Medical Architecture has submitted a planning proposal to expand community diagnostic services at Newmarket Community Hospital.
The proposed new building will sit alongside Newmarket’s recently completed Community Diagnostic Centre and will accommodate endoscopy and paediatric audiology services. Designed by Medical Architecture for West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, the submission was coordinated by Lawson Planning Partnership.
In developing the design, Medical Architecture has worked closely with the Trust to implement a clinical model that supports patient privacy and dignity, utilising individual patient pods for preparation and recovery.
Designed to create a calm environment for those anxious about their procedure, internal spaces are organised in a loop with circulation and waiting located around the perimeter, providing visitors and staff with views and daylight as they move around the building. Externally, materials have been selected to complement neighbouring buildings, with details inspired by historic buildings in Newmarket.
Thomas Osborne, CDC project and endoscopy service manager for the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to develop the existing estate for patients at the Newmarket site. The expansion of services will mean closer alignment to regional and national strategy and enable us to deliver more diagnostic activity. The Medical Architecture team have ensured we had the right stakeholders involved to help keep the project developing at pace and ensured each design process was focused on the best interests of our patients, visitors and staff.”
Ruairi Reeves, director at Medical Architecture, commented: “In the current context of growing investment in community and neighbourhood healthcare, we’ve worked hard with the Trust and the design team to create a flexible community asset that offers long-term value. We are now making great progress with Morgan Sindall in taking the project forward.”
Matthew Clarke, project delivery manager for the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, added: “The expansion of diagnostic services at the Newmarket Community Hospital will provide our communities living in, and around Newmarket, with quicker access to the services they need. With planning now being considered, we look forward to getting on with the project, so our patients get the care they need, closer to where they live.”
