IHP supports local students eager to embark on careers in the Construction Industry

23rd May 2024

Montagu Hospital recently hosted a group of local students eager to embark on careers in the construction industry. The visit aimed to provide firsthand experience of large-scale construction and offer insights into the ongoing project to deliver the new imaging suite for the Montagu Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC).

The day was arranged through a collaborative effort involving Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH), Integrated Health Projects (IHP) and Dearne Valley College, located in Wath upon Dearne, just two kilometres from the new building.

10 students from Dearne Valley College, enrolled in a Level 2 Bricklaying course, participated in a two-hour session organised by IHP, the construction company overseeing the development of the new facility at Montagu Hospital.

The aspiring bricklayers were first briefed on health and safety matters, a crucial aspect of working in construction. They were then taken on a guided tour of the construction site, including the imaging suite and the substation housed in an additional building to power the scanning units. The students were given hands-on opportunities to engage in various aspects of bricklaying, allowing them to apply the theoretical learning gained in their workshops to a real-life setting on an active construction site.

The Montagu CDC imaging suite project, on track for completion early next year, will expand the existing medical imaging capacity at Montagu and provide more local appointments. Currently, CDC medical imaging is delivered via two mobile units offering MRI and CT scanning. Once completed, the new building will feature dedicated suites for an MRI scanner, a CT scanner, and two ultrasound suites, along with changing facilities, a waiting room for patients, and clinical spaces to support the service.

James Gillespie, VINCI Building’s Senior Construction Manager, said: “As a construction ambassador, I am pleased to see how inspired the students have been by their visit. They have also committed to attending further visits at key points in the construction plan to see how the site progresses, alongside plans to offer placements for the students.

“Having a continued construction workforce equipped with the right skills is critical for the future to ensure developments like this can be realised. All the team involved in the CDC delivery programme are proud to offer local students firsthand experience in delivering large-scale hospital capital projects like the CDC.

“Our supply chain partners are key to our delivery and we would like to thanks Phoenix Brickwork for the insight provided into both their business and the wider industry including inspiring stories regarding personal progression and experience within the industry.”

Richard Parker OBE, Chief Executive at DBTH, said: “We are proud to give local young people valuable experience of construction work within a hospital setting and to show them how their skills can make a difference to people in their community.

“The Montagu CDC is a major step forward in offering patient care in a timely and convenient location, away from the pressures of emergency and urgent treatment.”

The Community Diagnostic Centre at Montagu is a one-stop shop for checks, scans, and tests. Since its inception in January 2022, the service has grown to include a fully functional endoscopy suite, training facilities, and multifunctional clinic rooms, including ultrasound facilities. The new CDC building marks the final stage of investment in the service, providing a purpose-built facility for the imaging suite.

The building is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in early 2025, with an expected opening to patients in the spring.

To celebrate the development of the CDC, a time capsule will be laid within the foundations of the entrance to the new imaging suite. The Trust invites local people to contribute ideas for the time capsule, reflecting the current times and connections with Montagu Hospital and its neighbourhood.

If you have a suggestion or wish to contribute an item, please visit: www.dbth.nhs.uk/news/help-us-mark-our-time-in-history/

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