Capitec support largest London Trust (Barts Health NHS Trust) to define its Estates Strategy ‘Group’ Vision

Capitec were appointed to provide a Client-side Project Director for the new Barts Health Group Estates strategy project in 2019. Being one of the largest Trusts in the UK with 5 hospital sites, getting the Estates Strategy right is of paramount importance for the population of Central and East London and beyond. 

 Defining a coherent Estates Strategy for an estate as complex and diverse as this (it also has estates assets of all ages from turn-of-the-century to modern state-of-the art PFI built hospitals) is a challenging multifaceted project; but one that is also very rewarding. Working closely with the project delivery partners ETL and their subcontractor Oakleaf, the Strategy sets out a bold vision for this significant estate in response to its ‘backlog’ investment challenges (including the planned total redevelopment of the Whipps Cross Hospital site and other development-lead modernisations), sizable demographic pressures (even pre-Covid 19 capacity growth for London’s fast growing population was a highly significant matter) and importantly provides an Estate’s response to the Barts Health Group’s ambitious inc. via a new Surgical Strategy (that will seek to coalesce services to form leading ‘centres of excellence’ at each of its hospital sites) and the emerging (integrated) medicine strategy. 

“It’s really exciting to see Barts now harnessing the significant power of its ‘group’ model, specialisms are coalesced to deliver step-changes in patient care and capability (and advanced research including in relation to public health and life sciences). This does not however mean a loss of site identity, far from it, this ‘group’ vision is based on the foundation of a very clear site vision! Each site has its own strong identity and local governance and leadership (including an accountable Board and Chief Executive). This is about using and developing the Trust sizable assets and services in ways that provide the best outcomes for patients and the local population.  

This multidisciplinary Project team have worked with Trust Estates and Property professionals, and with each site leadership team and wider ‘Group’ corporate structures (inc. IM&T, Workforce etc), to form the new vision for the development of the estate over the next 5 years and indeed beyond. This vision is also being shared (and fed into) by the local STP group, local partner mental Health Trust, GP Groups and long-term partner higher-education partners (QMUL) to develop an ambitious but also integrated and coordinated plan for the Estate. Patient feedback into these plans is also an ongoing and integral part of the consultation process (however Covid has postponed some of this engagement at present). 

This Strategy when approved, will provide a long term and dynamic road map (the intention is it will then be managed as a live and accountable project with deliverable milestones and defined and Board Accountable steering group), to deliver some of the best health (including Public health/research) and care outcomes possible for Londoners and beyond.  In parallel, it will support the formation of a high performance London based ICS, of which Barts thanks to its size, world-class reputation and long term vision for East London will be a true ‘Anchor’ organisation.”   

Robert McNamara Director Capitec - Project Director (Client-side) for the new Barts Health Group Estates Strategy