UHNM invests in Hepacart technology

UHNM is the first hospital in the country to invest in an innovative new mobile medical containment unit. 'Hepacarts' allow essential maintenance works to be safely undertaken in an enclosed environment, which results in a safer setting for patients and ensures facilities can be kept in use. The Hepacarts are currently being used on Royal Stoke's neonatal intensive care unit, delivery suite and in the cancer centre, where the emergency lighting system is being replaced with a new automated one.

Kelly Mottershead, Maternity Matron, said: "This technology has really made a positive difference to patients and our working environment. Now we can work uninterrupted in a cleaner, safer way and in the knowledge that we won't have to close rooms or facilities if work needs to be done. We are a very busy unit and every bit of space is important, so it means a lot to us that we can now work even more efficiently."  

The Hepacart is a mobile working unit with telescopic sliding walls that allow works to be quickly completed in high risk clinical areas without compromise to clinical safety. It isolates dust and dirt from the live clinical environment and case studies have shown that it also reduces air particulate and improves air quality outside of the unit due to its air filtration system.

Alex Smith, Capital Projects Estates Manager, said: "Due to the nature of complex clinical activity in these areas, we would ordinarily need to move departments and close wards to mitigate infection prevention. This introduces significant cost and the potential to disrupt the scope and quality of care offered to our patients, so our team decided to explore multiple alternative options. The Hepacart allows us to work in a safer, more cost-effective way."