Medical Air Technology (MAT) recently completed work on Theatres 3 and 4 in the Riverside Treatment Centre at University Hospital Lewisham, upgrading them from conventional to ultraclean as part of a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) lifecycle and upgrade programme.
The upgrade increases the range of orthopaedic surgeries the hospital can offer and provides clinical teams with the most advanced theatre environment. The hospital carries out a range of planned and emergency surgeries at the centre, which is housed in the Riverside Building, constructed in 2004 under a PFI contract and managed by Bouygues Energies and Services Ltd. Having worked successfully together at Barnet Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital, it was Bouygues that brought MAT into the Lewisham turnkey refurbishment project, which was delivered on time and to budget.
The demanding programme allowed for just five weeks to be spent upgrading each theatre, with surgery carrying on as normal in the remaining theatres while work was underway. MAT installed ultraclean ventilation (UCV) canopies from its innovative ECO-flow™ range, as well as multi-movement pendants, operating lights, flooring, general lighting, new pressure stabilisers, new ceilings and decoration. Space constraints meant access to the theatres was only available via an outside wall. To achieve this, MAT had to remove an area of sufficient size to allow the equipment to be taken in and out and install temporary access doors. Once the project was completed, the wall was rebuilt and external finishes applied to match the existing building.
The Riverside Building was designed to reflect contemporary environmental concerns and was the first major NHS building to generate a proportion of its own power using photovoltaic panels installed on the roof. MAT places a similar value on being as environmentally-friendly as possible – ECO-flow™ UCV canopies are engineered to use less energy while still keeping the patient safe from airborne contaminants. Energy efficiency is achieved through innovative internal design and the introduction of infinitely variable-speed DC motors, while highly efficient centrifugal fans reduce the energy drain required for cooling. LED cruciform lighting has also been added. The system uses up to 60% less power than other similar canopies, even in full ultraclean mode. When not in use, the system can be turned off rather than being left in standby mode; when it is needed again, it only requires a purge time of around 30 minutes to create an ultraclean environment. Reduced energy usage also means reduced energy spend, another way hospitals benefit from using the ECO-flow™ system.
MAT offers a wide range of services so is able to respond flexibly and quickly to the specific needs of each client, providing all the benefits that come from working with a specialist contractor. With its own in-house UK manufacturing facility and dedicated team of highly skilled engineers, MAT manufactures and supplies bespoke equipment for demanding clinical arenas. Clients can choose from several options, ranging from UCV canopy only right through to a total turnkey package, ensuring they get exactly the solution they need. In addition, MAT FM can provide a range of competitively priced and highly effective service and maintenance packages for all core products and turnkey solutions offered by MAT or other suppliers, ensuring that equipment is maintained, serviced and validated correctly for optimum performance.
