CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskProgramme, risk register, progress reporting -- the essentials of running a building project in a care setting.
A project programme (or schedule) sets out all activities required to complete the project, their duration, sequence and dependencies. For a care home project, the programme must also show: how the works will be phased to maintain care delivery, periods when specific areas will be out of use, specific constraints (no works on Sundays, no access to the first-floor corridor between 07:00 and 09:00 during personal care delivery), and the critical path.
A project risk register identifies potential problems before they occur -- allowing mitigation to be planned rather than improvised. For care home projects, typical risks include: discovery of asbestos not identified in the pre-works survey (mitigation: ensure R&D survey has been carried out and build contingency into programme and budget), infection control breach during works (mitigation: infection control procedure and site induction, daily monitoring), and weather delays for external works.
Weekly progress reporting from the contractor should cover: activities completed in the week, activities planned for the following week, any variations (approved and under discussion), programme status (on programme/ahead/behind -- and if behind, recovery plan), any health and safety incidents, and any quality issues identified and resolved.
In an occupied care home, managing the impact of works on residents is a project management obligation as much as a care obligation. Works that create noise, vibration, dust, odour or access disruption must be communicated to residents and family members in advance. The registered manager should receive a daily briefing from the project manager and maintain the right to halt or restrict works at any time where resident welfare requires it.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.