We are delighted to have won NEC Contractor of the Year at the 2025 Martin Barnes Awards.
These awards recognise excellence in project delivery and showcase examples of good practice through collaboration. Contractor of the Year celebrates a contractor who goes beyond conventional practices to deliver outstanding results and promote sustainable ambitions, qualities we demonstrated in the successful delivery of a series of critical healthcare construction projects through the ProCure22/23 collaborative framework.
In partnership with NCIC NHS Trust and CCL Solutions, we embedded NEC and ISO44001 collaborative practices and leadership to deliver the Northern Centre for Cancer Care (NCCC), West Cumberland Hospital Phase 2 and Workington Community Diagnostic Centre.
The teams navigated challenges related to project complexity, tight timelines, budget constraints and the impact of Covid-19 to deliver projects that meet the needs of multiple stakeholders, enhance health services and improve facilities for NHS staff. This is exemplified by the NCCC, the first completed project under the New Hospital Programme, which was handed over ahead of schedule and under budget. Additionally, West Cumberland Hospital achieved over 70% premanufactured value incorporating modern methods of construction.
The approach to this healthcare programme exemplifies the advantages of fostering long-term relationships for healthcare project delivery. By reducing procurement costs, enhancing innovation through early contractor and supply chain engagement and building trust to free up staff time, the programme has achieved significant public sector savings. It serves as a practical demonstration of Construction Playbook principles, proving a valuable case study for future capital projects.
The NCCC was regarded as a model project, showcasing exemplary team attitude, collaborative working, transparency, fairness and a strong commitment to delivery. These principles were successfully applied to subsequent projects at West Cumberland Hospital and Workington CDC. The team’s outstanding performance was recognised with the Institute of Collaborative Working (ICW) Public Sector Award in 2023.