Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading fitout specialists to the healthcare sector, has been awarded a £1m contract by Integrated Health Projects (IHP) – a joint venture between VINCI Construction UK and Sir Robert McAlpine – to provide bespoke fitted furniture and fitout services for a £60m mental health facility on the Maudsley Hospital campus in London.
Due to open in 2023 and designed by IBI Group, the purpose-built New Douglas Bennett House will house acute adult inpatient services in eight wards, including four specialist wards and a psychiatric intensive care unit.
According to Deanestor Managing Director, William Tonkinson, “We are seeing an increase in enquiries for mental health projects and have considerable experience in this specialist area, particularly in compliance, specification detailing for these types of facilities, and in developing robust technical solutions whilst creating a welcoming and comfortable patient environment.”
“We are pleased to be working with Vinci and Sir Robert McAlpine again and are looking forward to contributing to this project which is helping to modernise mental healthcare in London.”
Deanestor will be manufacturing bespoke furniture for 132 patient bedrooms over five floors, including wardrobes, desks, shelves, and bedside cabinets. This furniture is designed to be robust and heavy duty, using 22mm laminated MDF and recessed handles. The furniture is machined and pre-assembled in the factory for a strong finish, using counter-sunk, anti-tamper screw fittings in patient areas.
Around 3,000 items of furniture and fittings will be installed by Deanestor, including items designed to an anti-ligature specification, such as curtain tracks, window blinds, and stainless-steel dispensers and soap dishes in the ensuite bathrooms. Mirrors in the ensuites and bedrooms are made from polycarbonate.
Deanestor is also manufacturing and installing 10 stainless steel kitchens – two on each floor – and furniture for dirty and clean utilities, and ancillary facilities for staff such as offices and lounge spaces.
As part of the design development process and Deanestor’s early engagement in the project, two sample rooms were developed and fitted out at the hospital for the assessment of the furniture specification and patient environment by the Trust.
Some services will be relocated from outdated facilities at Lambeth Hospital to the more modern, therapeutic facilities. These have been designed following extensive collaboration and engagement with patients, carers, clinicians and architects to create a much-improved environment.
Spread over 10,000m², the New Douglas Bennett House will allow South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to centralise its mental health services in one location. Effective treatment of mental health is central to the design of the new facility. It will provide greater privacy for patients through single-sex wards, en-suite bathrooms, large balconies and landscaped outdoor space, family rooms, and a multi-faith suite.
Originally established in 1948 to manufacture hospital furniture and fittings for the newly established NHS, Deanestor has the resources and expertise to manage 5,000-room hospital projects. It offers bespoke design services to meet the requirements of major healthcare schemes and is responsible for installation to provide a seamless approach and a single point of contact for contractors, NHS trusts and other construction clients.
For further information, visit www.deanestor.co.uk