History
With 150 years of experience working in the healthcare sector, McLaughlin & Harvey is proud of the breadth and scope of the projects it has undertaken.
From the completion of our first project in 1875, a three-storey Hospital for Skin Diseases in Belfast (subsequently destroyed in the Blitz in 1941), to the building of an £84m Critical Care Facility and Helipad at King’s College Hospital, London, our team has a long history of delivering exceptional healthcare facilities.
A lasting legacy
Whilst we have worked in collaboration with the National Health Service (NHS) since its inception in 1948, many of our projects pre-date the NHS and include the Belfast Maternity Hospital and St Luke’s Hospital in Armagh where the original floor springs in the entrance hall are still fitted with brass cover plated inscribed “McLaughlin & Harvey.”
Collaborating with the NHS
Since the formation of the NHS, healthcare innovations have transformed patient care and to accommodate these innovations, healthcare buildings themselves have had to adapt considerably. McLaughlin & Harvey has been involved in a number of transformational NHS projects, amassing extensive experience and knowledge of the specialist nature of healthcare settings. From emergency departments to critical care facilities and ambulance assessment units, each project caters for the integration of increasingly complex medical systems.
We completed the Omagh Hospital & Primary Care Complex, the first of its kind in the UK, bringing together a range of primary, secondary and community healthcare services. Another standout project includes the Altnagelvin Radiotherapy Unit in Derry/Londonderry, a unique cross border service project which has improved patient travelling times and provided more locally accessible services to patients from the Western Trust area and the Republic of Ireland.
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
Scrolling forward to 2020, the multi-phased redevelopment of the 5th-floor Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 3rd-floor Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was constructed during the COVID-19 pandemic, at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in central London. The redevelopment was one of the largest projects undertaken in the hospital’s history.
Healthcare construction projects undertaken during the pandemic faced unique challenges, with new safety protocols to adhere to, including social distancing and health screenings, as well as significant operational challenges. The hospital remained live and fully operational throughout the works, making it a particularly sensitive and complex project due to the 24/7 critical nature of the environment. The Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is a regional centre for neonatal care and, before the redevelopment, ran one of the largest neonatal services in the country. The project has allowed the Trust to expand care for even more babies who need expert, life-saving care.
Appointment to framework
Another landmark in our history came in 2022, when we were named Primary Supply Chain Partner (PSCP) on both NHS England’s Procure23 Framework and NHS Scotland’s Framework Scotland 3 in recognition of our ability to deliver outstanding healthcare projects.
Current healthcare projects
Current ongoing healthcare projects include a £16m hospice facility in Ayrshire, incorporating the refurbishment of a listed building as well as new build elements, and a new £84m state-of -the-art Critical Care Facility and Helipad at King’s College Hospital, London, allowing for more timely and specialised care for critically ill patients. Construction work is underway whilst the hospital remains fully operational.
Innovative buildings
Over the past 150 years, the modernisation of healthcare settings has had a dramatic impact on the construction of healthcare facilities, leading to changes in design, materials, the integration of technology, and construction practices generally. Projects are increasingly incorporating environmentally friendly materials and energy efficient designs to meet sustainability standards and adhere to the NHS’ carbon reduction planning.
Whilst every healthcare project is different, our passion for collaborating with healthcare providers to deliver outstanding buildings has remained consistent. We’re proud to have constructed transformational buildings in which world class clinical services are being delivered, benefitting thousands of patients every day.