Thursday, 18 April 2024
A significant milestone in the construction of the NHS National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) was cause for celebration this week for the project partners committed to making the facility a reality.
The £105million NRC programme is building a 70-bed, state-of-the-art and highly energy efficient new facility, run by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme. Research, innovation and training will be led by academic partners the University of Nottingham and Loughborough University.
IHP, a joint venture between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine, hosted the formal ‘Topping Out Ceremony’ at the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate near Loughborough yesterday afternoon.
Professor -Pip-Logan-signs-her-name-in-concrete
Topping out is a common tradition within the construction sector, which marks a building reaching its highest level. For the NRC, this also means the completion of the building’s frame, symbolising another important milestone in the journey of this pioneering rehabilitation centre.
The NRC is due to open in 2025 and aims to transform clinical treatment for patients in the East Midlands, and set a new standard for research and innovation, and education and training in rehabilitation for the whole of the UK.
The celebration was attended by key stakeholders including Sir Andrew McAlpine – partner at Sir Robert McAlpine on behalf of IHP, the Black Stork Charity, University of Nottingham, Loughborough University, and the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, located on the same estate.
Following the formalities, guests from the wide range of organisations enjoyed refreshments – courtesy of IHP – in the spring sunshine.
Professor Pip Logan (UoN) and Professor Mark Lewis (Loughborough University)
Pip Logan, Professor of Rehabilitation Research and Occupational Therapist at the School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, said: “The University of Nottingham’s partnership with the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) represents an essential part of our commitment to uplifting - through our world-leading experience in rehabilitation research and education - the health of the people in our region and across the UK.
“It's a pleasure to celebrate this great milestone in construction of the NRC and we look forward to utilising this fantastic new integrated facility.
“Embedding our training courses in rehabilitation, alongside our research in robotics, physiology, mental health, rehab technology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, rehab medicine and rehab nursing, with patients, families, clinical professionals, and industry is vital for our institution and for developing world-class rehabilitation patient services.”
Miriam Duffy, NRC Director, said: “We began this journey almost eight years ago in 2016, and so today’s milestone is testament to the teamwork and perseverance that have brought us to this point, which is another step towards opening our doors to patients in need of rehabilitation.
"The NRC will not only serve as a centre rehabilitation excellence, but also as a symbol of hope for countless individuals and families across the country. We look forward to welcoming patients next year so we can help them start their own journey towards a better future with as much independence as possible.”
Professor Mark Lewis, Loughborough University’s NRC lead and Dean of the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, said: “It is fantastic to see the progress being made on the construction of the National Rehabilitation Centre.
“Loughborough University is proud to be a core partner for this state-of-the-art facility. We look forward to using our expert knowledge in research and innovation to help transform treatment and outcomes for patients, and to developing education and training programmes in rehabilitation that are truly world leading.”
Recently, a timelapse of the first six months of the build and drone footage were released to give the public an insight into the ongoing development of the project.
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Drone footage shows the five main pavilions of the ground floor of the NRC – Facilities Management, the café and staff area, the innovation and education pavilion, patient zone and research pavilion, and the main gym and therapy space.
The latest footage also shows the progress of the first and second floors which are nearing completion – these will house the south-facing patient bedrooms overlooking the Leicestershire countryside, as well as some treatment spaces.
In addition, the onsite energy centre frame is almost complete and will be the first part of the NRC design to be built.
The design of the NRC uses modern methods of construction and will be highly energy efficient, with plans for the building to be carbon neutral to support the NHS ambition to be Carbon Net Zero by 2045.
Work continues to integrate the Smart Hospital design to make the NRC as digitally advanced as possible, with the capability to incorporate additional cutting-edge technology in the future.
Find out more about the construction of the NRC on our NRC website.
Videos and images for use
Photos of the Topping Out Event are available via this WeTransfer link.
In addition we recently released several videos of flythroughs and a timelapse, which are available on this WeTransfer link and are accessible on the YouTube links below:
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About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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