Great Western Hospital, Swindon

The replacement of the Princess Margaret Hospital, Swindon was one of the first wave of major UK healthcare projects procured under the Private Finance Initiative.

This 55,000 sq metre project provides over 400 in-patient beds and includes all the major departments required for an Acute General Hospital such as Intensive Care, Accident and Emergency, Acute Assessment Unit, Radiology, Pathology, Day Care, Cardiology, Outpatients, Women and Children, Pharmacy, Rehabilitation and various Paramedics.

The conceptual design was driven by clinical need and the restraints of the site such as Town Planning, Highways, Access, Weather and Local Context. Departmental adjacencies, departmental layouts and furniture and equipment layouts were designed in close consultation with user groups under a very clearly structured consultation and approval process.

The design of the building and landscape were subject to environmental assessment and there is a wild life management plan for the site. The building was also designed under the auspices of the The Natural Step, an organisation which sets out guidelines and methodology for reducing consumption of the earth’s resources, as well as reducing emission and waste products.