Complete construction partner Stepnell is celebrating after reaching a major milestone this week (27 May) as the last beam was put in place at a topping out ceremony for a multi-million-pound care home in Bracknell, Berkshire.
The topping out celebration marked the next step in the redevelopment of the former Heathlands care home – which will now become Heathlands Integrated Health and Care Home – delivered by Stepnell’s southern team after work on the new building started on site in September 2020.
Stepnell is delivering the £9.2 million design and build project for Bracknell Forest Council after the former Heathlands care home was closed in 2016. The redevelopment will see the new 66-bed specialist care facility offer a safe and secure environment for dementia patients or patients transitioning from hospital to their own home.
The new modern purpose-built facility will offer a mix of long-term elderly mentally infirm (EMI) and short-term nursing and rehabilitation care, and will include communal living spaces, nursing stations, kitchens, a reception area, hair salon, therapy rooms, laundry and staff facilities, as well as external landscaping.
Rob Speirs, regional director at Stepnell said: “We are really excited to reach this significant milestone in the delivery of this much-needed care home, which will help to provide high-standard care facilities to support the specialist needs of elderly people and those suffering with dementia in the Bracknell community.
“This is a fantastic achievement for all involved, especially given the challenging weather we faced earlier this year and, of course, the challenges from the pandemic. We have worked hard to follow strict health and safety measures throughout to ensure we could stay on site to continue construction on this high-quality scheme without any delays. We are really looking forward to seeing the completed build this winter.”
Cllr Dale Birch, executive member for adult services, health and housing at Bracknell Forest Council, said: “It was a privilege to be part of this topping out ceremony, which brings us one step closer to opening the doors of this fantastic new integrated health and care centre to patients.
“Once open, the facility will offer a safe haven to patients at a time when they are perhaps feeling at their most vulnerable. It will offer tailored care to people with dementia and help ease the transition for patients between hospital back to their own homes.
“I’d like to offer my thanks to everyone who has continued to work tirelessly despite the pandemic, to ensure this project comes to fruition. The services at the centre will make such a difference to so many lives in our community. I look forward to seeing the work progress in the coming months.”
Fiona Slevin-Brown, Frimley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), executive managing director for Bracknell Forest, said: “It is great to see progress being made towards the opening of Heathlands Health and Care home development despite the pandemic.
“I would like to thank Frimley Heath Foundation Trust, Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, Bracknell Forest Council colleagues, the CCG’s team and our local GP services who have been working together to ensure we are ready to deliver high quality joined up care for our residents when the service opens later this winter.”
The re-development of Heathlands Integrated Health and Care Home has been made possible through a partnership with Bracknell Forest Council and the CCG.
The project is due to be completed and expected to open this coming winter.