College of Medical Sciences - Associated Architects

Project Value:

£19 million

Key Points

Specialist skills training

State of the art medical facilities

NHS Trust and Hospital Collaboration

BREEAM Excellent

Transformational Skills Training

Bolton College of Medical Sciences will provide state-of-the-art vocational, professional skills and training facilities at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust Hospital. It is a collaboration between Bolton College, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust (Bolton Hospital), the University of Bolton, and Bolton Council.

The project will deliver the aspirations to expand and integrate a curriculum-providing specialist, transformational skills training in the clinical and medical sectors as well as a 400-space multi-storey car park.

The college provides vocational pathways into healthcare and nursing careers that will attract new learners, increasing the breadth of level of the skills base in the sector. It will open pathways to higher levels skills and employment, addressing a recognised, growing skills shortage in the region.

Facilities to enable clinical training and teaching include mock GP and consulting rooms, a VR learning room featuring four wall projections for immersive training scenarios. A mandatory clinical skills room with regularly used medical equipment, set out for learners to drop in and practice under supervision.

Gateway Site and a New Benchmark

Located on a gateway site to the hospital, Bolton College of Medical Sciences building will set a new benchmark for built quality across the estate. Four and five-story wings dressed in brick, recognising the Victorian heritage of the original hospital buildings, and offset with new coated metal elements. A simple linear floor plan allows above average net-to-gross area efficiency and gives additional teaching space, all within budget. A focus on flexibility allows for anticipated growth. Home to a circular lecture theatre designed around historic anatomy lecture theatres, the open public ground floor will also provide catering and social facilities. This Digital Anatomy Suite will feature an ‘Anatomage’ Digital Anatomy Table, as well as hold conferences and practical clinical demonstrations. It’s circular seating arrangement with central presentation space will use its digital technologies to provide a fully immersive demonstration environment.

A feature staircase connects to the first floor learning research centre, while the higher floors accommodate teaching spaces. These range from flexible spaces to dedicated medical simulation environments. Staff areas are designed to support hot desking and drop in environments.

State of the Art Training

The building contains clinical simulation suites including an Emergency Medicine simulation suite including ambulance unloading; high fidelity simulation suite – one/two bed set up with dedicated control room and de-brief space with full bed setting and medical gases; Operating theatre simulation suite – including operating plinth and pendant; Maternity / Delivery simulation suit and General (or ward based) clinical simulation suite.

Due to the high occupancy the building will have a sealed mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery which will counter noise associated with the adjacent ‘blue light’ vehicle route. Extensive solar shading will reduce heat gain on the southern façades.