Morgan Sindall Construction's Southern Home Counties business has delivered two major refurbishment projects for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UHSussex) at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester.

The works include the completion of a new Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit and the installation of a temporary mortuary, both procured via the SCAPE Construction Framework.

The £6 million SDEC scheme transformed a former acute medical unit into a modern facility featuring a waiting area, treatment room, triage, separation room, and 18 bays equipped for both trolley and chair-based assessment and treatment. Aligned with the NHS Long Term Plan, the unit is designed to reduce pressure on emergency departments by enabling more patients to be assessed, investigated, and treated without overnight admission.

The 14-week project required Morgan Sindall to adopt its Intelligent Solutions approach, tailoring design and delivery to the needs of UHSussex, its staff, and patients. Measures included minimising noise and vibration to the ward directly above and carefully scheduling the movement of materials and equipment across the hospital's 'blue light' route.

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The temporary mortuary was built after a structural assessment identified reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in the roof of the existing mortuary. The new modular facility allows essential services to continue while a permanent roof and internal upgrades are carried out. The design accounted for strict operational requirements, including temperature control, privacy, secure undertaker access, and enhanced security measures.

Guy Hannell, Area Director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: "These projects have futureproofed St Richard’s Hospital in several key ways. The SDEC unit will alleviate pressure on emergency services while boosting the hospital's capacity to treat patients and the RAAC improvement works will ensure the safety and resilience of the Trust’s estate for many years to come. What’s more, delivering both projects on time and within budget helps the Trust with its long-term plans, investments, and operations.

"We've built up a strong, collaborative working relationship with University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust over several previous developments. This has been a central ingredient to the success of these projects, as it’s crucial that the Trust’s clinical teams have confidence that we will be responsive and considerate to their demanding, changing, and sensitive work."