Architect-led design team appointed for hospital redevelopment
Posted: 30 November 2020
An
award-winning company has won the contract to redevelop the three hospitals
managed by West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (WHHT).
The ambitious plans* include up to 90% of new buildings at the Watford General Hospital site and also for some new buildings and facilities at the hospitals in Hemel Hempstead and St Albans.
BDP is an architect-led design team which will draw on a wide range of in-house experts to provide specialist help and support on:
- Delivering the outline business case (OBC) and design concepts for all three site
- Providing expertise in designing innovative buildings that are sustainable
BDP has been involved in numerous healthcare projects over six decades, including the recent NHS Nightingale projects, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and Clatterbridge Cancer Centre (both in Merseyside), Grange University Hospital in Wales and the Brunel Building at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.
Duane Passman, the trust’s acute redevelopment programme director, said:
"Not only have BDP created hospital buildings that look stunning, their focus on
getting the design right for patients – down to the tiniest detail – impressed
us. We are also assured by their experience of developing new hospital buildings
on existing sites and we are confident that they understand the importance of
minimising disruption, keeping sites safe and making sure that services can
continue to run as normal.
"Delivering a project of this scale and complexity is very much a partnership between the trust and BDP and requires working with various partners from construction firms to local authorities to create buildings which will support the sustainable delivery of healthcare."
Paul Johnson, BDP project director, said:
"On behalf of BDP, my colleague Neil Cadenhead and myself are delighted to have been selected to design this redevelopment project for WHHT supported by our multidisciplinary team of architects, engineers, landscape designers and town planners.
"We look forward to a successful and creative partnership with the many WHHT colleagues who will be involved in the project. We are absolutely confident that the resulting estate will be something that we, the trust and the people of Hertfordshire will be justifiably proud of."
Further information on BDP’s work in the healthcare sector can be found on their website. A presentation of their hospital buildings can be viewed here under ‘design’ alongside the design principles which sets the foundation for the delivery of safe and cost-effective quality healthcare.
Notes
* If the funding is approved, the plans at Watford include a large new clinical block to replace nearly all the clinical facilities on the site at present – excluding the current acute admissions unit. Most clinical services would be accommodated within brand new hospital facilities and the majority of inpatient accommodation would be single occupancy rooms. The redeveloped hospital will sit within a major regeneration project – Watford Riverwell – which will be landscaped and will offer green spaces and shops.
At Hemel Hempstead there are plans to provide a new purpose built urgent treatment and diagnostics centre and to further develop the range of medical care such as specialist diabetes and dermatology, which will move to this site. Hemel Hempstead Hospital will continue to provide diagnostic and outpatient services, with a focus on medical specialties and long term conditions.
St Albans City Hospital has been designated as the trust’s ‘Covid-free’ site and so its ability to continue to provide planned surgery is very important. This will be further enhanced by plans to overhaul its theatres, create a rapid access cancer diagnostic centre and expand the range of diagnostics available by providing MRI and CT scanners. This will increase the number of ‘one stop shop’ clinics and speed up diagnosis.
- For more information, please contact the communications team on: 01923 436280 or email: westherts.redevelopment@nhs.net. Out of hours, please call 07900 228031.
- West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves people from across Hertfordshire, north London and further afield. It operates from three hospitals: Watford General, St Albans City and Hemel Hempstead. The trust has a catchment area of over 500,000 people and is one of the largest employers locally, with around 5,000 staff and volunteers.
- For further information about the OBC please see our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ information sheet.
- If you are member of the public with an interest in the future of hospital services in west Hertfordshire please think about joining the Stakeholder Reference Group and if you are member of staff or healthcare partner you can join the Professional Reference Group. More information can be found here.
- For more information about our hospitals, visit www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk. You can also join our followers on Twitter (twitter.com/westhertsNHS) and find us on Facebook (facebook.com/westhertsNHS)
