MEDICAL GAS SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION
A close-up of patient bedhead trunking for one of 137 hospital beds.
healthcare to people in desperate need. It has worked in more than 50 countries, where it is estimated that its services have so far been valued at over £1 bn. Its aim is to improve healthcare in every country it visits – so much so that it eradicates diseases of poverty – most of which it believes can be easily treated through access to improved healthcare services, which it is committed to providing. “In addition to carrying out thousands
of urgent operations onboard its fleet of floating hospitals, Mercy Ships’ volunteers – trained doctors, nurses, and stewards, who have dedicated their medical expertise to the improvement of better healthcare outcomes for their patients – also assist in improving the delivery of healthcare by training and mentoring local medical staff in host nations, as well as renovating local hospitals and clinics. “Just as we at MIG approach projects with longevity in mind, Mercy Ships delivers a customised five-year partnership model with every country it is invited to support – it doesn’t just address the immediate need on the ground, but also works to strengthen the country’s healthcare systems long-term.”
HEJ: “Can you tell us more about the Global Mercy itself?” SM: “The Global Mercy is the world’s largest purpose-built hospital ship. Over a 50-year lifespan, the ship is expected to help more than 150,000 individuals in need of life- altering surgery, as well as countless others in need of less invasive medical attention. “Measuring 174 metres long, the Global
Mercy weighs 37,000 tonnes, and includes six fully equipped operating rooms, a CT scanner, ICUs, laboratories, wards, and training facilities, for its 600 volunteers, representing many disciplines – including surgeons, maritime crew, cooks, teachers, electricians, the host staff, and more. The ship also features a 682-seat auditorium, student academy, café, shop, and library – all of which have been designed to accommodate up to 950 crew on board when docked in port. “Vital to all of the work that takes place
82 Health Estate Journal October 2023
MIG Medical AVSU units situated on Ward D of the Global Mercy.
on board, though, is a reliable, safe, gas pipeline, that delivers elemental support whenever and wherever it’s needed – and that’s where our team and I came in.”
HEJ: “What was MIG Medical briefed to do on this project?” SM: “Working in close contact with Marine Operations Fleet manager, Devin Ilae, to support in the renovation of the Global Mercy ship, we were commissioned to design and install a new medical gas pipeline system. This is something we specialise in following decades of experience. Our specialist gas pipeline systems provide vital services to crucial areas – from medical gas pipeline systems for operating theatres, ICUs, and departmental wards, to industrial systems compliant with BCGA codes. Our experience in carrying out precise installation of these systems ensures that clinical areas are safe to use for staff and patients alike.” “For the Global Mercy ship, our team
was asked to remove a non-compliant medical gas pipeline system and replace it with a state-of-the-art updated system that complied with HTM 02-01 standards. “The refurbishment required six kilometres of pipework that had to be connected from the plant rooms in the bowels of the ship, all the way up to the operating theatre decks and wards, totalling 7 decks in total. This comprised 23 area valve and service units; patient bed head trunking for 137 patient beds; 563 medical gas terminal units; 834 electrical fittings, and 260 light switches.”
HEJ: “That sounds a challenging job; what set this project apart from others?” SM: “This would have been a large-scale project even for a regular land-based hospital. The Global Mercy hospital, however, needed to be fit to sail. This meant that not only did the installation have to be installed to HTM 02-01 standards, but it also had to comply with Lloyds Marine standards as well.”
HEJ: “So, how did MIG overcome these
challenges to bring the project to fruition?” SM: “The ship was docked in Port Granadilla, Tenerife, as once the ship was ready, it would sail around the coast of Africa for 12 months. Our expert team worked tirelessly over a five-month period to design and install a bespoke gas pipeline that would supply the Global Mercy’s wards, ICU rooms, operating theatres, and CT scanning facilities. This required managing logistics with a range of international partners, working in both English and Spanish. In addition to fitting the pipeline, we also supplied all of the required medical gases.”
HEJ: “What was the outcome of the medical gas pipeline refurbishment on the Global Mercy ship project?” SM: “We implemented a reliable and efficient system, built in adherence with all relevant regulations. The pipeline was rigorously tested and commissioned by an independent pharmacist, and Mercy Ships was incredibly happy with the build.”
HEJ: “How integral is the gas pipeline to the overall success of this/any project?” SM: “For the Global Mercy ship, the gas pipeline ensures that all areas on board are fully equipped to facilitate patient care. The pipeline that was previously in situ was not fit-for-purpose, and could have impacted patient health. We understood the impact that this system could have, so consulted with the surgeon teams, Operations manager, and others, to ensure that the solution would address their needs completely. This is in addition to the new system being fully compliant with HTM 02-01 standards. “Deploying gas pipelines is something
we are asked to include as part of many of our projects. We recently installed full medical gas supply as part of our fit-out of one of four operating theatres at North Devon District Hospital. This came off the back of the successful handover of the hospital’s Jubilee Ward, which was shortlisted for the 2022 Healthcare Estates IHEEM Healthcare Supplier of the Year Award.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124
