New surgery unit makes best use of MMCs

[A NEW SURGICAL CENTRE that is set to benefit thousands of patients a year is now open at Kent and Canterbury Hospital, part of the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust.

The new centre has four state-of-the-art operating theatres which, together with two 24-bed wards, are dedicated to patients needing planned inpatient orthopaedic surgery – such as hip and knee replacements – and will treat around 3,500 people a year.

Susan Acott, East Kent Hospitals chief executive, said: “The new surgical centre is a really exciting investment at the hospital that will help us ensure that every patient gets the highest quality care, is treated in state-of-the-art facilities and in a timely way.”

The new centre is the second phase of a national NHS Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) pilot in East Kent that aims to demonstrate that separating planned inpatient orthopaedic operations from emergency care benefits both sets of patients. Where these changes have been introduced, both in East Kent and elsewhere, waiting times have been reduced and fewer operations cancelled.

In addition to the benefits that a dedicated centre of excellence brings to patients and staff, it will also free up theatres and beds at the trust’s Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) and William Harvey hospitals for trauma and cancer surgery.

The centre has been a number of years in the planning, involving many different teams across the trust and partners, including 2Gether Support Solutions and Wilmslow-based MMC (modern methods of construction) specialist MTX Contracts Ltd.

MTX specialise in the use of innovative MMCs to deliver fast-track building solutions to the NHS and other private healthcare sectors throughout the UK. With more than 40 years of specialist healthcare experience, MTX’s fast-track construction methods reduce time on site by up to 60%, meaning faster installations with less noise and disruption, as well as a greener, more energy-efficient solution, with no compromise on quality.

Omar Yanni, East Kent Hospitals’ lead doctor for trauma and orthopaedics, enthused: “To see everybody’s hard work come to fruition is fantastic. There’s been so much passion for this project from the many teams involved, who have shown real dedication to getting the centre open for our patients.”

The new single-storey facility houses the four orthopaedic operating theatres, each with dedicated prep and anaesthetic areas, a bright and spacious reception and waiting area, an eight-bed recovery bay, offices, theatre store, staff rest and all necessary ancillary areas.

In order to proceed with the delivery of the four new orthopaedic operating theatres, MTX first had to carry out the construction of a new medical physics building, together with the asbestos removal and full demolition works of an existing office block and the refurbishment of a full day-care surgery department.

The new theatre complex links directly into the hospital’s current ward department and is in close proximity to the recently completed day-care surgery.

A dedicated top-floor plant room has been created to support the whole scheme. Each of the four theatres is equipped with 3-metre MAT ultraclean canopies, with integrated multi-movement pendants. The integrated

pendants allowed MTX to maximise the size of the canopy, while ensuring that all four theatres fit within the site’s constraints.

To provide a high level of resilience, four dedicated duplex pumps were provided, as well as a triplex vacuum and triplex surgical air plant, with duplex filters.

The building was completely and mechanically ventilated and the design included five air handling units – one for each theatre and one for the recovery and ancillary space – and the modification of the existing system to refeed some of the refurbished areas. The project was accelerated by prefabricating elements of the build, including pump skids.

The modules for the scheme were constructed on top of a ground floor slab that was cast in situ, ensuring compliance with the structural response factor. The slab was power floated to the highest level of accuracy, to ensure a perfect finish.

The day surgery refurbishment works had to be carried out within a strict timescale when the building was free of patients and staff. Therefore works in that area were carried out after hours and at weekends.

The project team were also working to an extremely tight programme and in order to achieve the required handover date, MTX’s site remained operational seven days a week.

From the project MTX also learnt that integrating pendants within the canopies allows bigger canopies to be fitted into a small room – reducing the risk of clashes with other services when being installed on site.

The MTX project team built a strong relationship with the client and ensured that client satisfaction was achieved, both aesthetically and in terms of practicality.

Professor Tim Briggs CBE, National Director of Clinical Improvement for the NHS and orthopaedic surgeon, said: “It’s a joy to see this fantastic new orthopaedic centre open, to deliver the highest quality care and exemplar outcomes for local people. You should be very proud of what you have done to deliver this.” q

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