MEDSTOR - A CREATIVE USE OF SPACE AT SPIRE HARPENDEN HOSPITAL

When Spire Harpenden Hospital wanted to improve the appearance and storage capacity of its operating theatre suite, materials management specialist Medstor was brought in to interpret the needs of the project and design a solution that was functional, creative and stylish. The hospital needed the solution to be delivered quickly, a challenge the Medstor team was more than happy to address, pulling out all the stops to complete the project in just two weeks from design to installation - half the time usually needed for a project of this scope and size.

Many of the projects Medstor completes require the design team to think outside the box to deliver a custom storage and materials management solution that does everything the client needs it to. At Spire Harpenden Hospital, Medstor developed a design that changed an irregular area of wall in the theatre storage area beyond recognition, bringing together a range of units of different heights and sizes, and uniting them to create a bespoke wall of high volume storage where once there had just been dead space.

The cabinets support the Medstor tray system, which allows theatre staff to organise stock into configured trays to maximise space and create a safe storage environment, eliminating stock-outs and facilitating easy location of goods The short timeframe for completion of the work meant it was essential for the team from Medstor to work closely with the hospital throughout, scheduling work carefully to ensure it did not disrupt the day-to-day running of the busy theatre suite. Ian Rice, theatre manager at Spire Harpenden Hospital, also had some very specific requests necessitating a custom solution - the Medstor team responded by designing a larger cabinet to store laparoscopic kits, and an enclosed and lockable fluids cabinet for IV fluid boxes.

The combination of full height cabinets with trays, bespoke cabinets, mobile cabinets to support a flexible healthcare environment, Metromax shelving system, and catheter baskets transformed the area into a highly functional space that increased and streamlined storage, as well as creating the stylish and modern aesthetic required throughout by the hospital.

The project was a great success, as Ian Rice says: “ The installation team from Medstor was helpful and professional at all times, going above and beyond to make sure we were happy with the install, which was completed earlier than quoted. The finished result is amazing and will be serving us well for many years to come.“