Vanguard Healthcare Solutions: 2021 Highlights

Vanguard Healthcare Solutions: 2021 Highlights Throughout 2021 Vanguard Healthcare Solutions has been instrumental assisting the NHS ‘build back better’ in the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the resumption of elective care across the UK. Through the introduction of the modular side of the business, Vanguard has successfully delivered numerous exceptional solutions to assist healthcare systems across the UK, from the appointment onto a range of new modular frameworks to the business’ first mixed-modality solution. Modular Theatre at Royal Preston Hospital At the beginning of the year Vanguard supported the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in delivering a replacement radiology theatre whilst the Royal Preston Hospital’s own theatre underwent a period of refurbishment.

The bespoke modular facility was the second solution to be commissioned by the Trust for the Royal Preston Hospital and included a bed bay, plant room and standard theatre that was utilised 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

This project follows the bespoke ophthalmic hub designed and installed by Vanguard to tackle the elective care backlog in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The mobile facility consists of two laminar flow theatres and acts as an eye-surgery hub within the hospital. The demand for routine cataract surgery has reached an all time high over the past year, with the Royal College of Ophthalmologists suggesting that this is only going to keep rising by as much as 25% over the next 10 years. This has increased the need for bespoke ophthalmic hubs across the country and as a result Vanguard has supported several hospitals, such as those in Newcastle and Stoke Mandeville , throughout 2021 to assist in combatting this. Report calls for elective surgical hubs This year the number of patients waiting for elective care on the NHS hit a record breaking 5.8 million , leading to calls for elective surgical hubs to assist in tackling capacity issues faced by NHS Trusts and Health Boards. As a result, the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has called for a ‘New Deal for Surgery’, including the government committing an additional £1bn annually for surgical hubs across the country over the next 5 years. In June 2021, Vanguard was successful in delivering a modular surgical hub at Queen Mary’s hospital in South West London in just 4 months. This emphasised the importance of using modern methods of construction to speed up the delivery of essential care services and tackling regional waiting lists. Vanguard undertook the complete build of this bespoke facility which included four operating theatres and a recovery area, successfully treating day surgery patients efficiently, with around 120 procedures completed weekly. The facility, delivered in Roehampton, marks the beginning of a surge in demand for elective surgery hubs, with many more commissioned for 2022.

You can watch Vanguard’s documentary on the surgical hub at Queen Mary’s here . Vanguard’s acceptance onto new procurement frameworks The introduction of the new modular capacity of the business has brought with it a host of benefits in 2021. Indeed, Vanguard has been accepted onto four new procurement frameworks as a result of the introduction of the modular side, meaning that the business is able to facilitate the needs of healthcare systems across the UK.

We are now appointed to:

• Welsh Procurement Alliance Modular Buildings (MB2) Framework
• The Scottish Procurement Association Modular Building (MB2) Framework
• The NHS Shared Business Services – Modular Buildings Framework, ref SBS/10091
• NHS Commercial Solutions Framework for Modular and Pre-Fabricated Buildings ref 5028-3946

Working in partnership with the NHS and the Scottish and Welsh Health Boards enables Vanguard to provide the appropriate framework for the procurement of essential healthcare facilities across the UK, delivering clinical infrastructure through the use of modern methods of construction to meet rising demands. First mixed-modality solution in Plymouth Through the expansion of the Vanguard service, the company delivered the first mixed-modality solution at

Derriford hospital

to help with the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust’s elective recovery. The bespoke solution consisted of modular and mobile operating theatres and wards that were designed, built, and installed by Vanguard. Operating 5 days a week, the facility provides additional ophthalmological capacity for the hospital to carry out an additional 200 monthly procedures, allowing Derriford hospital to directly address the extensive elective care backlog.

Watch the installation of this facility here . British Journal of Healthcare Management Supplement Piece Vanguard is delighted to share their inclusion in the British Journal of Healthcare Management with the three-part peer reviewed series, Building Back Smarter.

The series makes the case for modern methods of construction, in particular modular facilities, in supporting the NHS with demand for increased capacity and building maintenance.

The final supplement, consisting of three detailed articles, is due to be released in early 2022, however part one can be read here .