Offsite construction specialist, Merit, has been appointed by the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to design and build its new Hybrid Theatre and MRI Facility. The project, set to be completed in November 2025, will utilise Merit’s highly advanced methods of offsite construction for its delivery.

This pioneering facility will feature a two-storey design that houses a cutting-edge hybrid theatre, an MRI suite and essential supporting services, along with office spaces. The facility has been designed to elevate both patient care and staff experience and will further enhance healthcare services for York and Scarborough, making it possible for communities to access state-of-the-art healthcare services closer to home.

Furthermore, the building’s design adheres to HTM and HBN regulations, ensuring compliance with healthcare standards, and features a future-proof design that will enable adaptability and expansion.

Production of the offsite components of the build have begun in Merit’s Cramlington-based  factory. By leveraging its innovative, product-based approach, Merit’s specialist team will be able to carry out offsite and on site works simultaneously, resulting in a faster and more cost-effective project schedule. This streamlined process will not only save time but will also reduce project disruption to the local community and surrounding areas.

Merit was awarded the NHS contract thanks to its comprehensive, innovative offering, which significantly reduces project delivery risk and will deliver the facility in a third of the time compared to traditional building methods.

Merit’s will be delivering the cutting-edge facility through its innovative FLEXI POD® product-based approach. FLEXI POD® represents a cutting-edge, new approach to industrialised construction, merging traditional building techniques for a facility’s shell and core, with an offsite manufactured fit-out facilitated through a PODs and Pre-Assembled Modules (PAMs) strategy.

Placing sustainability and innovation at the heart of its offering, Merit’s team have designed a low-carbon, all electric and energy efficient facility that will be Zero Scope 1 Carbon in operation enabled and will comfortably achieve EPC-A rating. Merit’s commitment to sustainability will also contribute to the NHS’s goal of reducing carbon emissions and promoting a greener future within healthcare.

Tony Wells, CEO at Merit, commented: “We are incredibly proud to be delivering this groundbreaking healthcare facility for York Hospital. Our team is dedicated to delivering exceptional results that will enhance both patient care and staff experience. Through our advanced offsite approach, we aim to set a new benchmark for healthcare construction that cannot be matched elsewhere, ensuring a high-quality environment for all.”

Liz Hill, Associate Chief Operating Officer for Surgery, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust added: “This is an exciting development for the Trust, and we’re delighted to be working in partnership with Merit to help deliver excellent diagnostic and vascular care for our patients.

“The new facilities will be a real asset to us, creating a modern, spacious, innovative MRI suite with state-of-the-art technology and a cutting-edge vascular hybrid theatre. This will enable more patients to be seen and provide enhanced patient care, as well as offer a much-improved work environment for our staff.”

Merit’s appointment for this project highlights its reputation as a trusted leader for healthcare construction delivery, in line with an array of recent contracts wins in the sector, including Berwick’s new community Hospital, Bedford Hospital’s new Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) Unit and a new Community Diagnostic Hub (CDH) on site at Woking Community Hospital. Merit also recently completed Solihull Hospital’s new Elective Hub (Operating Theatre Block), to improve elective procedures at Solihull.