BAM appointed as Principal Supply Chain Partner for the Women and Children’s Hospital as enabling works start

Truro, 15 February 2023 - The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is one step closer to being able to deliver a new Women and Children’s Hospital for Cornwall after appointing BAM as its Principal Supply Chain Partner.

The proposed new building has been designed to bring together the hospital’s maternity services, neo-natal and paediatric care, obstetrics and gynaecology services within one, state-of-the-art facility. It would also become the location for the hospital’s new main entrance, transforming the layout of the current site in Truro.

The programme, which has expanded in scope since its inception, is starting with the demolition of six derelict houses to create the space for a works compound for BAM whilst major enabling and building works for the new hospital are carried out over the next six years. Work is also underway to relocate car parking for patients and visitors, another key enabling project in progressing the wider programme.

The Women and Children’s Hospital is part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme, which is focused on delivering 48 new hospitals across England  by 2030. These hospitals are being built to national standards using modern methods of construction, with environmental features throughout to support the NHS’s carbon net zero ambitions. Smart digital innovations and enhancements are also planned for the scheme for example, creating sensory and interactive play areas, systems to connect families and carers remotely in the delivery of care, and enhancements to the management of patient call systems to provide a quieter, calmer environment on the wards.

Roberta Fuller, Programme Director for the Women and Children’s Hospital, and Head of Hospital Reconfiguration at Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust, said of the appointment: ‘We are delighted to have appointed BAM as our Principal Supply Chain Partner. This is a really important partnership for the Royal Cornwall Hospital, and we are pleased to be moving forward with the enabling works projects with support from the New Hospital Programme. Our designs for the new Women and Children’s Hospital are based on meeting the needs of our local community in Cornwall and will transform the hospital site. Bringing services together, along with bigger rooms and better facilities, will improve patient flow and create spaces in which to provide outstanding care long into the future.’

Graham Kingdon, Construction Director (Western Region), BAM Construct UK added: ‘What makes a building come to life from the outset is the strength of understanding between all the parties. That is what drives our ability to innovate, find additional sustainability solutions, and add value to the local economy and communities. Our goal is to  deliver the new hospital to agreed timescales, solving  problems as we go through the intelligent use of technology. The chance to build something special for so many people brings with it an obligation on us, as a responsible business, to use this opportunity to improve the lives of those around us. BAM will be working not just inside the hospital environment but also with the local communities in Cornwall to do our best to leave a positive community legacy, as well as an outstanding new hospital.’

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust Chief Executive, Steve Williamson said: ‘This is an exciting time for RCHT and for the people of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.  Over the last four years, there has been an immense amount of hard work undertaken behind the scenes, not just here at our hospitals, but also with our partners at NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care and, more recently, with the New Hospital Programme teams. We’re delighted to see the plans for our Women and Children’s Hospital Programme progress to this stage, and to witness the start of the initial enabling works.’

Health Minister Lord Markham said: ‘This is a significant step for people in Cornwall being able to access a new Women and Children’s Hospital to improve the care being delivered to the community. The new building will bring multiple services under one state of the art facility, including maternity services, neo-natal and paediatric care and obstetrics and gynaecology services. This is yet another example of the government delivering on our commitment to provide state of the art facilities for NHS patients.’

A video marking the start of demolition works can be found here:

About BAM Construction

Being the construction business of BAM UK and Ireland division, BAM Construction is at the forefront of social and technological change in the UK’s built environment. It has created some of Britain’s best-known and best-performing buildings. The company operates from major regional centres in every major city of the UK.

BAM is a leader in digital construction and contributed to the development of platform design solutions to assist the whole sector through the Construction Industry Hub. It is known for its highly collaborative ethos.

BAM is one of very few construction companies placed on CDP's prestigious ‘A List’ for climate change. It is a signatory of the World Green Building Council Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment.

Its healthcare work includes Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust’s new MRI and Oncology Unit (opening spring 2023), and a series of schemes for Bristol Royal Infirmary. 

About the New Hospital Programme

The New Hospital Programme is the biggest hospital building programme in a generation, creating world-class health facilities through innovation and collaboration.

The programme will deliver 48 hospitals by 2030. This includes eight previously announced schemes and 32 confirmed new schemes. Expressions of interest for 8 additional schemes are currently being reviewed.   Five are currently in construction and two have now reached completion – The Northern Centre for Cancer Care in North Cumbria, which opened in August 2021, and Liverpool University Hospital Foundation Trust, which opened in October 2022.

Replacing outdated infrastructure with modern, innovation and environmentally sustainable buildings, the programme will lay the foundation for intelligent systems, driving innovation and investment in new diagnostics to provide top-class healthcare services and facilities for patients, staff, and local communities.

Part of the wider Health Infrastructure Plan, a long-term, rolling programme of strategic investment in health and care buildings, estates and equipment, the New Hospital Programme is a joint venture between the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England.

Working with NHS Trusts, Government, and industry, the programme’s mission is to:

• Help NHS Trusts to provide high-quality, sustainable care for patients   
• Deliver intelligent hospitals   
• Develop national capability   
• Build better, build faster, and build a sustainable legacy.   

For more information:

• Carolyn Garman, Communications Lead, Strategic Estates, RCHT, Email: Carolyn.garman@nhs.net;
• Mark Slattery, Press and Media Manager, BAM Construct UK Ltd, Email: MSlattery@bam.com