A ‘first-of-its-kind’ integrated care joint venture between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and NHS has now topped out, completing the first main phase of construction of new facility expected to be operational by Autumn 2026.
The Catterick Integrated Care Campus (CICC), situated south of Richmond in North Yorkshire, is a new healthcare complex designed to offer support for the MoD’s Catterick Garrison and the wider community, and the first shared building of this scale to be commissioned by the two organisations, with infrastructure consultant, AECOM, and contractor, Tilbury Douglas, leading the scheme.
The 132,000 ft2 campus aims to improve access to healthcare services for the area’s 13,000-strong military personnel, dependents, their families, and the local community. The purpose-built facility will include general practice services – including out of hours – community, mental health, and diagnostic services, military occupational dentistry, occupational health services, and defence health recovery.
Catterick Garrison is the UK’s largest garrison town, training all infantry soldiers, and hosting the Army Medical Services Training Centre. Its use and proximity to the Garrison means the campus is being built to military specifications, ensuring it meets the necessary security standards. The healthcare facility is also set to be built to an ‘Excellent’ standard under the MOD’s DREAM environmental assessment method and will incorporate solar panels, air source heat pumps, energy-efficient LED lighting, and use only renewable electricity sources.
AECOM, which has supported the project since its inception, is delivering a range of technical and advisory services – including project and cost management, as well as architectural, building engineering, and sustainability advice.
David Salmond, Defence Infrastructure Organisation Major Projects and Programmes lead for UK Strategic Command, said: “The success of the project to date is thanks to the working relationships built between the MOD, NHS, AECOM, and Tilbury Douglas, and we look forward to those relationships continuing to bear fruit as we focus on the next stage of construction.”
Andy Harley, Project director at AECOM, added: “Catterick is rapidly growing, and its residents – including military personnel and their families – are ready for a healthcare infrastructure that supports the needs of an evolving community, which also effectively integrates with Richmondshire’s civilians. This unique approach, with the MOD and NHS entering a joint venture for the first time, is testament to the resources dedicated to solving this.
“It’s also a unique project, because it’s been designed to meet both the needs of the armed forces and civilians. This means we’ve had to innovate, introducing design aspects that wouldn’t typically feature in medical facilities, while also delivering a sustainable scheme that helps the public sector decarbonise its estate.”