Customer: Oldbury and Smethwick Primary Care Trust

Location: Oldbury, West Midlands

Requirement: As part of the first phase of development for Sandwell NHS's Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) - a public and private partnership that aims to transform the facilities in which local people receive primary health care - it was decided that the Oldbury Health Centre needed to be rebuilt. While a new £4m development was being constructed on the same site as the old building, a quality building to base operations in was required, so permission was gained to site an interim health centre just 400 yards down the road.

Solution: Portakabin managed the whole project, from initial site clearance to handover of the building. 72 Duplex modules were used to create the three blocks making up the health centre. The building features ten GP consulting rooms, dental surgeries, a large reception and waiting area, patient and staff toilet facilities, a baby changing area, administration offices, storage and a lift.

Portakabin Total Solutions carried out the site clearance work, installed the foundations and did all of the landscaping around the building. Portakabin AirCare provided a climate control system for the computer server room to combat the heat generated by all of the hardware and to keep the room at the necessary temperature. Portakabin Protecta installed a full fire and intruder alarm system, and Portakabin Access supplied and fitted two ramps to ensure easy access for all patients.

"The service we received from the Portakabin team was excellent. They worked closely with us to design a building that met all of our requirements and provides the same quality environment as a permanent building. In addition to this, Portakabin was able to provide a whole range of additional services, which gave us a one-stop-shop solution. Both staff and patients are really impressed with the building and have settled in very quickly. As soon as they saw it they couldn't wait to move in! "

Ray Greene, General Manager, Oldbury and Smethwick PCT