The day was arranged through a collaborative effort involving Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH), Integrated Health Projects (IHP), the joint venture between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine, and North Notts College, a local education provider based a short walk away in Worksop.
In total, 11 students from North Notts College, enrolled on a Level 2 Plumbing course, participated in a two-hour session organised by IHP, the construction company overseeing the ongoing developments at Bassetlaw Hospital.
The prospective plumbers were first briefed on health and safety matters, a crucial element of working within construction, before being taken on a guided walk through the large unit that will accommodate the new emergency department at Bassetlaw Hospital. Students were chaperoned around the building and given a chance to see how plumbing integrates within the construction site.
The Bassetlaw Emergency Village project, on track for completion in late Summer, will further develop local services, as well as enabling children to have extended observation at Bassetlaw Hospital rather than transferring to Doncaster Royal Infirmary, something which hasn’t been possible since 2017.
Once opened, all urgent and emergency care services at Bassetlaw Hospital will be permanently housed within the facility, alongside paediatric and acute care. The footprint inhabited by the new building is within the former car park opposite the main entrance, as well as accommodation previously used by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Joanne Holmes, VINCI Building’s Site Engineer, said: “As a construction ambassador, working within the industry for 30 years, I am committed to inspiring the next generation of workers.
“We need to ensure that we have a continued construction workforce equipped with the right skills. It is important to give young people the chance to see the work involved in delivering large scale hospital capital projects, such as the emergency department at Bassetlaw Hospital.”
Richard Parker OBE, Chief Executive at DBTH, said: “We are proud to be able to give local young people first-hand experience of construction work within a hospital setting and see for themselves how their skills can make a difference to their community.”
Once complete, the new building will become the home for the Emergency Department at Bassetlaw, ensuring timely access to high-quality care for our patients. Paediatric services will also be located within the building, allowing extended periods of observation at Bassetlaw.”
The Bassetlaw Emergency Department reached a significant milestone recently, with a ‘topping out’ ceremony to mark the completion of the roof and the unit becoming watertight. The development is now progressing at pace and includes the addition of internal walls and other infrastructure. Plans for the internal spaces are taking shape and involve incorporating woodland-themed murals in waiting areas and other decorative elements to create a calm and welcoming environment.
Additionally, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity have, just this week, launched an appeal in support of the Bassetlaw Emergency Village, in order to fund holistic improvements for soon-to-be-opened facility.
For more information about the development of the new Emergency Department at Bassetlaw Hospital and other capital investments at DBTH, please visit: www.dbth.nhs.uk/news