Morgan Sindall Construction has completed a £2.8m refurbishment of the MRI facilities at Worthing Hospital.
The refurbishment included replacing ventilation and cooling infrastructure in a six-month programme delivered for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.
The contractor worked alongside building services specialist Exi, Paine Manwaring and project supervision consultant BAQUS on the scheme.
Exi provided mechanical, electrical and public health (MEP) design services, including a new air handling plant, chillers and humidification systems.
The works also involved integrating the new systems with the hospital's existing heating infrastructure to maintain the temperature, humidity and ventilation conditions required for MRI equipment.
Improvements to access and maintenance arrangements for the roof-mounted plant were also included to support the long-term operation of the systems.
The project was delivered in a live hospital environment over six months, requiring coordination between the construction team, Trust stakeholders and specialist supply-chain partners.
In April 2026, BAQUS reported that work was progressing through the removal of existing services ahead of the installation of new infrastructure.
Acting as NEC Supervisor, the company highlighted the specialist engineering requirements of MRI environments, including electromagnetic shielding and the mechanical and electrical services needed to support the equipment.
The Trust had previously issued a notice in March 2026 advising patients and visitors of scaffolding works around the hospital's courtyard and MRI areas.
The scaffolding was required to facilitate the ventilation replacement programme, with pedestrian access arrangements and traffic management measures introduced to minimise disruption.
Paine Manwaring confirmed that practical completion was achieved following the six-month programme.
Following practical completion, Siemens was due to carry out the final activities ahead of the MRI department returning to service.
The Trust's May 2026 board papers also referred to additional funding for ventilation and cooling works associated with MRI replacement at Worthing.
The Finance and Performance Assurance Committee reported that expanded project scope had resulted in costs exceeding its originally authorised limit and recommended that additional funding be brought forward for Board approval.
The refurbishment follows Morgan Sindall's earlier work at Worthing Hospital, where the contractor completed a new Urgent Treatment Centre in 2025 as part of a wider programme to improve urgent and emergency care facilities.
Photo credit: Exi
