Solent NHS Estates and Facilities

Nomination

Award Category:

Estates & Ancillary

Individual or Team Nomination?

Team

Qualifying Qualities

In these challenging times, nominators were asked to show how the nominee had demonstrated the following qualities:

Exceptional work ethic - going above and beyond their job description, especially in the past 12 months.
Outstanding achievement/s in work or outside of the organisation where relevant.
Drive for innovation and proactive leadership in these challenging times.
High level of interpersonal skills, such as kindness, empathy, loyalty and thoughtfulness to staff and patients.
A resilience considering Covid to their role and to the health and wellbeing of their colleagues.

Nominators Answer

Nominee's story :

From fixing dripping taps to creating multi-million-pound health facilities, there is no end to the skills of Solent NHS Estates and Facilities. The team has experts in design, maintenance, premises management, medical equipment, IT, cleaning, security, and everything in between. In short, Solent NHS Estates and Facilities is a pretty special bunch of people, who together deliver outstanding results. So it was no surprise when the team was called upon to perform some behind the scenes yet crucial life-saving work during the covid pandemic. Firstly, a Southampton health centre was transformed into a 70-bed inpatient hospital in just three weeks– an achievement nothing short of miraculous. Initial works began literally hours after the team had the go ahead from the Department of Health – and the pace did not stop. New shower and toilet facilities were installed within days while the large ground-floor atrium – usually used as waiting areas – was emptied to create a makeshift ward for 25 beds. Approximately 45 further beds were installed in an on-site gym, GP surgery, bays and clinic rooms at the centre. Next, Solent Estates was approached to transform an old canteen, servery and staff area at Southampton’s Royal South Hants Hospital into a desperately needed covid research hub. Again, the team worked at lightning pace to strip out the existing accommodation and turn it into clinical space for research trials, which remain ongoing today. Thirdly, and perhaps most significantly, the team was called in to create the first large-scale vaccination centres in Hampshire. From medical supplies and equipment to cleaning, signage, security and parking, every area was carefully co-ordinated with care and compassion. Clinical teams had to be familiarised with facilities, marshals and other volunteers fully briefed, IT systems tested and everything checked and double checked ready for the go live. The first vaccination centre created by Solent NHS Estates was in NHS offices at Oakley Road, Southampton, and opened in early January 2021. Converting a conference room, IT training suite and various office spaces, one “pod” was opened to vaccinate local NHS staff before a second came online to treat, initially, the oldest and most vulnerable members of the public. It was a slick and successful transformation, which quickly led to the team being asked to repeat the process in Portsmouth, Basingstoke and on the Isle of Wight. Each venue had its own unique set of circumstances and challenges – and bespoke plans had to be drawn up and actioned meticulously to ensure things went smoothly at each centre. All the centres were delivered way beyond everyone’s expectations, with Solent NHS Estates’ passion and attention to detail shining through at all stages. Pride in their crucial but often hidden work was no more evident than when several senior team members admitted shedding a tear or two as they watched the first patients being jabbed.