Case Study: University College London NHS Foundation Trust Patient Move Management
ã
In November 2008, the new Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing of the University College Hospital opened. Medical Services was chosen as the preferred provider to manage the whole patient move programme.
The planning process for the patient move began in August 2008, where the management team from Medical Services integrated with the Trust’s own move and migration planning team. The EGA patient move required the safe transfer of Women and Children’s services from the premises in Huntley Street. Four wards of patients were transferred in a range of vehicles provided on the day for the move programme. On the single day a total of 50 patients were safely moved to the new EGA wing. A total of 21 newborn babies were transferred in incubators, with medical teams in high dependency ambulances. Where delays at the start of the day had occurred with building readiness and sign off, the Medical Services management team initiated their contingency plans to enable additional resources to be utilised at the tail end of the day to ensure progress and move completion was achieved. Emily Freemantle, Project Manager for Women’s Health, University college London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: “The Medical Services staff were fantastic in working around the changing sequence provided by clinical teams, based on the medical needs of our mothers and babies. The command structure that they had in place worked really well, and their Bronze and Silver commanders worked closely with our clinical staff to coordinate the transfers. Our clinical staff particularly commented that they could not fault the Medical Services staff, who were flexible and professional at all times, and ensured that all transfers were complete by approximately 6.30pm, despite a delay to the start of our maternity move.” Medical Services managed the project, including ; n Microsoft project plans n Detailed planning, guidance and involvement at Trust meetings n Communications to the Trust and ambulance personnel n Contingency plans documented n Communication with the local authorities, council, statutory ambulance service and police n Resources for all mobilities and types of ambulance vehicles to effect a safe move programme n On site management team linking in with the hospitals Gold, Silver and Bronze structures n Vehicle route planning and traffic management n Access and egress planning and management n Resource management n Communications on site, radio and handheld mobile data terminals n Full and accurate log of patient movements
Medical Services has within it’s management team experience and expertise gained through a number of larger patient moves for PFI Hospital Move programmes. In 2006, a member of the Medical Services management team directed and managed the whole patient move process of in excess of 750 patients from the Middlesex Hospital to the new UCH PFI hospital in Euston Road. All patients were moved safely in a period of 12 days, including the Intensive Care and High Dependency wards. Also a member of the Medical Services management team, was the Director of Operations for the contractor providing the ambulance transport provision for the Oldchurch to Queen’s Hospital PFI move programme. This was one of the largest Intensive Care patient moves undertaken to date. Over a 9 day period all patients were transferred from the Oldchurch and Harold Hill sites. A total of 660 patients were moved. Co ordination with the Emergency Services was key to this whole project, with Metropolitan Police outriders supporting the ITU and HDU ambulance transfers. Medical Services can provide all of the required resources as well as the thorough and objective guidance and project management on the issues relating to large scale patient moves. With a National network of depots and resources spread throughout England and Wales, Medical Services has the resources, skilled, professional and caring staff, in excess of 350 patient transport vehicles to deliver any move projects needs.
www.medicalservicesuk.com info@medicalservicesuk.com 0207 014 1050