Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust has partnered with Innova Care Concepts for the supply and installation of 353 ceiling track hoists in their new-build Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.
Yorkshire-based Innova Care Concepts has been chosen by Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust as their hoist provider for the new Midland Metropolitan University Hospital. The deal will see Innova supply and install 353 ceiling track hoists for a combination of single rooms and 4/6 bed bays. This collaboration will ensure that every ward in the hospital is totally accessible and will deliver a suitable space for patients.
One of the key aims of the new Midland Metropolitan University Hospital is to ensure their hoisting equipment allows their medical team to move patients more independently and safely, without putting additional pressure on any members of staff. In today’s demanding care environment, large patients are becoming more of a challenge for conventional hoists.
To cater for different health requirements, including bariatric care, Innova are installing a variety of hoist units, including the AirRise200, with a 200kg safe working load, and a number of dual hoists enabling patients of up to 500kgs. All of their hoists have an advanced battery protection system which prevents downtime due to insufficient charge.
Innova Care Concepts have also provided Midland Metropolitan University Hospital with a unique system that enables one hoist to be used in the multi-bed bays in combination with curtain tracks. The internal layout of the wards at the hospital have been designed using a H-system, covering two bed bays side by side so the hoist and track can go anywhere. However, the individual privacy cubicle or hospital curtains had to be accommodated for, meaning the track had to have some way of allowing for the curtain rail without any impact on a smooth patient transit.
To provide the flexibility needed to allow the overhead hoist to have some way of ‘jumping over’ the individual privacy curtain tracks, Innova utilised their versatile AirGlide360® Ceiling Track & AirRise® Ceiling Hoist in a H-frame configuration that covers the two bed bays, which are divided by the privacy hospital/cubicle curtain. The hoist is operated in a manual traverse in the individual bed bay, giving the nursing staff greater ease and flexibility to move the hoist around the bay to suit patient needs.
The electric traverse trolley in the hoist unit is then controlled by a central switch in between the bays, enabling it to be powered over the curtain track as and when required by the nursing staff.
By using an H frame, it accommodates the need for individual privacy cubicle curtains in each ward whilst still offering quick and safe patient transfers.
Emma Loosley (Senior Commissioning Manager, Midland Met Project Team, Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust): “Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust is pleased to have partnered with Innova Care Concepts for supply and installation of the ceiling track hoists in our new-build Midland Metropolitan University Hospital. The package consists of 353 hoists which will be installed throughout the hospital with a combination of single rooms and 4/6 bed bays. Before choosing to partner with Innova, we did some extensive research into the different options available in the market and found Innova’s proposal provided us a perfect solution to our requirements.”
Bob Oliver (Commercial Director, Innova Care Concepts): “It has been our pleasure to be part of the very first hospital build of the HIP scheme, helping share our expertise to deliver the latest innovations in healthcare for Midland Metropolitan University Hospital. Having listened to the requirements and challenges put forward by Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust, we have been able to implement a range of innovative solutions. From providing different hoist units to creating a unique system to facilitate smoother patient transfers, our bespoke hoist system package will enhance the quality of care that the new hospital will be able to provide.”
About Innova Care Concepts:
Innova Care Concepts exists to enhance the quality of life of every person living or working in an environment where care is provided. We do this by providing the world’s most innovative and perfectly designed healthcare equipment and furniture.
About Midland Metropolitan University Hospital:
The Edward Williams Architects-designed Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, in Smethwick, is a 670-bed hospital that is expected to open in 2022. Featuring 15 operating theatre suites, the hospital will offer maternity, children’s and inpatient adult facilities to around half a million people. This new facility will take some services from Sandwell and City hospitals.
