Innovation and collaboration in the Primary Care estate
From business case to completion; a new fit-for purpose facility which provides much needed primary care capacity for a growing population.
Weston is a growing town, so it’s vital our local health services keep up. This new medical centre will help to cut waiting times by providing thousands more appointments for local families each year
John Penrose MP, Weston-Super-Mare
The Challenge
The new Weston Villages housing development was a principal new strategic development area within North Somerset, comprising of two proposed new communities of more than 5000 dwellings. As the development progressed, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (formerly BNSSG CCG) identified the need for a new Primary Care development to help meet the rapidly increasing population size and to help prevent increases in unscheduled visits and avoidable admissions within local hospitals.
In a unique arrangement, a parcel of land for the new development was to be transferred by the developer to North Somerset Council for the sum of £1, alongside £1.7m of Section 106 monies, with a further £3.5m of funding secured, subject to full business case approval, via the NHS England’s Estates and Technology Transformation Fund (ETTF); a multi-million pound investment programme covering general practice facilities and technology across England between 2015/16 and 2019/20. The ETTF fund was part of the General Practice Forward View commitment which recognised the need for more modernised buildings to help improve general practices services for patients but mandated tight spending deadlines.
Having previously supported the Outline Business Case for the scheme, Archus were appointed to support the project team in the completion of design development, authoring of the full business case and the arrangement and negotiation of the section 2 arrangement required to enable the transfer of capital funds from the NHS to North Somerset Council.
Our Approach
The team knew that traditional approaches to delivery through NHS procurement would not deliver the new facility in time to meet the funding deadline. Archus supported the CCG and regional NHS England colleagues through the complex negotiations with the national NHSE team and the Department of Health to fully understand the implications of flowing NHS capital funds in this way.
Using our experienced business case authors, work began to progress the full business case, working in accordance with the five case model in order to meet Treasury Greenbook and NHS England requirements.
At the same time, we supported progression of the design development process, representing the CCG at all project design meetings, providing expertise to support development of the occupier’s brief, while co-ordinating input from the CCG and wider stakeholders in relation to room layouts and data sheets to ensure compliance with Technical Guidance and Standards. along with the Developer’s agreement and Agreement for Lease negotiations.
All work was wrapped by our comprehensive project governance process including monthly project board meetings, highlight reports, project team meetings, risk log and project budget to ensure that the strict delivery deadlines for completion of ETTF funding would be met.
The Impact
The Full Business Case was one of only a few schemes across the country that was approved at that time, and supported the creation of an innovative and collaborative relationship between the NHS and local authority which enabled the long-term retention of the capital investment within the public sector.
Following approval of the full business case, construction commenced on site in October 2021. Archus continued to support the scheme through construction, working in close liaison with the council appointed construction contractor and the project architect to provide ongoing assurance to the CCG that the new facility would be completed in full compliance with the requirements of GPs as set out in the occupier’s brief. We supported the CCG as representatives at contract progress meetings and in responding to proposed variations to ensure ongoing alignment with relevant NHS Technical Standards and provider requirements as construction progressed.
The completed new GP surgery was handed over in November 2023 to occupier Pier Health and will welcome its first patients in early 2024.
Deliver primary care infrastructure that meets the moment.
Partner with Archus to navigate funding, accelerate delivery, and meet the needs of growing communities.
Opening a new GP practice in North Somerset is such a fantastic achievement. Thousands of people in Weston use GP services every day so increasing GP and primary care provision in the town has been a high priority for the NHS locally. This modern, purpose-built facility will be a huge benefit to both patients and staff.
David Jarrett, Chief Delivery Officer at NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB)
