Engineering Broadmoor Hospital, Berkshire, UK

Transforming lives with a modern layout and cutting-edge facilities

First built in 1863, Broadmoor Hospital has long provided specialist care for patients with serious mental health illnesses. As one of three high secure psychiatric hospitals in England, it is an important feature of the country’s mental health landscape.

In recent years, however, the facility’s out-dated layout and ageing Victorian structures have hampered modernization of its services, making introduction of the most advanced treatment methods increasingly difficult. In order to address this, West London Mental Health NHS Trust took the bold decision to completely redevelop Broadmoor Hospital – and create a facility fit for 21st century mental healthcare.

Location

Berkshire, UK

Client

West London Mental Health NHS Trust, Kier Construction

Architect

Gilling Dod

Project Status

Due for completion in 2019

Broadmoor Hospital Redevelopment- Exterior View

Patient Centered Facility

The £242m redevelopment project is now set to transform the experience of both patients and staff. Its core is a new secure hospital, built next to the existing facility, and due to open in 2017. The 234-bed complex will contain 16 wards, as well as a physical health center, family visiting suite, therapy and education rooms and a multi-faith center. Its layout has been designed to enable greater levels of patient independence, reducing the need for long periods of observation and ushering by staff. This in turn will allow greater focus on therapeutic activities, providing a boost to patient recovery and well-being.

Working closely with the main design and build contractor, Kier Construction, WSP is providing civil, structural, building services and geo-environmental consultancy services to this wide-ranging project. It also includes delivery of a 1.5km access road, landscaped gardens, car park and secure perimeter fencing as well as eight brand new buildings and four refurbishments.

Additional staff time for therapeutic activities and improvements to care

Various Challenges to Face

The ambitious scheme has posed complex challenges for the design team from the start. Most notably, the need to keep the existing hospital operational throughout construction called for a resourceful approach to phasing and security. The hospital is also located in the countryside with Historic Parkland status, meaning ecologically sensitive solutions are essential.

Our success in providing these is clear from the project’s award-winning enabling works. Sustainable features include a badger tunnel, bat bridge and permeable pavement for the new access road, plus remediation of contaminated land. A state-of-the-art energy center, equipped for later installation of biomass and CHP technology, was built to replace the hospital’s ageing boiler and provide a sustainable, resilient and cost-effective energy supply for the new hospital.