Premier Modular has been awarded a major contract by the Department for Health and Social Care to provide modular buildings for 25 COVID-19 testing sites across the UK.
The contract, which will see centres developed from Glasgow to Portsmouth, will support the Government in increasing testing capacity during the current pandemic.
The first buildings supplied by Premier arrived on site in Bolton and opened the following afternoon.
Each standalone test site has a 110sq m purpose-designed testing building pre-installed with eight patient cubicles, hygienic walls, a separate staff entrance and exit, test collection and drop-off zones, and a family testing room.
The contract also includes the supply of welfare facilities in three buildings to accommodate a PPE room, stores, test preparation, staff rest room, kitchenette and toilets, as well as essential services – water supply, waste water collection, and electricity generators.
Modular buildings have already been installed by Premier at testing sites in Bolton, Glasgow, Nottingham and Havant.
The contract was procured through the Crown Commercial Service and will be completed this autumn.
George Swanepoel, project manager for the Havant centre at testing service provider, Sodexo, said: “The site set-up and the testing facility are fantastic.
“This is a well-designed building which is highly efficient for maintaining patient flows and social distancing.
“The modular solution is easy to keep clean, is not exposed to the elements, and is a safe and comfortable environment for our staff to work in.”
David Harris, managing firector of Premier Modular, added: “We are very pleased to be playing our part in the national effort to support the Government in increasing COVID-19 testing capabilities in the current pandemic.
“This is a vital initiative to help safeguard public health. It is also a fantastic example of how modular construction can help the NHS respond to local needs and an urgent requirement to rapidly increase capacity.”
This latest contract follows Premier’s successful delivery of 1700sq m of modular buildings for the Nightingale Hospital in Exeter in just four weeks.
