Modular experts Portakabin have built the Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust a bespoke 27-bed surgical ward within four months
Named ‘The Charnley Ward’, the state-of-the-art building has been suspended 25 feet above a car park and is linked directly to the first floor of the hospital.
With the hospital running at capacity, an urgent need for additional ward space meant any solution had to be built upwards, instead of outwards. From the executive decision to construct the ward in August, to the opening in December, the Trust worked closely with construction partners Portakabin, to build the facility on the existing site footprint, where space is always at a premium.
The Portakabin team had an excellent track record in delivering healthcare space in record-breaking time and the Trust recognised their specialist capability.
Robert Snook, Director and General Manager, Portakabin said: “The unrelenting dedication and hard-working nature of NHS staff shouldn’t be the only thing health providers rely on when the pressure is on busy healthcare departments – best practice encourages hospitals to always be proactively planning care, assessing variations in risk and working towards high-quality continuation in healthcare. We specialise in this; providing healthcare space quickly, with no compromise on quality.”
Charnley ward is a 27-bed ward designed to expand capacity, ease pressure on the Emergency Department and improve patient flow. Co-located next to operating theatres, it provides a seamless transition for patients to a ward bed following surgery.
The ward was named by the hospital's Patient Panel after Sir John Charnley – a British orthopaedic surgeon who pioneered the first hip replacement operation.
As a dedicated surgical ward, it co-locates patients next to operating theatres and makes a smoother patient journey, better outcomes and enhanced experience for our patients. It provides more spacious, modern facilities, with air conditioning and en-suite bathrooms, which helps patient recovery and enhances their experience.