Stepnell has won a contract to undertake improvement works at Kettering General Hospital.

The contractor secured its first project win through SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities, to lead on a £1.27m revamp scheme for Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Northamptonshire.

It will begin by delivering a new waiting area and landscaped garden for breast cancer patients.

Procured through the SCAPE Regional Construction Framework, the project benefits from money raised by the Crazy Hats Appeal, which has funded the first extension portion of the project.

Throughout the project Stepnell is committing to prioritising waste reduction of 0.032 tonnes per sq m and has a focus on social value, allocating a minimum of 50% local labour and 60% local project spend within a 30-mile radius of the hospital.

Furthermore, targets have been set to ensure that a minimum 40% social economic value is added through the project.

And part of the money will also be allocated to local social enterprises and at least one apprentice will be taken on to boost employment opportunities in the area.

The NHS and healthcare system is currently facing significant challenges, and schemes like these are vital for improving facilities and care for patients

Adrian Barnes, regional director at Stepnell, said: “We relish the opportunity to work with our partners on projects that provide so many benefits to the community.

“We are also pleased to be demonstrating our commitment to working within the collaborative and efficient scope of working that is so important within the SCAPE framework.”

Salam Musa, consultant onco-plastic surgeon at Kettering General Hospital, added: “The Crazy Hats Appeal has made an enormous contribution to breast care facilities at Kettering General Hospital by donating a wide variety of equipment and helping us to make our treatment centre more welcoming.

“This final donation will help us to further improve care for our patients – and outside of those clinics for other patients as well – by providing a much-improved waiting area, surrounded by a small-landscaped garden.”

The SCAPE Regional Construction Framework was launched earlier this year and expects to deliver up to £750m of public sector investment across the East of England and the Midlands.

Mark Robinson, group chief executive at SCAPE, said: “The NHS and healthcare system is currently facing significant challenges, and schemes like these are vital for improving facilities and care for patients.

“Therefore, we are delighted to be supporting Stepnell on its first SCAPE project via the Regional Construction Framework, helping to accelerate the project forward and deliver better services for the local community.”