The Government of Montserrat announced today that the design contract for the island’s new national healthcare facility has been awarded following a highly competitive global procurement process.
The winning bidder, Article 25, is an international architectural organisation based in the UK, with experience in health facility design, among their portfolio which includes more than 90 architectural projects across 34 countries.
According to a release from the Government Information Unit, the designers, under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, will be responsible for reviewing previous design work, and generating new and costed
architectural options for a facility with a minimum of 24 beds—with the capacity for expansion to meet peak demands. The consultants will also provide logistical plans for decanting from the current facilities and ensuring continuity of service, whilst demonstrating conformance to the highest clinical design standards for patients and medical staff.
The National Hospital Project is the keystone project within the £30 million Capital Investment Programme for Economic Growth (CIPREG). Montserrat has not had a dedicated hospital facility since the volcanic crisis, and continues to operate out of converted school buildings. The new hospital will provide a safe, fit for purpose, and hurricane resilient facility enabling improvements in healthcare outcomes and supporting overall socio-economic development. The new hospital will be located at the current Glendon Hospital site in St Johns and construction is expected to begin in late 2020.
Commenting on the landmark agreement, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Mrs Camille Thomas-Gerald, said, “As a Ministry, we are pleased that we have advanced to the stage, where a firm has been selected to undertake the design work. We look forward to the outcome of this phase, where we can all participate in the selection of an appropriate preliminary design for our new Glendon Hospital.”
“While we celebrate this milestone, we are still in the early stages of the project. The phase after this will be the procurement of a company for the detailed design and construction of our new hospital,” expressed Mrs. Thomas-Gerald.
The Head of Programme Management Office, Martin Parlett added, “The award of design tender for the new national hospital marks a bold step towards delivering our flagship project under CIPREG. I am particularly pleased that this design contract was procured directly by the Government of Montserrat, and that we attracted such a strong
range of applications from across the globe. The submission by Article 25 was impressive.
The hard work now begins to develop a workable architectural design, which has the support of the community, to progress towards construction in late 2020, ultimately delivering the health benefits for everyone in Montserrat.”
On receiving news of the contract award, the Project Director for Article 25, said, “We are delighted that we were chosen to work with the community of Montserrat on the national Glendon Hospital. We will do our best to design efficient and beautiful facilities where your doctors and nurses can deliver first-rate healthcare. We are particularly excited as a British based organization to be partnering with a British Overseas Territory to deliver a solution in keeping with the expectations of quality, safety and efficiency associated with the NHS.”
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has already begun discussions with Article 25, with the formal contract signing expected to take place during January 2020.
About Article 25
Article 25 is a humanitarian architectural organisation based in London. Article 25 uses design to improve health, livelihood and resilience to disasters. They are driven by Article 25 of United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that everyone has the right to adequate and dignified shelter.
Their vision is of a world where all communities have access to better housing, safe school buildings and effective clinics and hospitals, and they provide the skills and knowledge needed to make this a reality.
Article 25 has worked on more than 90 projects in 34 countries, making them the most far-reaching architectural NGO in the world. Their projects are delivered with in-country partners to ensure that local knowledge and relationships are maximised, and that projects are sustainable even after their involvement has ended.
Capital Investment for Resilient Economic Growth (CIPREG)
Under the Montserrat Capital Investment Programme for Resilient Economic Growth (CIPREG), the UK Government will provide up to £30 million over five years (2018- 2023) for strategic infrastructure development on Montserrat, to support economic growth, enhance resilience against natural disasters and promote the role of the private sector.
