In England, over 2,000 NHS buildings are older than the NHS itself. With the New Hospital Programme (NHP) delays pushing timelines well into the 2030s, many trusts are at a breaking point, while Bespoke Funding Solutions could be an answer.
For modular building suppliers, the delays to the NHP present a paradox; on one hand, the demand for fast, flexible healthcare infrastructure is growing, but procurement and capital spending bottlenecks are slowing or stopping progress completely.
Many NHS Trusts are now facing rapidly deteriorating estates with extended projections on when, or if, their new hospital will be available.
At SAF Solutions, we believe that alternative financing models can bridge this gap and keep vital projects moving forward.
Modular Construction: The right solution, at the right time
Depending on which wave of the NHP the hospital falls in determines how pressing the need for temporary yet high-quality healthcare space is.
Modular construction is perfectly positioned to solve the infrastructure challenges for hospitals awaiting new facilities, as speed, cost-efficiency, and sustainability are all in its favour. However, modular suppliers need to be able to offer flexible hire solutions that allow Trusts to address the delays quickly without long-term financial commitments.
Why flexible hire agreements are key to relieving NHS pressures
The NHP has promised long-term transformation of NHS estates, but Trusts are facing immediate capacity constraints. Many NHS Trusts have been holding out for their new hospitals, choosing to defer major maintenance and estate investment in anticipation of a full rebuild. However, with the revised timetable for delivery, particularly for the Trusts in Wave 3, construction on those new hospitals may now be as far as 14 years away.
This prolonged timeline is forcing NHS Trusts to critically rethink. Ageing infrastructure continues to deteriorate, safety and compliance risks are increasing, and capacity constraints are intensifying.
Trusts that once expected to bridge the gap with short-term fixes are now facing the reality of needing viable, medium-term solutions that maintain service levels, meet clinical demand, and ensure continuity of care without committing to long-term capital expenditure.
That’s where flexible funding agreements for modular solutions become essential: offering Trusts the ability to act now, without compromising their future plans.
Bridging the gap
With hospitals at full stretch due to rising demand, maintenance and surgical backlogs, in addition to ageing infrastructure, it is clear many Trusts can’t wait until 2030 and beyond.
SAF’s funding solutions allow modular providers to offer specific hire terms that meet each NHS Trust’s unique requirements, considering which wave they are in. This ensures they can have the required facilities they need to decant (or expand) capacity during lengthy construction works without being locked into long-term obligations.
Further delays or changes to the NHP could rapidly shift a Trust’s priorities. SAF’s funding solutions support modular flexibility, so facilities can be:
Repurposed
Facilities can be reconfigured to support different clinical functions as demand shifts or work for that specific part of the new hospital has been completed. For example, converting a high-dependency ward to a normal ward if the wards have been completed and are operational.
Relocated
The facility can be moved to another location within the same Trust to support their ongoing works, or even transferred to another Trust to support with their decant requirements for their ongoing construction works, if they are in a later wave.
This allows suppliers to maximise asset utilisation and secure longer-term revenue streams from a single modular investment.
Returned
When the permanent hospital is finally built, the clear end-of-term return options make the bespoke hire solution significantly more appealing to NHS Trust procurement teams.
Trust’s view that suppliers offering this flexibility are much more favourable during the selection process, as it eliminates their concerns about being locked into assets surplus to requirements after project completion.
Foundations for the future
Rather than being a “stop-gap”, these modular facilities can also serve as infrastructure that can seamlessly integrate into the new hospital, becoming a core part of a Trust’s long-term estate strategy.
SAF’s bespoke hire solutions enable modular providers to deliver high-quality clinical infrastructure that can serve not just as decant capacity relief but can help inform the design and operation of the future hospital, making the eventual transition smoother and more strategic.
As Trusts face mounting pressure, modular solutions funded through flexible hire agreements offer a crucial lifeline, providing immediate relief without compromising long-term strategic objectives.
SAF Solutions is uniquely positioned to partner with modular building suppliers, enabling them to offer NHS Trusts the financial flexibility they urgently need. Our funding expertise transforms how healthcare infrastructure can be deployed, creating pathways for Trusts to maintain quality care even as they navigate the uncertainty of NHP timelines.
Contact our team at info@saf-solutions.com or call 0151 355 5500 to start the conversation about how SAF’s funding solutions can help you deliver modular buildings that bridge the gap for NHS Trusts waiting for their new hospitals.
