THE BRIEF

This project required the reconfiguration of a former x-ray suite and the provision of new mechanical and electrical infrastructure to support the addition of a new MRI scanner.

OUR APPROACH

Before we could begin the provision of design and build construction services, we needed to validate the existing infrastructure services in conjunction with the FM and estates teams in order to determine the appropriateness and capacity of our planned approach. The design development was finalised in conjunction with the FM department, estates team, key clinicians and other key stakeholders.

As the requirement was urgent, we planned the delivery to a tight programme, and liaised with the trust representatives to enable scheduled shutdowns, with minimal disruption to their ongoing operations. The project achieved the complete reconfiguration of the existing space comprising treatment, control, changing and waiting rooms for the new MRI suite .

KEY CHALLENGES

The installation of a brand new MRI scanner presented a number of challenges which required careful planning and execution. To ensure that the department could operate during works, we first needed to develop and agree a staff and patient traffic plan with principal stakeholders. Once patients and staff were re-routed, we developed a site logistics ingress and egress plan which required submission to the estates department for approval, with the implementation needing to be highly adaptable to suit such a dynamic environment.

A key requirement was for the provision of adequate power from the main consumer board to the location, which required extensive planning and approval. The work was achieved with out of core hours working, bespoke corridor access in predetermined lengths and effective control of noise and dust within adjacent departments.

On the day of the MRI installation, we needed to arrange for road closures and weekend scheduling of a crane for the installation of the MRI magnet, as well as the creation of a structural opening in the wall to provide access for the MRI. We also devised a one way road system during the install which was further complicated by the fact that the site was  adjacent to the ambulance drop off point. This was overcome by establishing a clear delivery protocol with suppliers and precisely scheduled delivery times.