ModuleCo is thrilled to announce the successful delivery of a brand-new maternity operating theatre suite at Tameside General Hospital. The facility, developed in collaboration with Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, is a state-of-the-art modular building that will significantly expand the hospital’s capacity for maternity surgeries. Located next to the existing Maternity Unit, the two-storey building houses a 63 m² operating theatre with an integral three-person scrub area, a lay-up prep room, a dirty utility room, a first-stage recovery space, as well as dedicated male and female changing rooms and a theatre store. This comprehensive suite was designed and built by ModuleCo using modern off-site construction methods, enabling a high-quality result to be delivered on a fast-track schedule.
With the addition of this new theatre, the maternity department at Tameside General Hospital will now benefit from two fully equipped obstetric operating theatres on site. This expansion is expected to enable more planned (elective) and emergency procedures to be carried out within the maternity unit, which in turn frees up the main hospital theatres for other elective surgeries. The project also provides much-needed support facilities, including additional recovery space and staff preparation areas, thereby enhancing overall surgical capacity and reducing pressure on other departments. Hospital leaders have described the new facility as a “sustainable solution” for improving local maternity services, one that will help meet growing demand and bolster the quality of care for patients.
Tameside and Glossop ICFT spokesperson: “This new theatre will allow patients greater access to planned and emergency procedures within the locality, as well as supporting staff with increased and improved medical facilities. With a total of two functioning maternity theatres now in the department, we can greatly enhance our capacity for procedures, reducing pressure on other departments within the hospital. New and innovative modern facilities compliant to HTM/HBN standards will improve staff experience, which in turn benefits patient recovery and the standard of care given”.
The maternity theatre suite was delivered under a tight timeframe thanks to ModuleCo’s off-site construction approach. Major structural and interior components were fabricated in a factory-controlled environment, ensuring excellent quality and reducing on-site building time. Once the modules were delivered to Tameside, ModuleCo’s project team swiftly assembled and commissioned the facility with minimal disruption to the busy hospital. Planning approval for the building was granted in late 2024, and the completed theatre suite is set to open in mid-2025, reflecting the speed at which this turnkey project progressed. The initiative was backed by national funding (the UK Government awarded £5 million to the Trust for this project) with the Trust contributing additional capital from its annual allocations.
Jonathan Brindley, Sales and Marketing Director at ModuleCo, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Tameside & Glossop ICFT to deliver this much-needed facility for their maternity unit. The Trust has invested in a cutting-edge modular theatre built to the highest clinical standards, and it’s fantastic to see it already making a difference for both staff and patients. By leveraging our off-site construction approach, we were able to complete the building in a very short timeframe while maintaining premium quality, providing the very best environment for care”.
The new maternity operating theatre suite will officially open in July 2025, and is poised to start treating patients immediately. Hospital officials say this milestone “will help us to provide the best possible care for mothers and babies in our community”, marking a proud moment for everyone involved in the project and a significant boost for maternity services in Tameside.