Elective Surgical Hub at St Austell Hospital – Cornwall, United Kingdom

ModuleCo, in collaboration with the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, has established a new modular elective surgical hub at St Austell Community Hospital. Traditionally focused on outpatient clinics, minor injury care, diagnostics, and rehabilitation, the hospital will now also offer around 5,000 elective day surgery procedures annually, helping to alleviate pressure on acute hospitals in Cornwall.

The new modular facility includes two state-of-the-art operating theatre suites, complemented by first and second-stage recovery wards and preoperative assessment rooms.

Procured through the NHS Shared Business Services Modular Buildings Framework, we were contracted to deliver a complete design and build solution, from initial concept design and off-site manufacturing to final installation at the hospital.

Off-site construction was a key factor in the project’s rapid delivery, taking just 28 weeks from the start of assembly to handover. This approach allowed the foundation and enabling works to proceed simultaneously, significantly reducing the overall timeline.

The facility was constructed to 90% completion prior installation, mitigating risks associated with the unpredictable Cornish coastal weather and other challenges typically faced in traditional construction.

Our scope included the enabling works, encompassing a large sustainable drainage soak away, supporting plant rooms, 2-hour fire rated medical gas bottle store and waste areas,in addition to the design and manufacture of the surgical facility.

The facility was designed to be self sufficient in terms of services. It features resilient air source heat pumps that provide both heating and hot water, along with an additional 100m² of PV integrated into the existing site system. The only incoming services required for the new facility were power and mains cold water.

The new hub will enable residents of mid, north, and east Cornwall to receive elective surgeries locally, reducing the need to travel to larger hospitals, such as Royal Cornwall Hospital or Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Steve Williamson, Chief Executive of Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, stated: “Having two extra operating theatres increases our overall capacity. That is really important as we look to reduce the waiting times for surgeries. That is happening right across the NHS, so we are absolutely thrilled that we are starting work on a new elective operating centre here at St Austell.”

Debbie Richards, Chief Executive of Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, commented: “This is a really important milestone of our partnership with the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, but also the work that is being enabled by NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board.

“It means that local people will be able to access some of their surgical procedures in the St Austell community. These are day case procedures, but it does mean that people will be able to come here and access care in a more convenient way.

“It is also going to provide some additional capacity that means as a system, we will be able to bring down waiting lists across the county.”

”As the Client representative on the project, working with ModuleCo was a great experience and from someone with 35+ years in the construction industry, it’s not often that I see a new way of building that really feels like a giant leap forward from the traditional old ways of building.

”From the design process to the organisation, management and execution on site, ModuleCo were brilliant and I wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again.”

Ken Jones, General Manager of Community 1st Cornwall