Scheduled to open in January 2027, the UTC will help patients access the care they need earlier, improve their experience of care, and release space in the Emergency Department for people who are seriously ill or injured.

Vanguard Healthcare Solutions is building the UTC, using modern methods of construction. Modules were constructed at Vanguard's factory in Hull while groundworks were completed on site at the Royal University Hospital (RUH) in Bath, shortening the duration of the project. The modules will be delivered and installed over eight days, minimising the disruption for patients and staff.

Once completed, the centre will replace the RUH’s current UTC, which is based within its Emergency Department. This will improve capacity in the ED for patients and staff, reducing crowding and supporting safer care. Clinical teams are redesigning pathways and ways of working so that the new centre delivers a better experience for patients well into the future.

This scheme represents a significant investment in urgent and emergency care at the RUH and meets long standing infrastructure challenges, thanks to national investment from the Department of Health and Social Care.

John Palmer, RUH Managing Director, said, “The new Urgent Treatment Centre will make a really positive difference to our patients and underlines our ambitions to deliver more efficient and effective care while improving access to care and treatment through investing in our estate.

“Importantly, the new UTC will free up more space in our busy emergency department, enabling our clinical teams there to care more effectively for seriously ill and injured patients.

“But this is about more than just a new building – we are also transforming the way we work by redesigning care pathways for our patients to consistently deliver the highest quality care.”

Simon Squirrell, UK Business Director, Vanguard Healthcare Solutions, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with the RUH to deliver its new Urgent Treatment Centre. Our focus is on providing a high-quality clinical facility that supports the Trust’s ambitions for urgent and emergency care, while minimising disruption to patients, staff and existing services during construction. We look forward to seeing the new centre become an important part of the RUH estate.”

The hospital’s current UTC and emergency department will remain open as normal while the construction work takes place.