Budget committee paves the way for planning the first construction phase of the new MHH building
Professor Manns and Minister Mohrs in conversation; Copyright: Stefan Zorn / MHH.
18.01.2023
Further progress for the new clinic building of the Hannover Medical School (MHH): The Budget and Finance Committee of the Lower Saxony State Parliament on Wednesday gave the green light for the basic concept submitted for the new MHH building. This paves the way for the planning of the first construction stage. Lower Saxony's Science Minister Falko Mohrs had previously informed the committee members that the new construction measures for the two university medical facilities in Hannover and Göttingen were progressing successfully. The Minister had already informed the Committee for Science and Culture on Monday of this week.
New construction plays an important role
"The decision to update the funding plan for the needs assessment of the first construction phase of the MHH creates an important basis for making rapid progress with the planning of the MHH," emphasised Falko Mohrs, Lower Saxony's Minister for Science and Culture. "As a state, we intend to use the two major projects at the MHH and the University Medical Centre Göttingen (UMG) not only to further increase and ensure the quality of care for patients in Lower Saxony, but also to play a pioneering role in the implementation of highly technological and forward-looking public building construction measures. Our two university hospitals are among the best in Germany. In teaching and research they belong to the German top group and must also be there in the future; the new building plays an important role for this as well."
With the MHH and the UMG, the state of Lower Saxony has two internationally renowned university hospitals. In order to eliminate the investment backlog in the area of patient care at both university medical centres, the state had set up a special fund with a volume of 2.1 billion euros. This is currently the largest construction project in Lower Saxony and probably one of the most ambitious construction projects in the history of Lower Saxony.
Construction development planning presented in state parliamentary committees
Significant progress has been made on the respective new construction projects at both locations. For example, the members of the Budget and Finance Committee were able to take note of the so-called Building Development Planning (BEP) at the MHH. This structural development planning is the decisive, fundamental concept for the new construction of hospital care. It shows which clinics can move into the new building and when and in which construction phase. Within the framework of the special funds of 1.05 billion euros available for the MHH, it was also determined how many square metres of floor space can be built.
First construction phase with 562 beds
The plans have defined a first construction stage that includes the three organ and treatment units Emergency & Trauma, Heart & Lung and the first part Head & Nerves (somatic part, but not psychiatry and psychosomatics). This first construction phase has a total of 562 beds including 120 intensive and intermediate care beds as well as 24 operating theatres. The rough space requirement of about 52,000 square metres of usable space is a good third of the total hospital area. In addition, a new multi-storey car park and costs for sustainability and digitalisation have been taken into account. Construction is scheduled to start in about six years.
Further funds for concretising the planning now released
In order to concretise the organisational and functional requirements of the first construction phase as a basis for the subsequent construction planning, the state has now made further funds available to the construction company HBG, which has been commissioned with the implementation. In an operational security concept for the existing buildings on the existing campus, the university has also examined which buildings will be freed up by the relocation of the clinics to the new building. If necessary, they can be made available to other users whose rooms are in poorer condition.
MHH assumes responsibility for building the existing campus
Since the beginning of the year, the MHH has also assumed sole responsibility for all construction measures on the campus - with the exception of the new hospital building on Stadtfelddamm. Previously, the Lower Saxony State Office for Building and Real Estate was responsible for planning, tendering, construction supervision, control, invoice verification, payment approval and monitoring of the project budget. The new structure simplifies the processes and speeds up the implementation of the measures.
Unique opportunity for development
"I see the new building for patient care, together with the implementation of the operational security concept for the existing research and teaching facilities, as a unique opportunity to create a Hannover Health Science Campus for the medicine of tomorrow in Lower Saxony, Germany and Europe," emphasised MHH President Professor Dr. Michael Manns. "With the construction development planning, we now know which areas we need for patient care. Now the construction company can enter into the actual construction planning for the new hospital care building. By assuming responsibility for construction, we are accelerating renovation or new construction measures on our campus enormously, which is essential for the further development of research and teaching."
Burkhard Landré, Managing Director of the parent company Bauvorhaben Hochschulmedizin Niedersachsen (DBHN) added: "The organisational structure created by the state goes hand in hand with special transparency about the current project status. This is the only way to create fast decision-making channels and effective steering options for the project participants and the state to successfully advance the construction projects."
Professor Manns and Minister Mohrs in conversation.