PATIENT SAFETY
with its ultra-low height setting and side rails. Equally, the increase of patients experiencing respiratory complications made the 30˚ and 45˚ pre-set backrest angles a very attractive function. The bed’s ability to eliminate heel travel and promote safe, early, and independent mobilisation also ticked many of our boxes. Finally, the pressure redistribution qualities of the AeroSpacer mattress supported our goal of minimising preventable patient harm due to tissue damage. “Selecting Medstrom was a unanimous
decision. Not only do I have confidence in the equipment’s ability to enhance patient care, but I believe that clinician efficiency will also greatly improve because of access to a better class of hospital bed that can tailor support to the individual needs of patients.” The deal to bring in the new equipment is
the first action of the newly formed Lancashire Procurement Cluster (LPC), created to boost the buying power of the three NHS Trusts that will now utilise its services. It followed a full market review driven by a stringent list of benefit criteria, which culminated in the selection of products exclusively supplied by Medstrom. The new partnership is one born of high levels of cooperation and creativity, as Keith Dickinson, the Trust’s Chief Financial Officer, asserted: “The financial package put together to make this possible was truly innovative, and required real flexibility on both sides. The work of the LPC, NHS Supply Chain, BFW Management Ltd. (Atlas) our wholly owned subsidiary company, along with the Medstrom team and our own people has led to a situation where we can both improve quality and lower costs. “I’ve been really impressed with the input
from all sides, and the collaboration shown will ensure we can deliver better patient care, achieve more positive outcomes and attain improved financial performance for years to come.”
Commenting on the procurement drivers
and ongoing contract, Atlas’s head of medical engineering, Darren Wrigley, said: “The incumbent bed frames had reached the end of their life cycle and were no longer supported by the manufacturer. “The Trust needed a solution that would
meet the emerging needs of the patient population – beds that are modern, reliable, and add value to the Trust’s preventable harm agenda. Not only is the equipment good news from a patient safety perspective but the repair and maintenance remit is being optimised through an ongoing partnership between Atlas and Medstrom. This involves streamlined
preventative maintenance schedules, quick and efficient decontamination, on-site engineers that can repair or replace equipment and minimise the impact on patients, and data-driven reporting. It’s been a significant project to co-ordinate but I’m confident that the right supplier has been selected and I am looking forward to working with Medstrom long into the future to deliver
With the patient population ageing, we needed beds to support patients at high risk of falls and tissue damage to support our organisations strategic aim of reducing patient harm
38 I
WWW.CLINICALSERVICESJOURNAL.COM
the best results for patients and the best value for money for the Trust.” Rajan Sethi, head of procurement and
commercial, added: “Atlas, with the support of NHS Supply Chain has coordinated all stakeholders to ensure an innovative approach that should realise tangible clinical and financial benefits and improved service productivity for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This also supports our commitment to the national Future Operating Model and hence the wider national agenda.”
References
1 Evaluation of the skin microclimate and shear strain performance of the AeroSpacer 3D spacer mattress; Worsley P; Parsons B; Bader DL; University of Southampton, European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel Conference Proceedings. Ghent ©2015 EPUAP/NPUAP/PPPIA.
SEPTEMBER 2018
CSJ
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
