Our solution received media attention for its ingenuity
- Sector: Healthcare
- Business type: Hospital with cancer treatment
- Accommodation location: Southampton, Hampshire
- Partners: In-house
- Duration of project: 4 years
- Average number of properties: 10
- Average number of beds: 15
- Client cost savings: Over 25%
Reason for accommodation need
The healthcare client needed to house a number of patients in the Southampton area. The patients would be travelling from overseas and visiting Southampton General Hospital for outpatient cancer treatment, staying for around three to four weeks at a time.
The accommodation requirement
The client had previously accommodated their patient-guests at a hotel in Southampton’s city centre. However, guests were becoming fed up with staying in a hotel whilst receiving their treatment and were looking for a more homely living environment. Many guests were also travelling with family members, so the hotel set-up was not an ideal solution. The client was looking for accommodation for around 10 patients and their family members at any one time.
The cost requirement
Having initially suggested that they had a low budget, after extended discussions with the client, it became clear that their top priority was actually to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for their patients whilst they were receiving treatment. It also became clear that the client also required a number of ancillary support services for their guests, specific to individual needs.
The solution
We procured a dedicated portfolio of apartments in the marina area of Southampton and furnished them exactly to the client’s requirements. We also put in place a number of additional support services for the client, to ensure that their guests were taken care of during their visit – all of which were provided via a bespoke agreement with tailored pricing options. The guests’ feedback showed that they clearly preferred to stay at our bespoke apartments, rather than in hotel accommodation. The delivery of this alternative accommodation solution received the approval of the health minister and received media attention for its creativity and ingenuity.
Other Info
- Guests’ duration of stay: 21–28 nights on average
- Origin of guests: Channel Islands
- Service level for guests: Top-tier
- Reporting: Continuous, with weekly and monthly reports
- Client account management: Client relationship manager, with daily client contact
- Review meetings: Yes, monthly
- Consolidated billing: Yes
- Framework agreement with SLA: Yes
- Easy to add new properties under the agreement: Yes
