In December 2023, Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was discovered in the roof of the Rockingham Wing building, which houses the Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (OBC) Trust’s maternity, gynaecology, and neonatal services. While measures have been taken to enable services to continuing operating safely in the short term, Medical Architecture will work with the Trust to undertake an option appraisal to identify a long-term solution. This will focus on eradicating RAAC from the site, as well as delivering high-quality and sustainable accommodation which supports the current and future requirements of the estate.
Undertaking the role of Design Lead, Medical Architecture will be working with an experienced team with a track record of collaborative working on similar healthcare schemes. This includes Strategic Healthcare Planning (Healthcare Planning and Business Case Authoring), WT Partnership (Project Management and Cost Consultancy), CPW (MEP Engineering and Sustainability), Couch Consulting Engineers (Structural and Civil Engineering), Lichfields (Planning Consultancy), and PJA (Transport Consultancy).
Bob Wills, director at Medical Architecture, said: “Building on our experience of RAAC eradication on hospital sites, we are delighted to be working with the Trust on this challenging piece of infrastructure planning. Whilst born out of a critical safety need, this project provides an opportunity to transform the existing estate to create a facility which improves the patient and staff experience of women’s and newborn health services.”
Polly Grimmett, director of strategy at University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group, said: “We are looking forward to working closely with Medical Architecture and their wider team on developing a solution that not only eradicates RAAC from the hospital site, but which results in a markedly better care environment for our patients and staff that supports the delivery of excellent services to our local population.”