Procured under the ProCure 23 (P23) framework for the design and construction of NHS capital projects, the CDC project is the main aspect of three streams of work the tier one contractor is delivering for The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT).

The new facility, which cost over £26m, will provide quicker and more local access to diagnostic tests closer to patients’ homes. Construction work is continuing on an extension to the CDC, costing £6m and due to be completed in early 2027. This further development of the site will accommodate the fibroscanner to check for liver inflammation, an additional ultrasound, X-ray and space for trans-nasal endoscopy.

The new facility was officially opened with Cllr Janet Whitehouse, Mayor of Epping, cutting the ribbon. Guests at the ceremony included MPs, councillors, and GPs, as well as representatives from NHS England, Morgan Sindall, the project team and wider stakeholders.

To create the CDC, Morgan Sindall refurbished and added an extension to a bungalow on the St Margaret’s Hospital site. The building now houses outpatient services as well as the capacity to provide MRI scans, X-rays, and non-obstetric (non-pregnancy) ultrasounds, including:

• Two additional computerised tomography (CT) scanners
• Extended hours for X-rays
• New ultrasound equipment
• New cardiology equipment
• New respiratory equipment
• New MRI scanner
• More phlebotomists to increase the number of blood tests that can be carried out 

As part of its Intelligent Solutions approach to sustainable construction, Morgan Sindall utilised the digital carbon analysis tool CarboniCa during the project. This informed carbon related decisions throughout the design and construction phases to minimise the development’s emissions. This resulted in a variety of carbon savings, including:

• A more efficient parapet design that reduced excess blockwork and insulation, saving the equivalent of 91.8 tonnes of CO2 emissions (CO2e)
• Reworking the drainage strategy to remove extensive diversion works. This resulted in a 71.5 tonne CO2e reduction
• Rationalising the secondary steelwork required for screening, saving 11.7 tonnes CO2e

By retrofitting existing buildings rather than creating new ones, PAHT has significantly reduced its carbon footprint by avoiding the materials, waste and resources that a new-build development would incur.  

The CDCs are part of a national programme funded by the Government to increase diagnostic capacity, providing one-stop shops for checks, tests and scans in the heart of local communities.

Now in its fourth generation of NHS England’s route to market for the provision of design and construction services to NHS capital projects, the P23 framework is part of the CCS CWAS2 procurement framework. This framework ensures that NHS capital works adopt the principles of the government’s Construction Playbook, modern construction on delivery and a focus on sustainability and social value.

P23 has an expected cumulative spend of £9 billion during its four-year lifespan and it builds on the successes of three previous iterations of ProCure that have delivered over £10 billion of projects for the NHS.Morgan Sindall is delivering a number of vital healthcare projects across Essex, having recently completed the Thurrock Community Diagnostic Centre and its team are currently undertaking an extensive refurbishment at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.