Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, the practice will help the Trust develop a long-term solution after RAAC was discovered in the roof of the Rockingham Wing in December 2023. The building houses the Trust’s maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services.

While interim measures have been implemented to ensure services continue to operate safely, the project team will undertake a detailed option appraisal to determine the most effective permanent response. The plans will focus not only on removing RAAC from the site but also on delivering high-quality, sustainable accommodation that meets the current and future needs of the estate.

Acting as design lead, Medical Architecture will collaborate with a team with experience in delivering complex healthcare schemes. The wider team includes Strategic Healthcare Planning, providing healthcare planning and business case authoring; WT Partnership, delivering project management and cost consultancy; CPW, leading MEP engineering and sustainability; Couch Consulting Engineers, responsible for structural and civil engineering; Lichfields, advising on planning; and PJA, providing transport consultancy.

The appointment builds on Medical Architecture’s experience in the strategic planning of healthcare estates and the design of future-proof, patient-focused facilities.

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, added: ‘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.’