North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust is one of the main providers of mental health, social care and learning disability services in the West Midlands.
The Trust is a long-standing client of Town Hospitals (North Staffordshire Combined) Limited (THC) – a client of Imagile Infrastructure Management Limited (IIML), which provides operational, financial and company secretariat services to client’s PFI project companies.
One of the facilities under the Trust’s management is Harplands Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent, which is a PFI Acute Mental Health Facility that first opened in August 2001, built on the site of St. Edwards Hospital – a Victorian Mental Health Asylum, which is now closed.
The hospital comprises day visitor facilities and residential accommodation including a 150 bed Acute Psychiatric Unit.
The relationship between THC and IIML stretches as far back as 1999, and a wide range of services have been provided since, with the team at Imagile Professional Services Limited (IPSL) working alongside the Trust and other key stakeholders including the site’s current FM provider, Serco.
Award-winning contract management and partnership working
Collaboration and partnership working have been key themes in the relationship over the years, and that was clearly demonstrated with success and glowing recognition when the project picked up two awards at the 2019 Partnerships Awards.
Harplands Hospital received a silver award in the ‘Best Operational Project’ category thanks to the delivery of a £2.4m construction project – the largest variation ever to be undertaken on the site. This saw a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (“PICU”) developed in 2018 to meet demand from the local community. IPSL worked closely with Red Tree Building Consultancy (RTBC) on this project as they took on the role as the project’s principal contractors following a competitive tender process.
RTBC provided a complete turnkey solution for the construction of the PICU, including everything from initial architect design-impression drawings through to construction and handover.
The second award was a gold one and saw North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust named as ‘Public Sector Team of the Year’. In addition to the PICU being completed on time and in budget, all stakeholders had to work closely together to manage the collapse of the previous contract Facilities Management (FM) provider, Carillion Facilities Management.
Effective partnership working was integral to managing this situation with all parties involved in the project demonstrating flexibility, agility and robustness to deal with the challenge. The shared vision and common goal of all involved was integral to continuity throughout this period, with rapid responsiveness to the situation a key aspect as well as maintaining a strong focus on service delivery. This ensured the collapse did not impact the day to day running of core services.
On 18 July 2018, all Carillion staff transferred over to the new FM provider, Serco. The complex process of dealing with CFM’s liquidation and providing a replacement FM provider was undertaken with no loss of jobs, no loss of service, not a single performance deduction and no loss of value to the project.
Speaking at the time, Suzanne Robinson, the Trust’s Executive Director of Finance, said: “I was really impressed with the way the teams worked together to effectively manage the transfer of the FM provider in such a way that the staff continued to feel valued.
“To also maintain service delivery during the lengthy transfer period while delivering the Trust’s largest single capital project during this same time frame to cost, time and scope is a testament to their professionalism, commitment and diligence.”
Social impact of the PICU
Coming back to the Best Operational Project award, at the start of 2018, the Trust and THC, via IPSL and RTBC, were in the process of delivering the construction of the PICU with phase one due for completion in March 2018.
Despite the potential problems associated with the transfer of FM provider, IPSL and RTBC were able to complete the project on time and in budget. Other considerations that needed to be carefully managed included things such as a Change of Use request for the building as well as demolition and groundworks.
The PICU has already had a positive impact on the local community and the Trust has been able to repatriate out of area patients. Previously, the Trust did not have a suitable inpatient facility to take PICU patients – the nearest alternative being in Stafford meaning that 68% of service users requiring access to a PICU had to be transferred out of the area.
The completion of this project has delivered clear positive social impact and resulted in better treatment and quicker recovery for patients as they are now closer to home and can be visited more regularly by family and friends, which assists in their recovery.
Maxine Tilstone, Ward Manager at Harplands Hospital, said: “Having a psychiatric intensive care unit at the Harplands has completed the final aspect of acute care and responds the needs of the patients within the area of Stoke on Trent.
“Being able to offer the intensive nursing to acutely unwell patients, both male and female, is responsive to the needs of the local population. This provision has not been available in this area previously and sadly patients have been sent across the country, away from their family, friends, carers and care team. We are proud to be part of this new provision.
“This setting up the PICU was developed collaboratively with our Estates team, allowing the clinical picture and operation of the Unit to be streamlined to the best it could be.”
A patient of the facility also made these comments:
“…I love the PICU, it’s like being in a hotel. Having this facility close to home has reduced my stress levels and made me much happier…”
The efforts of the IPSL team at Harplands Hospital, working in close partnership with North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust and other stakeholders, are a fantastic demonstration of the capabilities our team has to deliver award-winning work and integrate several disciplines to deliver maximum value for a client.
If you’d like to know more about the healthcare work at IPSL, please contact Laura.evans@imagileps.com
