The Client
Salford Royal Hospital in Greater Manchester is a leading centre for major trauma patients in the north of England. Under the government’s hospital development programme, £68m has been invested in a new trauma centre there named Greater Manchester Major Trauma Hospital.
Due to complete summer 2023, this will be the main trauma centre for the surrounding Greater Manchester area and road network.
The Neuro Rehab team asked us to show them some of our core seating range, which lead to a collaboration on their new flagship Trauma Assessment Unit at Salford Royal Hospital.
The Challenge
Our role in this development is to work alongside the Neuro Rehab team, equipping them with an effective rehabilitation seating plan which will help them commission the state-of-the-art Trauma Assessment Unit (TAU) due to open early 2023. This is a strategic partnership to develop a seating programme that will enable rapid deployment of treatment and deliver patient-centred care.
The range of seating we have put forward has been subjected to an intensive suitability study to ensure it provides first-class rehabilitation and can be adapted to the widest range of patient needs.
The Background
The new trauma centre is designed to serve traumatic injury patients who have been involved in serious road collisions and falls, and is equipped with the very latest cutting-edge technology, including a resuscitation area, five emergency theatres, inpatient beds, and diagnostic imaging equipment.
A helipad is positioned directly above the new trauma unit to transfer the patient from the accident scene to the treatment hub in the quickest possible time.
It also has the UK’s first hybrid trauma theatre for patients with multiple serious injuries. This highly advanced facility allows all diagnostics and operating treatments can be carried out in the same place, so the patient doesn’t have to be moved from one location to another.
The Solution
The facility would serve trauma patients of all complexities, so the seating had to be versatile enough to meet such a high diversity of needs.
The feasibility study undertaken to assess our seating range was extended beyond the initial trial period, to trial across various wards and obtain maximum feedback in terms of patient conditions, sizes and complexities.
Over a period of several weeks, detailed feedback was received from OTs, physios and nurses relating to numerous clinical factors, including usability, comfort for patients, ease of transfer, pressure relieving capabilities, and mobility.
The highest-scoring chairs were elevated to the procurement panel and included in the final seating package, featuring the Lento Care Chair, Prospec Hospital Chair and Rea Azalea Tilt-In-Space Wheelchair.
This package provided a seating standardisation plan that could be utilised across the wards, with the versatility to meet demanding and complex needs. Having interchangeable features within the chairs, such as different backrests, allows a patient-centred approach, and the ease in which the chairs are transported and operated are ideal for the fast-paced environment of the trauma unit where care needs to be deployed as quickly as possible.
The Result
The seating package we have formulated for the Salford Royal TAU, underpinned by a rigorous testing process, will enable the rehabilitation team at Salford Royal to deploy rapid patient-centred care and provide an end-to-end rehabilitation programme for all trauma patients.
We are really looking forward to the new trauma centre becoming operational next year and working with the Trust on strategic new initiatives in the future.
