MEDSTOR recently finished a major materials management project in the accident and emergency department at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
Victoria Hospital is the main hospital for Blackpool and the Fylde Coast in Lancashire, and is part of the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The work to upgrade the four resuscitation bays was undertaken as part of a general refurbishment of existing facilities to improve patient throughput and care.
Medstor was brought into the project at Blackpool Victoria because it was able to work flexibly, incorporating the existing lead-lined partitions in each bay, essential for x-rays, into its design, rather than recommending a complete refit. This saved time, disruption and a considerable amount of money for the hospital. Medstor redesigned each bay to include a double mobile unit, allowing for high volume storage with the added benefit of a worktop surface. As space was limited, the units had a drawer front, which ensured contents were protected but also easy to access. Each bay was also provided with a resus cart from Medstor’s new awardnominated Module Cart range, modified to include an IV pole and an airway/bougie holder. The carts are very manoeuvrable, robust and versatile, and can be adapted to suit exactly the environment in which they will be used – in this case, castors were raised to allow the carts to straddle the feet on the mobile lead partitions. The carts are designed to support infection prevention measures, and can easily be wiped clean or removed for deep hygienic cleaning. Medstor also modernised the main communal storage area in the A&E, supplying a mixture of fixed storage units and procedure trolleys.
Installing new equipment in an area like A&E, which is busy all day every day, presents a particular challenge. Medstor worked with the hospital to provide mobile storage to enable the temporary relocation of the area, and ensured the entire project was completed in just one day to minimise disruption to patients and staff.
