01372 360 663 info@chawtonhill.com

We are delighted to be appointed to another SECAmb Ambulance Make Ready Centre (MRC) , this time in Banstead, Surrey.

Having been closely involved in the creation of the Ambulance Make Ready concept back in 2010, we have over the last 9 years built up an unrivalled level of expertise in delivering these innovative and productivity driving buildings. As Lead Consultants, we now manage an established delivery team that includes all the specialists required to;

  • identify the ideal site(s)
  • advise on estate strategy to maximise land value
  • provide the legal support prior to acquisitions or disposals
  • engage with Ambulance Service Trust staff
  • create the optimal designs
  • achieve planning consent
  • efficiently manage the project build to handover

The multimillion pound Banstead Ambulance Make Ready Centre is a prime example of the initial design concept being adapted to incorporate our 9 years of MRC learnings and expanded to include a regional HQ & training facility. It’s also one of the first locations where further cost efficiencies are being investigated through blue light collaboration, by incorporating a Surrey Fire & Rescue facility on the same site.

Other Chawton Hill MRC’s

Whilst there is universal support for Lord Carter’s nine recommendations in his report into ambulance productivity in England, there is still a surprising range of ‘unwarranted variations’ in the planning and deployment of Ambulance Make Ready Centres or Hubs across England.

‘the introduction of a make ready system is a key enabler to productivity and can support significant savings through modernising trust estates.’

Lord Carter, Unwarranted Variations Report

Sir Robert Naylor’s report, NHS Property & Estates, highlights that whilst there is a vast untapped value locked within the NHS estate, there is a lack of capitalisation on existing expertise to release this value to help drive the Five Year Forward View.

‘The NHS Property Board should urgently bring together and expand the
current strategic resources into a new national strategic planning and delivery unit to support local areas and strengthen capacity to deliver major projects.’

Sir Robert Naylor, NHS Property and Estates

We warmly welcome the instigation of a national strategic planning and delivery unit and would be delighted to play our part in sharing our MRC expertise eg assisting in the aggregation of experience and collaboration between Trusts and contributing to the preparation of Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP’s). We also fully appreciate that Ambulance Make Ready Centres are just one way the NHS can rebuild it’s infrastructure to meet modern standards of service delivery for the future.

However, Ambulance Make Ready Centres are an effective, current solution and are;

  • readily applicable across England
  • easily adaptable to local needs
  • tried and tested with over a decade of staff led improvements and learnings
  • quick to implement using our unique site space planner and adaptive design tool
  • available as a complete integrated package from Chawton Hill

The challenge to NHS Improvement, NHS England, ambulance trusts and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives is how to ensure the approach of the best is rapidly industrialised across England.

Lord Carter, Unwarranted Variations Report

We strongly believe our experience in delivering Ambulance Make Ready Centres is the best. Now with an established team of specialists, we can offer an adaptable and complete MRC packaged solution.

Chawton Hill provide strong and effective project management 

Tim Fellows, Operating Unit Manager at SECAmb

Contact us to arrange a feasibility study.


Further Ambulance Make Ready Centre reading;

Building Ambulance Make Ready Centres

Why small consultancies are better

Ambulance Make Ready Centres

Make Ready Centres – what are they?