Project-managing the commissioning of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

Abstract

Feasibility studies to establish the reality of planning, designing and building a major new (650-bed) general teaching hospital on a restricted urban site in a time-scale of five years--instead of the more usual time-scale of twelve or more years for a similar UK National Health Service building--commenced almost six years ago. These studies constituted the groundwork for the birth of the new Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. This article discusses the process and time span of the commissioning and occupation of this new hospital, and deals specifically with the problems encountered.