Every bed in the hospital with be replaced in several weeks, under the initiative from Beechfield Healthcare
Beechfield Healthcare has started its replacement programme of every bed and mattress in Tallaght University Hospital (TUH), it has been announced.
The hospital will receive 275 beds in total. Before the move, the hospital, in addition to the purchase and maintenance of its beds, was deploying a high number of dynamic mattresses with associated annual costs.
Some of the beds that will soon be leaving the hospital are in use since 1998.
The new bed programme strips out ad-hoc bed purchasing and servicing. It also incorporates all mattress rental costs, Beechfield Healthcare says. If a bed is damaged, the company will replace it that day, they added.
(L-r): Cathy Doyle CNM 2, Crampton Ward; Helen Strapp, ANP tissue Viability; James Gargan, Commercial Director Beechfield Healthcare Ltd; Ãine Lynch, Director of Nursing & Integrated Care; Stuart O Connor, Contracts & Procurement Manager; and Patricia Morrison, Directorate Perioperative Nurse Manager
The introduction of the solution in the hospital follows a strategic review of their bed and mattress management practices by a multi-disciplinary team.
Following the review, it was decided to go to market and explore alternative options; options that would service the healthcare needs of the community, provide care based on best practice and deliver value for money.
The strategic review team travelled to hospitals in Northern Ireland to investigate the concept of Total Bed Management, where it is well established as a concept.
TUH subsequently issued a public tender and received submissions from both domestic and international suppliers. Beechfield Healthcare was awarded the tender after the evaluation process.
James Gargan, commercial director at Beechfield Healthcare, said: “This is a significant and notable contract in that it is the first of its kind awarded in the Republic of Ireland. Beechfield Healthcare has a proven track record in the supply of acute beds and provision of mattress management in the hospital care environment. With our own experiences of deploying hybrid mattress technology to 675 plus beds in the Mater Hospital, Dublin, and our partnership with Drive DeVilbiss Sidhil, who have been providing Total Bed Management in the UK for almost 20 years, we are looking forward to the successful implementation of this project.â€