South London Integrated Pathology Services

The South London Integrated Pathology Services project at Friars Bridge Court is an ambitious initiative, covering an expansive 11,000m² retrofit of an existing office building located on Blackfriars Road. Once completed, this facility will stand as one of the largest purpose-built pathology laboratories in the UK.

The project is being developed for Synnovis, a partnership between Synlab (UK) and the NHS. Served by excellent transport links and surrounded by a range of amenities, Friars Bridge Court will house infection, tissue and blood sciences, as well as specialist services such as COVID testing, toxicology and manual immunology.

FOSTERING COLLABORATION AND STREAMLINED WORKFLOWS

The new hub laboratory will provide learning and development opportunities to scientists, NHS clinicians, junior doctors and others working across all healthcare settings.

Cutting-edge IT systems will link laboratories with referral sites, providing easier, quicker and remote access to testing services and results – in hospitals as well as in the community. This will mean clinicians can diagnose a patient’s condition more quickly and provide faster access to the treatment they need. It will also support better patient flows in hospital and enable more people to be treated in the community, helping to prevent avoidable hospital admissions.

STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES

The comprehensive facilities within this integrated pathology services project encompass Containment Level 2 and 3 Laboratories, a specimen triage and reception area, science support spaces, write-up and reporting spaces, meeting rooms, staff amenities, and reception areas. The retrofit also involves significant upgrades to the host-building’s servicing, plant, and structure, all aimed at establishing an efficient and high-quality working environment for the facility’s users.

Digital pathology services – covering histology, microbiology and haematology, among others – will allow clinicians to review results remotely, without needing to visit the hub in person. Those who do need to attend will be able to use dedicated work spaces and enjoy access to the building’s many other facilities.

OUR SERVICES

From the project’s inception, Avanti was entrusted with the task of advising Synlab on a variety of retrofit location options, evaluating their viability across different building types. After careful analysis, Avanti provided the concept design for the installation at the Blackfriars Road site. Presently, Avanti is actively serving as a client advisor, closely monitoring the design and implementation progress on-site, while the detailed design and construction responsibilities are undertaken by Mace.