Morriston Hospital, Swansea

Extraordinary, everyday stories: health matters

When you’re delivering something that plays a vital role in people’s lives – like healthcare facilities – the unglamorous aspects matter just as much, if not more, than headline-grabbing buildings.

At Morriston Hospital in Swansea, BAM was involved at every level. From car parks and offices to the flagship new entrance.

The hospital gradually underwent a massive redevelopment to replace pre-war buildings with new facilities fit for 21st century medicine. All under the auspices of the Welsh Health Estate ‘Designed for Life’ Framework.

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sub-contracts awarded to Welsh companies

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300 million delivered by BAM under the Welsh Health Estate Designed for Life Framework

platforms used to access different parts of the building during construction

miles of pipework are being installed in the new extension

Discreet work

At the Morriston, construction had to go on as unobtrusively as possible, alongside everyday life of the existing hospital. With minimal disruption to patients, staff and visitors.

BAM delivered a dramatic new £40 million entrance building, along with renal dialysis, dental and x-ray departments, and an education centre.

Building cheek-by-jowl with the old hospital entrance posed major challenges, but ultimately it was ‘business as usual’ for the BAM team, who are well used to these kinds of constraints.

A lasting partnership

Another highly successful project has been the £9.5 million Combined Specialist Rehabilitation Unit, including a new Artificial Limb and Appliance Centre (ALAC).

Amputees develop a life-long relationship with the Centre, as they return regularly to have their limbs refitted and remade.

“Overall the Health Board are very pleased with the ALAC Building,” said Shan Morgan, Service Development Manager at Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board.

“The teamwork between BAM and the Health Board is exemplary and continues to be so.”

Committed to health

The BAM team working on the project were truly immersed in their surroundings. It’s hard not to ‘get involved’ when you see such vital work going on around you.

One result was a major fundraising effort for the local Air Ambulance, which involved five BAM team members scaling the Welsh Three Peaks in under 24 hours.

A sustainable scheme

The scheme achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating, with sustainability features including photovoltaic cells on the roof, use of combined heat and power, and modular services installation.

Supporting the local community

Swansea City Council’s Beyond Bricks and Mortar scheme, matches employers to local candidates who were unemployed. BAM used it to hire a site team assistant who carried out general site duties and went on to secure a permanent position with a glazing subcontractor on site.

Don't just take our word for it...

Visualising the new facilities

Here’s a digital fly-through of the new entrance to the hospital
We are absolutely thrilled with our new surroundings.” Staff at the Morriston have been exploring the new buildings…

Find out what else they said...
Having built the new helipad at the site, a group of BAM staff from the Morriston Hospital redevelopment project raised funds for the Welsh Air Ambulance.

Read their story
The new car park

Built by BAM it was shortlisted for British Parking Awards in 2011
Inside a BAM construction site…

Watch this video compiled as work on the hospital extension was just starting

Tags: Health Western

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Morriston Hospital, Swansea