Morgan Sindall marks dual project completion at St Richard's Hospital
Morgan Sindall Construction’s Southern Home Counties business has successfully delivered two vital refurbishment projects for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UHSussex) at Chichester’s St Richard’s Hospital.
This has included handing over a new Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit and the installation of a temporary mortuary to enable the existing facility to be upgraded. Both projects were procured via the SCAPE construction framework.
The £6m SDEC project refurbished a former acute medical unit into a modern, state-of-the-art facility which includes a waiting area, one treatment room, one triage, one separation room and 18 bays with both trolley and chair spaces for assessment and treatment.
This work is aligned with the NHS Long Term Plan to reduce pressure on emergency hospital services and will significantly increase the hospital’s ability to assess, investigate, and treat patients without them having to be admitted overnight onto a ward and a hospital bed.
Delivering the 14-week project required the tier one contractor to utilise its Intelligent Solutions approach and tailor the unit’s design and the construction process to best suit UHSussex, its staff, and patients. This required paying careful attention to reducing noise and vibration to the hospital's bed ward, which is located directly above the new unit, as well as considering how and when materials and equipment could be moved across the hospital’s ‘blue light’ route.
The temporary mortuary project was initiated following a structural assessment which identified reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) within the roof of the hospital’s existing mortuary.
To ensure the long-term safety and integrity of the building, a new, permanent roof structure will need to be designed and installed. A temporary modular mortuary was constructed to maintain vital services to enable the roof and internal improvements to be carried out.
The nature of the project meant the Morgan Sindall team had to account for specific requirements. This included: maintaining temperature-controlled conditions; ensuring a private, enclosed space to protect the modesty of the deceased; providing a secure undertaker drop-off area; and installing strict security measures to safeguard the facility and its operations.
Guy Hannell, Area Director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said:
These projects have futureproofed St Richard’s Hospital in several key ways. The SDEC unit will alleviate pressure on emergency services while boosting the hospital’s capacity to treat patients and the RAAC improvement works will ensure the safety and resilience of the Trust’s estate for many years to come. What’s more, delivering both projects on time and within budget helps the Trust with its long-term plans, investments, and operations.
We’ve built up a strong, collaborative working relationship with University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust over several previous developments. This has been a central ingredient to the success of these projects, as it’s crucial that the Trust’s clinical teams have confidence that we will be responsive and considerate to their demanding, changing, and sensitive work.”
Sean Kedzia, Hospital Director at St Richard's Hospital said:
These developments mark an important step forward in our commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centred care across University Hospitals Sussex. The new Same Day Emergency Care unit is a vital addition to our clinical services, helping us treat patients more efficiently while easing pressure on our emergency department and inpatient wards. It reflects our strategic focus on improving access, outcomes, and experience for all our patients. The new mortuary is also a meaningful improvement, further demonstrating our dedication to enhancing services in every part of the hospital.”
These recently completed projects follow Morgan Sindall’s successful delivery of Stillman House and Fractures Clinic as well as a new £5m outpatients unit at St Richard's Hospital. Morgan Sindall has also worked with UHSussex at other sites, including the completion of a new Community Diagnostic Centre at Southlands Hospital, and the contractor has recently broken ground at a £7.3m Urgent Treatment Centre and A&E expansion at Worthing Hospital.
ENDS