The works at the hospital included the Part Conversion of the Existing Pathology Lab into and new robotic Pharmacy Facility for public use. The works comprised the internal and external alterations and refurbishment of existing facilities within an existing building to create a new Pharmacy Unit within the existing building at South Tyneside Hospital ready for use once the new robot packaging facility is available for installation at the end of May 2021.

The initial works consisted of removing parts of the existing ceiling in the pathology lab (out of normal hours) to facilitate the installation of new temporary dust screens around the new pharmacy facility so that the demolitions / alterations and construction of the new space for the robot could be carried out without any further disruption to the existing smaller pathology lab.

A new external double door opening with secure hoarding was formed as an initial task to allow access to be achieved into the new space without having to enter the hospital thus creating segregation throughout the works until such times as the dust screens and hoardings were removed during the latter stages of the project.

The fitting out works included major alterations to existing mechanical & electrical services / installations of new fire dampers on the line of separation between the existing pathology and the new pharmacy and full fitting out of new flooring / ceilings / walls / internal & external door setts and new reception counter to allow members of the public to collect their prescriptions once they have been processed by the robot.

Northern Bear were also instructed to proceed with the new scanner installation and VIE base and infrastructure to facilitate the new scanner installation and specialist gas services installations which were local to the new pharmacy project whilst on site delivering the pharmacy project.