digital strategies, and a common commercial framework to unlock economies of scale and mitigate supply chain constraints.
The session featured three key speakers:
- Doug Baldock, Executive Director of Technical Services, provided an overview of NHP and its strategic vision.
- Emily King, Industrialisation Director, shared how and why industrialised construction is being embedded across the programme.
- Abbie Romano, Product Development Process Lead, offered a deep dive into the product development journey and priority components.
A Strategic Overview
The New Hospitals Programme is not just about building hospitals—it’s about creating a system-wide transformation. As one of the largest infrastructure programmes in the UK, NHP encompasses multiple waves of delivery, each requiring a consistent yet adaptable approach.
Key strategic elements include:
- Programme Scale and Complexity: Coordinating multiple sites under a unified vision.
- Centralised Design Principles: A common set of design standards and digital strategies ensures interoperability and efficiency.
- Commercial and Procurement Strategy: A unified approach to procurement is critical for achieving economies of scale and mitigating supply chain risks.
- Transformational Benefits: Beyond infrastructure, the programme aims to improve patient outcomes, operational efficiency, and sustainability through industrialised construction.
Hospital 2.0: A New Design Philosophy
At the heart of NHP is Hospital 2.0, a design approach focused on patient-centric care and operational efficiency. Key features include:
- Standardised Design Grid: A flexible structural chassis that supports modular clusters, enabling adaptability across diverse hospital topologies.
- Reference Design Libraries: Comprehensive sets of departmental and room-level designs, supported by interactive 3D walk-throughs for stakeholder engagement.
- Digital Integration: QR-enabled access to design models, making complex plans accessible to non-technical stakeholders.
Industrialisation in Action
Delivering projects of this scale—often exceeding £800 million—requires robust supply chain strategies. The programme addresses challenges of appetite, capacity, and capability within the industry while driving early engagement and investment in manufacturing.
A key innovation is the development of a product platform approach, creating standardised components that can be deployed across multiple sites. This accelerates delivery and ensures consistency and quality.
Product Development and Supply Chain Engagement
The structured product development process focuses on priority components such as facades and structural elements. Collaboration with suppliers and early visibility of demand are essential to enable investment in tooling, factory capacity, and skills.
To support this, mechanisms like the upcoming COPE platform will allow suppliers to register products and validate them against NHP criteria, fostering transparency and confidence in long-term investment.
Unlocking the Benefits
True industrialisation requires certainty: guarantees of future work enable suppliers to invest in moulds, factory capacity, and skills. By combining design standardisation, digital tools, and strategic procurement, NHP aims to provide that certainty and unlock the full potential of MMC.
Why It Matters:
The New Hospitals Programme is setting a benchmark for industrialised construction in healthcare. By leveraging modular design, digital engagement, and collaborative supply chain strategies, it is delivering transformational benefits for patients, clinicians, and the construction industry alike.
Get Involved
This session was held as part of the Constructing Excellence Offsite, Manufacturing & Technology group. To find out more about this group and their activities, visit the group’s page. Alternatively, find out about our other groups here or explore our upcoming events on the events page.
