British company Morgan Sindall Construction has secured a series of new-build and refurbishment contracts worth £60m ($76m) for the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust sites.
The contracts have been awarded as part of the ProCure23 (P23) framework, which is being delivered by NHS England in collaboration with the UK Government’s Crown Commercial Service (CCS).
The P23 framework, now in its fourth generation, is part of the CCS Construction Works and Associated Services 2 (CWAS2) procurement framework.
It promotes the government's Construction Playbook principles, focusing on modern, sustainable construction practices. P23 anticipates a total spend of £9bn over four years, continuing the legacy of the ProCure frameworks that have delivered over £10bn in NHS projects.
Under the new contracts, Morgan Sindall will be responsible for carrying out two major works, including the development of a Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in Pitsea, Essex, and the new Southend Elective Surgical Hub.
The new CDC will be constructed on the Pitsea Leisure Centre site after the current site is demolished.
It will feature advanced diagnostic equipment such as X-ray machines, ultrasounds, and MRI and CT scanners, alongside various consultancy rooms, a pharmacy, and a phlebotomy area. Additional amenities will include a new library and sports facilities.
Pitsea CDC is one of nearly 30 new centres across the UK being delivered as a government response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The initiative aims to move diagnostic services from hospitals to community locations, enhancing accessibility and enabling earlier diagnoses.
Morgan Sindall is also tasked with creating a new elective surgery hub at Southend University Hospital.
The project involves the addition of two surgical theatres, significantly boosting the hospital's capacity for elective procedures.
The construction company's latest collaboration with the Trust includes ongoing projects at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford and Thurrock Community Hospital, which were previously secured through the NHS Shared Business Services framework.
Morgan Sindall Construction East managing director Peter Whitmore said: “These improvements, across a number of important healthcare facilities in the county, will bring a wide range of valuable health and wellbeing benefits for communities in Essex.
"This will range from helping to speed up diagnosis within local settings and supercharging Southend’s surgical capabilities.”
