More than £16 million of repairs and upgrades are needed at Ramsey Cottage Hospital, with surveyors questioning whether the 1907 building remains financially viable.
The property appraisal, commissioned by Manx Care, reveals an immediate backlog of £3.97m for critical works including new roof coverings, window and door replacements, heating system replacement and fire alarm upgrades.
A further £2.46m of work is required between years one and ten, including replacement of air handling units, extraction systems and medical gas systems.
The total cost across all facets including physical condition, statutory compliance and function reaches £16.7 million.
Fundamentals
The survey highlights fundamental problems with the original design and layout dating back to 1907.
The report says: “The departments have been extended overtime nevertheless the individual departments and rooms sizes are generally too small and the supporting facilities are inadequate.”
It recommends: “Consideration is given to creating a new build for the various departments located within the ground floor area.”
The summary raises a direct question for decision-makers: “Given the high level of investment required, the organisation now have the opportunity to evaluate the long-term economic and financial viability of this hospital site.
“Does the current value of the hospital outweigh the capital outlay required and the ongoing lifecycle costs over the next 10 years.”
Risk Assessments
Statutory compliance issues identified include no fire risk assessments available at the time of survey, no legionella risk assessments, and no asbestos survey or register.
Fire compartmentation breaches were noted, with a budget cost of £35 per square metre allowed for survey and remedial works. No electrical testing documentation was seen during the survey.
The costs reported are net costs and do not include contractor preliminaries, overheads, profit, temporary works, contingency, professional fees, VAT or inflation.
The report notes that the exact uplift “is best considered on a project-by-project basis”.