Calls for MMC to Speed up Healthcare Development

A UK based engineering consultancy is calling on the government to speed up its use of modern methods of construction to meet its hospital building targets.

The team at Dice have been at the forefront of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and believe this low cost, flexible alternative to traditional building techniques could be the answer the NHS is looking for.

Three years ago, the government set out its ambitious hospital building programme, pledging funding for 40 hospitals using new methods of construction.

Yet, with eight years left until the programme is due to be delivered, there are some reports suggesting the programme has been hit with delays and a lack of funding.

MMC has already been well adopted in educational and residential developments. This approach allows for buildings to be created off-site which reduces waste, and they are designed to be more environmentally friendly, and low cost to run, once they’re built.

However, there is still progress to be made to ensure MMC is implemented across the board on everything from commercial projects to leisure and healthcare.

Jon Svikis, Director at Dice, said: “The strain on the NHS and its settings around the country is well reported and the priority now has to be implementing the building programme and ensuring new and existing healthcare facilities are fit for purpose.

“MMC is the way to go and could have a crucial role to play in improving the infrastructure of the healthcare sector.

“We’re all aware of how tight NHS budgets are so this is a crucial consideration when it comes to healthcare buildings. MMC has previously been surrounded by misconception because of its lowered price tag. It isn’t lower because it’s a low quality product; it’s lower because of the off-site manufacturing style and the fact that it requires a lot less time on site. Construction sites can be expensive to run, so by reducing the time spent there, you can save money.

“MMC is also much faster. The average MMC build is 72 weeks compared to 112 weeks when using traditional methods, meaning a cost saving as well as crucially, reduced disruption.  

“Healthcare doesn’t stop for building work to take place - the construction has to run alongside the important work the hospital or facility is carrying out. By cutting the time on site, the disruption to any existing infrastructure and its service is kept to a minimum, so that any new buildings don’t have a negative impact on any existing ones.

“This innovative way of building will also bring added flexibility into healthcare settings. Factoring in the sustainability agenda, buildings must be future proofed against developments in the sector. For example, a number of panels and volumetric modules can be changed and re-used from one project to another meaning materials aren’t wasted, and buildings are given a new lease of life. “With the help of MMC, I am confident we can ensure that healthcare projects are leading the way in the future of construction.”