Emergency and Urgent Care Campus at Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, UK

NEC has been used to transform the emergency department of a major hospital in northwest England. Stockport NHS Foundation Trust successfully procured the £34 million upgrade at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport using an NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) Option C (target contract with activity schedule).

Contractor Tilbury Douglas started work on site in June 2022. Despite facing many challenges during construction – including working on a confined site in a live hospital environment, encountering hidden underground obstructions and having to stop work due to nesting birds – the new Emergency and Urgent Care Campus was opened on time and within budget in May 2025. 

Completed in six discrete stages, the project involved extending the old emergency department with a new three-storey steel-framed building over the existing ambulance drop-off area, plus a new two-storey wing to the side. Over 300 m² of new assessment, treatment and consultation areas have been provided, including for a children’s emergency department, mental health services and medical same day emergency care. 

The new campus has reduced waiting times and improved outcomes, enabling the hospital to achieve the national 95% four-hour target for accident and emergency care. 

Fostering trust and co-operation

Michelle Waddicor, Head of Capital Projects at the Trust, says the project's success was significantly enhanced by adoption of NEC. ‘The contract fostered a genuine spirit of mutual trust and co-operation among the contractor and client teams. Also its clear, straightforward language made it easy to understand and administer, eliminating ambiguity and promoting efficient project management.’ 

She says the contract's inherent flexibility proved invaluable. ‘This was particularly useful when navigating the complex programme and phasing requirements of the scheme to ensure clinical services were maintained throughout construction with the least amount of disruption to patient care.’

Waddicor says NEC's robust early warning and risk management mechanisms ensured potential issues were identified in good time and managed proactively. ‘Such discussions were facilitated though regular engagement, including fortnightly issues log meetings, monthly progress and commercial meetings, and problem-solving sessions. This created a collaborative environment where challenges were openly discussed and resolved through team-based solutions.’  She adds, ‘The balanced approach between structure and adaptability showcases how the NEC contract can effectively support the delivery of intricate healthcare projects without compromising essential clinical services.’

Promoting good project management

Chris Turton, Regional Commercial Director at Tilbury Douglas, says NEC promoted good project management by ensuring active participation of all parties. ‘This has been preeminent on this project, ensuring that as we got to successful completion of the works on site, the final account was already agreed with no project issues left to resolve.’ 

He says there were significant challenges encountered through the life of the project, both in terms of time and cost. ‘The collective project team worked together using the contractual support of NEC to guide our way through to mutually acceptable solutions that provided the best outcomes for the project as a whole.’

Turston concludes, ‘At all stages, the risks associated with these challenges were flagged up early enough to allow difficult decisions to be managed and addressed and avoiding a lot of the conflict that can arise from other forms of contract.’

Benefits of using NEC

• NEC’s balanced approach between structure and adaptability successfully delivered this intricate project in a live healthcare environment without compromising essential clinical services.
• NEC fostered a genuine spirit of mutual trust and co-operation, creating a collaborative environment where challenges were openly discussed and resolved through team-based solutions.
• NEC’s clear, straightforward language made it easy to understand and administer, eliminating ambiguity and promoting efficient project management. 
• NEC's robust early warning and risk management mechanisms ensured potential issues were identified in good time and managed proactively, resulting in completion on time and within budget and the final account being agreed at completion.