Silver Medal Winner |
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Category: PFI Projects Name: Paul Dempster Company: Carillion Construction Project: West Wing and Children's Hospital, Oxford Radcliffe Contract: PFI standard form 3 |
As far as Paul Dempster is concerned, construction managers must constantly push the boundaries on cost, quality and programme so the industry can lock into a process of continuous improvement. He's certainly playing his part. In taking this technically complex project from conception to completion on time, to budget and to exceptional quality, he has set new standards.
A PFI hospital veteran and so well aware that the contractor shoulders the risk, Paul first satisfied himself that the proposed design was deliverable within the budget. He then ensured that design to cost was achieved by conducting regular strategic overviews and robust cost reports.
He formed a core group of equally experienced specialists to develop a set of processes and procedures that would deliver the “Carillion hospital”. By applying the lessons learned from previous healthcare projects, and standardising design and materials, Paul delivered a more efficient building.
He regularly engaged the supply chain to ensure that materials and designs satisfied the whole lifecycle imperatives of a PFI project. For example, the choice of harder-wearing linoleum rather than vinyl floor covering generated a potential saving of £264,000 over the 25 years of the contract's operation.
Paul also programmed a completion date four months in advance of the contract. It delivered an improved margin, allowed outstanding snagging and commissioning work to be undertaken, and gave Carillion's service team the chance to become familiar with the building's operation before handover.
He won the trust of the client by prioritising the lifecycle issues it wanted solved. He built offsite mock-ups of key clinical rooms to develop sample materials and details and allow NHS staff full engagement, and by allowing a never-ending stream of donor and NHS visitors onsite, he fostered a high level of buy-in.
And he likewise won the respect and collaboration of the project team and site workers. The first group flourished under Paul's open management style, with each management team responsible for delivering their own packages. The latter appreciated the high-quality welfare facilities, monthly site personnel liaison meetings (without management), and a programme of monthly and annual safety awards.
