Healthcare storage solution specialist, Medstor, says it is mid-way through a major project forming part of the redevelopment of the Royal Victoria, Belfast, one of four linked hospitals on Northern Ireland’s largest hospital complex.
The company is reportedly the only one contracted to supply modular storage systems to the Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Service – it was first awarded the contract for the implementation of electronic materials management over 15 years ago, and has held it consistently ever since. In the many years it has worked with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust – which operates the Royal Victoria – Medstor has been involved in five major new-build projects on the complex, and many refurbishments, establishing what it says is an ‘outstanding relationship’ with the Trust.
After completing work on the Accident and Emergency department at the Royal Victoria – including fitting out an interim A&E to operate during building work – Medstor moved on to the new Critical Care building, due to open this year, and equipped throughout with its ‘practical and stylish’ HTM 71 storage cabinets, which integrate with its system of liners and trays, and ‘fit seamlessly to improve hygiene, creating the most productive working environment for healthcare staff’.
Controlled drug safes, long span shelving for bulk storage, and a wide range of trolleys, each designed for a specific purpose and environment, are among the other equipment Medstor has installed. As staff at the hospital are used to working with its products, the training necessary to use the new equipment has been minimal.
Heather Lowry, commissioning nurse for Theatres and Critical Care at the Trust, said: “We have used Medstor storage systems extensively throughout the Critical Care building, and are extremely impressed with the professional service and expert advice we have received – from the initial procurement to installation and follow-up.
“The commissioning of the new A&E was particularly challenging, due to the limited time between handover and the department’s planned opening in August 2015. The Medstor installation team worked closely with the commissioning team to coordinate the delivery and installation of the furniture to fit in with all the other commissioning activities ongoing at the time. The work was completed on time and to a very high standard, ready to be stocked up for the department to open. The Medstor units installed in the A&E have enabled the clinical team to improve the way it stores and manages consumable goods, with essential supplies stored in a wellorganised and easily accessible manner.”
