COVID-19 PROGRAMME

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Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic presented extraordinary challenges for our country and its people. It demanded a mobilisation of a network of COVID-19 testing sites - the scale and pace of which was unprecedented.

This video shows our response to the COVID-19 pandemic from start to finish - from how we helped the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) build the largest medical testing network in British history as part of the NHS Test and Trace programme, to demobilisation of the COVID test sites in record time.

We delivered over 1 million products and services, building the infrastructure for over 600 COVID testing sites across the UK. But we couldn’t do it on our own - we gathered together an extensive supply chain network to deliver the contract at the speed required. Working with partners, we helped to provide over 55 million COVID tests.

Project Management and Collaboration

The testing network built to help tackle COVID-19 was the largest medical testing network in British history and it was constructed in just a few months at the height of the pandemic.

The Sunbelt Rentals team helped build the infrastructure for over 600 COVID testing sites across the UK - supplying everything from cabins and marquees to temporary power and WiFi networks - with the help of our extensive supply chain network.

This video shows how we worked closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to devise a set of Key Performance Indicators to demonstrate we were on the right track and delivering value for taxpayers’ money. We formed a dedicated NHS support team in our Customer Service Centre that purely dealt with NHS requests. At its peak, our NHS support team received over 300 calls a day.

Health and Safety

Health and safety is always our number one priority and it was more critical than ever before in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, protect the NHS and save lives, Sunbelt Rentals helped the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) build the largest medical testing network in British history, delivering over 1 million products and services to build the infrastructure for over 600 COVID testing sites across the UK.

This video shows how we were committed to health and safety in every respect - from providing welfare facilities and climate control equipment to ensuring staff were warm enough in the winter and cool enough in the summer - to implementing a stringent decontamination process.

Demobilisation

Due to the huge success of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, COVID testing was scaled back in 2022 which meant that this huge network of test sites had to be demobilised.

This video shows the part we played in the demobilisation programme of the largest medical network in British history. It was originally estimated that it would take six months or more to complete the demobilisation, but thanks to Sunbelt Rentals and other partners, the timelines were compressed significantly.

The whole operation was demobilised within just four months - several months ahead of schedule and well under budget. This resulted in huge financial savings to the taxpayer and this money has now been redirected towards other pressing health needs.

Our Team

We’re so proud of the Sunbelt Rentals team and how we all worked together to tackle the greatest pandemic any of us have ever known - helping safeguard the NHS and to protect our loved ones.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, people were scared to leave their homes and our team members went into communities to reassure the public and help make them feel safe.

This video clip shows how our people carried on working through the pandemic, working as one team across all departments and business units to deliver the infrastructure for over 600 COVID testing sites across the UK. Many of our operational colleagues stayed in hotels with the Emergency Services and Sunbelt Rentals was officially declared an ‘Essential Services’ provider.

Transforming Lives

Dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has helped our people learn new skills and meet new people during unprecedented times. 

In this video clip learn about how some of our team members have been promoted and accelerated their careers. People who first started marshalling traffic on a COVID-19 test site are now managing whole regions just a year later.

Hear from a former HGV Driver who was given special responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver mobilisation of the test sites and is now an Operations Manager.

Our COVID-19 response has helped us in so many different ways - our apprentices have progressed their careers, people have been promoted from within and it’s helped our colleagues build a support network and build relationships with those in other parts of the business.

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