Case Study — HealthcareEngie Secondment, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham
A secondment into Engie’s team at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, acting as quantity surveyor, Employer’s Agent and project manager to put robust construction processes in place and manage refurbishment packages across a live hospital.
The challenge
Putting the right processes in place for construction in a live hospital
I was seconded into Engie’s team at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham in a multi-disciplinary role, providing quantity surveying, Employer’s Agent and project management services across the various work streams being delivered at the hospital.
A key part of the brief was to implement the correct processes and procedures for construction activity. I introduced standard templates and controls, and trained the existing team on how construction projects should be set up, procured, managed and closed out.
Alongside this, I managed a range of refurbishment packages across the hospital directly, with the works planned around clinical operations, patient safety and infection control in a building that stayed fully operational throughout.
Project facts
At a glance
Client: Engie
Location: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham
Value: Various
Role: Quantity Surveyor, Employer’s Agent and Project Manager (secondment)
Scope: Process implementation, staff training and refurbishment packages
Programme: Various
Process review
Reviewing how construction work was being set up and controlled, and identifying where processes needed strengthening.
Procedures and governance
Implementing clear procedures for approvals, procurement, change and sign-off across all work streams.
Standard templates
Introducing standard templates for cost plans, tender documents, reports, valuations and change control.
Staff training
Training the existing team on how construction activities should be planned, procured, managed and closed out.
Cost management
Estimates, budgets and cost reporting for each refurbishment package.
Procurement
Tendering packages and appointing contractors with clear scopes and contract terms.
Employer’s Agent
Administering contracts post-contract: instructions, valuations, change and completion.
Project management
Managing refurbishment packages on site across the hospital, coordinating contractors, programmes and approvals.
Live hospital working
Planning works around clinical operations, patient safety and infection control requirements.
Our approach
How the secondment was delivered
Review
Understanding existing ways of working and where controls were missing.
Processes
Putting procedures and governance in place for all construction activity.
Templates
Standard documents for cost, procurement, reporting and change.
Training
Training the existing team to run construction work the right way.
Delivery
Managing refurbishment packages on site as QS, Employer’s Agent and project manager.
Live hospital
Works coordinated around patients, clinical teams and infection control.
The outcome
What this meant for the client
Consistent controls
Standard processes and templates gave every work stream the same level of commercial and programme control.
A stronger in-house team
Training left Engie’s existing staff equipped to run construction activity properly after the secondment.
Works delivered around patients
Refurbishment packages were managed with clinical operations and patient safety built into every decision.
Delivered by Ollie Thompson MRICS in a previous role at Mace. Need commercial support on a healthcare estate? Talk to us about your project.
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