MOBILE HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
The temporary mobile Visiting Hospital provided – sited at the Princess Royal Hospital from November 2015-June 2016 as part of the Trust’s winter contingency planning – added additional slack to the Trust’s capacity, and SaTH decided to move one of its elective orthopaedic wards into the newly installed mobile clinical ward.
In doing so, the Trust released a hospital ward for medical patients. Over 500 patients were treated during the time the unit was on site, and elective emergency access was increased.
An award-winning partnership The success of the ongoing partnership between SaTH and Vanguard Healthcare Solutions was formally recognised with two awards at last November’s Premises and Facilities Management Awards in London. The judges said they had been extremely impressed to see that the partnership had allowed the Trust to deliver efficient, NHS-led patient care, and to proactively plan activity throughout the year, even during times of the highest demand. The partnership received both the award for ‘Partners in Healthcare’ for which it was nominated, and the title of 2016 ‘Overall Winner’. The judges remarked that ‘what came over was a very sincere appreciation from a senior surgeon that a smart, innovative facilities management solution can make a difference to lives and people, whilst having financial benefit to the organisation. What was obvious from the Vanguard delivery team was a pride in their involvement and passion and care in their product’.
The partnership between SaTH and Vanguard Healthcare Solutions showcases true collaboration, with both parties understanding the patient and NHS demands, and all constraints and business critical aspects of this service. Truly embracing a team approach, the partnership resolved waiting times for operations by bringing to site, at short notice, mobile, fully operational operating theatres. This also ensured that local people could continue to be treated at their local hospital, and helped the Trust avoid incurring penalties for long waiting lists.
Countless possibilities for mobile buildings
The use of mobile buildings provides numerous opportunities to improve healthcare delivery, through the provision of additional capacity to improve access to treatment. Rather than being disheartened by the negative rhetoric surrounding the NHS, many Trusts are persevering with innovative ways to manage capacity, and equipping themselves with additional facilities to deliver healthcare.
Vanguard won two awards at last November’s Premises and Facilities Management Awards in London, including Overall Winner for 2016.
As well as the aforementioned partnerships between NHS Trusts and Vanguard Healthcare Solutions, other organisations are also seeing the benefits of mobile healthcare facilities as innovative means of healthcare delivery. Hope for Tomorrow, for example, is a charitable organisation founded in 2003 to alleviate some of the stresses and strains associated with receiving treatment for cancer, via the provision of mobile chemotherapy units to NHS Trusts. Its Mobile Chemotherapy Units allow cancer patients to receive treatment in a restful environment closer to home, eliminating the stress of long-distance travel, and minimising waiting times.
Flexible solution
Mobile healthcare facilities provide flexible solutions to a number of capacity challenges faced by NHS Trusts; they can be used in a number of scenarios, for a variety of reasons, including: Maintaining services during refurbishments.
Safeguarding against anticipated rises in demand.
Winter contingency planning. Improving waiting lists and clearing patient backlogs.
Ensuring that patients are treated at their local hospital site.
Maintaining control of the patient pathway.
Enhancing patient care and helping to alleviate anxiety and stress.
Ensuring the delivery of exceptional NHS-led patient care.
It is clear that mobile healthcare facilities offer a multitude of possibilities, and a highly flexible, rapidly deployed solution to clinical capacity challenges.
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About the author
Scott Pells is a director at Vanguard Healthcare Solutions, which operates the world’s largest fleet of mobile healthcare facilities, and has successful partnerships with both public and private healthcare providers across the UK and Europe. With over 10 years’ experience working in healthcare in a number of capacities, he possesses an excellent insight into the challenges facing the sector, and has an active interest in all aspects of healthcare delivery.
March 2017 Health Estate Journal 37
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