HOSPITAL RELOCATION
Some of those being moved during a hospital re-location may be among the most vulnerable members of our society.
of the relocation. This should involve notifying every stakeholder group of the plans, and opening up channels to field enquiries. Such groups include all hospital departments and staff, patients, providers of connectivity services and utilities, equipment suppliers, outside contractors, professionals in contact with the hospital (e.g. lawyers, bankers), and the general public. Each group will be impacted in different ways by the relocation, so it is important to tailor messaging appropriately, and prepare responses to potential enquiries and concerns.
Plan logistics down to the last detail The wider planning that goes into a hospital relocation is extraordinary. While, of course, things can, and most likely will, change over the course of a move, a comprehensive plan will ensure that all parties involved are in the best position to deal with any unexpected challenges. As a partner that specialises in the
logistics of hospital relocations, we like to identify early which members of staff we
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the need to move a lot of equipment in between buildings, notes Business Moves.
will be working most closely with. This is often people from numerous departments – including A&E, surgery, trauma, minor injuries, and more. Given that the norm is to move departments and wards in phases, it is critical that we get the timing right to ensure that equipment downtime is minimised. Planning should involve introductions between relocation partners and hospital porters. In hospitals, we do not have the luxury of having a largely free rein of a building over the weekend when occupants are at home. We are therefore more likely to
encounter situations where a lift is needed to transport a patient, which obviously takes priority over our needs. This means that striking up strong relationships with porters is key to avoiding disruption, and helping us to be as ‘invisible’ as possible throughout the duration of the relocation.
A detailed inventory As well as connecting with people on the ground in advance, the most important, albeit basic, planning task, is to create a
detailed inventory. Put simply, ask yourself what is it that you need to move? The sheer volume and variety of equipment involved in a hospital move is one of the more difficult aspects of these projects. To reduce some of this difficulty, take the opportunity to assess your inventory, and remove items which are hard to transport and/or outdated and not cost-effective. In some cases, it may be prudent to buy new equipment and have it shipped directly to the new location. The inventory will then inform a transportation plan, which should be as streamlined as possible. Here, a detailed itinerary of exactly what will be transported, and what will be left behind, is an essential resource that you can refer back to as you move. It can also be used as a checklist for equipment with specific requirements, such as temperature control and extremely fragile items. Be prepared with different-sized crates, cages, skates, and dollies, to properly package every item, and ensure that you have provisioned specialist vehicles which are fitted with electricity and air-conditioning. As is usually the case, being overprepared is better than being underprepared. Finally, map out the routes being taken in advance, and, if necessary, lay on security provisions to ensure that all equipment arrives safely at the new location.
Patient privacy and information security are both key considerations. As well as moving medical supplies and sophisticated machinery, relocations also involve the transportation of both digital and physical records.
92 Health Estate Journal October 2023
Don’t neglect hygiene Another critical aspect of safety to consider is hygiene and cleanliness throughout the relocation operation. This proved especially important during the pandemic, which saw hospitals establish temporary COVID-19 wards, and thus resulted in the need to move a lot of equipment in between buildings. At the outset of the pandemic, we helped a Scottish healthcare provider to shift hundreds of pieces of equipment, and thousands of consumables – including incubators, ventilators, and syringe pumps, across a combined distance of well over 10,000 miles.
Although the pandemic has shone
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