Students gain insight into construction of new Emergency Department at Bassetlaw Hospital

The purpose of the visit was to offer a first-hand experience of the important role plumbing plays in large scale construction projects, such as the Bassetlaw Emergency Village.

The day was arranged through Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH), Integrated Health Projects (IHP), VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine and North Notts College.

In total, 11 students from North Notts College, enrolled on a Level 2 Plumbing course, participated in a two-hour session organised by IHP, the construction company overseeing the ongoing developments at Bassetlaw Hospital.

Joanne Holmes, VINCI Building’s Site Engineer, said: “As a construction ambassador, working within the industry for 30 years, I am committed to inspiring the next generation of workers.

“We need to ensure that we have a continued construction workforce equipped with the right skills. It is important to give young people the chance to see the work involved in delivering large scale hospital capital projects, such as the emergency department at Bassetlaw Hospital.”

Richard Parker OBE, Chief Executive at DBTH, said: “We are proud to be able to give local young people first-hand experience of construction work within a hospital setting and see for themselves how their skills can make a difference to their community.”

Once complete, the new building will become the home for the Emergency Department at Bassetlaw, ensuring timely access to high-quality care for our patients. Paediatric services will also be located within the building, allowing extended periods of observation at Bassetlaw.”

The prospective plumbers were first briefed on health and safety matters, a crucial element of working within construction, before being taken on a guided walk through the large unit that will accommodate the new emergency department at Bassetlaw Hospital. Students were chaperoned around the building and given a chance to see how plumbing integrates within the construction site.

The Bassetlaw Emergency Village project, on track for completion in late Summer, will further develop local services, as well as enabling children to have extended observation at Bassetlaw Hospital rather than transferring to Doncaster Royal Infirmary, something which hasn’t been possible since 2017.