Context
Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) is one of the UK's leading children's hospitals, providing specialist care to some of the most seriously ill young patients in the country. The hospital required a specialist fire door contractor to carry out a comprehensive programme of survey, repair, and replacement across its estate - ensuring its fire door provision was fully compliant and fit for purpose in one of the most operationally sensitive environments imaginable. Capital Fire Doors, part of Complii, was appointed to deliver the programme within a 12-week timeframe, with the hospital remaining in full operation throughout.
Challenge
Carrying out fire door works across a live, fully operational children's hospital presented a uniquely demanding set of constraints:
Live wards and operating theatres: Works were carried out across seven floors of an active hospital, with fire door repairs and replacements taking place in close proximity to live wards and operating theatres. Patient safety and the uninterrupted operation of clinical services were non-negotiable throughout.
Restricted storage and complex logistics: Storage space on site was extremely limited, requiring careful management of materials, sequencing of deliveries, and close coordination across every floor of the building.
A constantly evolving programme: The works schedule needed to flex continuously around the operational requirements of the hospital, with access to specific areas subject to change at short notice. Maintaining progress while adapting to a shifting programme demanded close communication and a genuinely collaborative approach with the hospital's own teams and existing contractors.
Solution
Capital Fire Doors, part of Complii, established a clear and evidence-based picture of the existing fire door estate before any repair or replacement work began:
Independent fire door survey: The programme began with a detailed, independent survey of all existing fire doors across the estate. Each door was assessed individually, with those requiring repair or full replacement clearly identified and documented. From this, precise schedules were prepared specifying door types, fire ratings, finishes, and required ironmongery.
73 new fire door sets installed; 270 doors repaired. Works were carried out in accordance with the survey findings, with all new installations and repairs completed to BM TRADA fire door standards.
Continuous coordination with hospital contractors: Capital Fire Doors worked closely alongside the hospital's existing contractors to ensure that all essential fire alarm and security systems remained fully operational at every stage of the works. No clinical service or safety system was compromised during the programme.
Flexible, responsive delivery: Throughout the 12-week programme, the team continuously adapted to the hospital's operational requirements, adjusting access arrangements, rescheduling works as needed, and maintaining progress without disrupting patients, staff, or visitors.
Results
The project was completed on time and within budget, delivering full fire safety compliance across one of the UK's most complex and operationally sensitive hospital environments:
Full BM TRADA compliance achieved: All 73 new door sets and 270 repaired doors were delivered to BM TRADA standards, bringing the hospital's fire door estate into full compliance with fire safety regulations.
Zero disruption to clinical operations: The programme was managed throughout with patient safety and operational continuity as the primary concern. Works were completed without any significant impact on wards, operating theatres, or the wider hospital environment.
Delivered on time and on budget: The full programme was completed within the agreed 12-week timeframe and at the agreed cost, in one of the most logistically demanding environments in which Capital Fire Doors operates.