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Healthcare

Walton Community Diagnostic Centre

Actiform was appointed under a JCT Design and Build contract to design, manufacture and deliver the Walton Community Diagnostic Centre — a £5.2 million purpose-built modular healthcare facility at Walton Hospital, Derbyshire. Completed in August 2025, it supports the NHS ambition to move diagnostic services out of acute hospitals and into accessible community settings.

Expertise
  • Category 1 Modern Methods of Construction (3D volumetric modular)
  • Clinical pathway and diagnostic environment design
  • Live-site delivery within an operational hospital campus
Deliverables
  • £5.2m purpose-built Community Diagnostic Centre
  • Phlebotomy, ultrasound, CT, X-ray, audiology, cardio-respiratory and point-of-care testing
  • Future-proofed for permanent MRI and CT, DEXA and Children's Audiology

Derbyshire needed a modern, patient-focused "one-stop-shop" for diagnostics — built on a live hospital campus, without interrupting clinical services, and capable of absorbing future demand as diagnostic services grow. The brief demanded that patient pathways, departmental adjacencies and clinical workflows across multiple NHS trusts were fully resolved before design commenced, and that programme, cost and buildability were balanced against evolving clinical requirements.

Challenge

Solution

  1. 01/

    Challenge

    A traditional build on an operational hospital site would have meant a longer programme and sustained disruption to patients and staff.

    Solution

    Delivered using Category 1 Modern Methods of Construction — 3D volumetric modular — the building was manufactured in a controlled factory environment, improving quality, reducing waste and shortening the programme. Off-site manufacture allowed site preparation and building production to progress simultaneously, and module installation was planned over a weekend to minimise disruption to patients, visitors and hospital operations.

  2. 02/

    Challenge

    Site conditions did not match the issued information — and new requirements emerged mid-design.

    Solution

    Early verification identified discrepancies between drawings and actual site conditions, allowing corrections before construction progressed. Previously unidentified basement structures found during investigations were incorporated into the structural design following collaborative assessment with engineers and the Trust. A late requirement for a water attenuation system — outside the original scope — was integrated into the structural frame without delaying the programme, thanks to the flexibility of the modular design.

  3. 03/

    Challenge

    Patient safety and uninterrupted healthcare services had to be maintained throughout construction.

    Solution

    Comprehensive logistics planning, temporary hoarding, segregated pedestrian routes and clear wayfinding kept patients, visitors and staff moving safely. Close collaboration with hospital stakeholders meant construction activity was coordinated around operational requirements, with no disruption to ongoing clinical services.

Our Approach

The project was delivered through close collaboration between Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, Derbyshire Support and Facilities Services (DSFS), clinical stakeholders and Actiform’s integrated project team.

Early engagement with clinicians and operational users ensured patient pathways and clinical workflows were fully understood before design commenced. Regular workshops, structured governance and collaborative decision-making balanced operational requirements against programme, cost and buildability, while early involvement of specialist consultants and the supply chain allowed risks to be identified and resolved before construction. Digital design coordination kept architectural, structural and MEP disciplines aligned throughout, reducing site rework and protecting programme certainty.

Sustainability was embedded from design through delivery. Off-site manufacture reduced material waste, vehicle movements and associated carbon emissions, and the building has been designed for long-term adaptability — enabling future expansion and reducing the need for major refurbishment as healthcare demand evolves. The project also generated wider social value by supporting local employment and regional supply chains wherever possible.

The Results

£5.2MPurpose-built modular diagnostic facility

4k +Diagnostic tests and scans per month

7Diagnostic services under one roof

Working closely with our estates and clinical leads, Actiform supported the design and build of a new modular emergency care unit at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow. The team helped us move away from traditional, siloed structures towards a flexible, technology-enabled space, working hand in hand with our design team to deliver a future-focused build, fully integrated into hospital operations.

Pasqualino Risi

Associate director of Estates and Facilities, Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust