The refurbishment of the Newcastle Private Hospital was logistically a difficult project. The project was delivered on a very tight time frame whilst ensuring site services remained active at all times, strict infection controls were adhered to, noise and vibration was kept to a minimum during surgery times, whilst remaining flexible enough to cope with the unforeseen challenges that are inevitable in refurbishment projects.

In a project such as this it was imperative there was clear communication between North and the client and a high level of commitment from all of our subcontractors.

The project team would meet each morning with the Nursing Unit Managers to discuss the proposed days work, balance this with the days surgery and recovery load and agree on a plan for the day. The project was completed in no less than six separate stages. This allowed an area to be completed, defect free, and handed over to the Hospital. The hospital would move into the new area, vacate an area and the process would begin again.

This was achieved by relocating the administration competent of the hospital out of the building to a temporary facility on the hospital grounds as the first stage of the works and then move them back into the new administration area and the end of the project. During the 26 weeks project North had partial demolished and relocated, the Cardiac ICU area, General ICU area, Day Procedure Area, Operating Theatre #6, Recovery Area, created a new General Ward area and a new Administration area.

This project would not have been possible without the cooperative approach and commitment from the Client, Architect, Project Manager, Consultants, Builder and Subcontractors and is truly a measure of what can be completed when working as a true team.