Royal Brompton Hospital Imaging Centre

The Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust (RBHT) had a clear vision to redevelop its Chelsea site. This was to provide high-quality outpatient facilities and enhanced diagnostic imaging services for patients with suspected heart disease. The Trust’s redevelopment programme focuses on the expansion of its clinical services, research and education activities and improving patient satisfaction, in keeping with its status as a world class specialist heart and lung hospital.

This scheme is based around the centralisation and re-provision of respiratory services at the hospitals Sydney and Fulham Street sites. Specifically, it provides a new imaging centre including CMR, CT, X ray, Fluoroscopy, Bronchoscopy, Echo and TOE diagnostic services.

The project is located on the existing hospital site, within a Conservation Area, and close to a number of residential properties. It required complex and detailed community engagement and extensive pre-planning consultation with The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Our team took time to listen to and understand community concerns to ensure these were addressed in the design.

The Imaging Centre is a new four-storey building, with two basement levels and two floors above ground. The building is clad in brick with recessed reveals and details in keeping with the existing streetscapes. The larger CT and MRI scanners are located in the basement where daylight is not required. A central shaft allows for their future replacement.

The MRI suite is of particular note. Three Siemens 3T MR scanners are configured in a ‘T’ form arrangement creating one shared single control area. This arrangement was driven by clinical operational efficiency and is thought to not have been done elsewhere before in the UK.