Dudley Health Innovation Centre: A Milestone in Regeneration and Education

Stephen George + Partners (SGP) is thrilled to be involved in the £26 million Health Innovation Centre at University Park Dudley. Spanning over 3,600 sqm, this transformative project is being delivered using the innovative Integrated Project Insurance (IPI) model. The courses taught at Health Innovation Dudley (HID) will develop a skilled local workforce and support the local healthcare sector with trained staff, as well as being a key element in Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council’s regeneration vision and a flagship project in Dudley’s levelling-up journey.

Integrated Project Insurance (IPI) is an innovative procurement model designed to foster collaboration and mitigate risks across all project stakeholders. By integrating Building Information Modelling (BIM) and lean design and implementation practices, IPI facilitates streamlined workflows, effective decision-making, and enhanced transparency throughout the project lifecycle.

Through the adoption of IPI, we aim to deliver significant cost, time, and carbon savings in alignment with the goals set out in the Government Industrial Strategy: Construction 2025.  IPI underpins these goals by enabling integrated teamworking, reducing inefficiencies, and prioritizing sustainable construction outcomes, driven by digital coordination.

Driving Digital Innovation

Explains Joe Marlow, Service Lead for Information Management and BIM Coordination at SGP “We are proud to lead and manage the Digital Coordinator role on this groundbreaking project. Health Innovation Dudley (HID) is only the fifth project in the UK to be delivery under the IPI model, and our role is to improve the efficiency of the project through collaboration and the use of digital data capture, exchange and management.”

The IPI model is a form of Insurance-Backed Alliancing (IBA), where all partners share a single insurance policy. This collaborative form of contract aligns the Partners’ commercial interests and allows a jointly managed risk, focusing on opportunities and innovation rather than risk  and blame.

Continues Joe: “In the IPI model, the whole team, including client, consultants, architects, contractors, suppliers, and end-users, are brought together from the outset, fostering a truly collaborative environment. From the start of the project, we have been working in 3D which has allowed us to utilise the models for analysis, coordination, clash detection and 4D early in the project”.

“We have had our second 4D Build in a Day Workshops. These Workshops are a collaborative experience which bring together suppliers and the Alliance in one room, enabling them to review the programme visually by running it in time with the scheduling information. We can feed back potential time savings through collaborative working with the reviewing of design interfaces and cutting out waste. This approach compels partners to seek innovative solutions, making the process both challenging and rewarding.”

A Catalyst for Education and Employment
Funded by the government’s Towns Fund, the Health Innovation Centre is a partnership between Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, Dudley College of Technology, and the University of Worcester. Set for completion in February 2026, it will provide Dudley’s first Higher Education facility, teaching Level 4 and 5 qualifications, as well as degree and postgraduate programs in healthcare fields like nursing, midwifery, and paramedic science.

The centre will complete the town’s education ecosystem, attracting new students, and, by aligning technical skills and degree programs with local employment opportunities, improve progression rates into higher-skilled jobs.

Through partnerships, innovation, and a shared commitment to excellence, the Health Innovation Centre will leave a lasting legacy for the borough and its residents.