The Unforeseen Heights of Somerset’s Yeovil District Hospital Project

Somerset is a county in the UK that is widely recognized for its exceptional cheddar cheese and cider production. It is the birthplace of numerous notable figures in the world of comedy and literature, such as John Cleese, Terry Pratchett and Bill Bailey. It is also home to Yeovil District Hospital, where Belimed has successfully completed one of its most interesting projects.

Similar to numerous NHS Trusts, Yeovil District Hospital is no exception in terms of being confronted with the escalating demand for medical procedures and limited spatial options for how to extend its CSSD to accommodate the growth. Belimed won a tender in September 2021 to execute various necessary initiatives. The project – in which we installed 5 x WD290IQ, 3 x MST 9-6-12 HS2, 1 x CS 750S as well as SmartHub Connect and SmartHub Orbit – was completed in September 2023. This inaugural project required the incorporation of innovation in the delivery methods.

So as not to disturb the regular workflow, we agreed to install equipment in seven phases. This was the first project that required innovation in terms of how to deliver machines to the CSSD, which is on the fifth floor. The department lift was not able to handle the weight of the sterilisers – over one tonne – which meant transport by stairs was not an option. We had to deliver the equipment via the roof. We originally agreed to use one crane, however, the Belimed-appointed contractor, CFES, discovered that delivering machines to the fifth floor required four crane lifts, because the roof that the machines were being lifted onto was only a membrane. This meant that scaffolding would need to be erected to help take the weight and get the machines in safely. We needed to involve a structural engineer to design a ‘landing platform’ that would be strong enough to take the weight off the membrane for the sterilisers to be ‘dropped’ onto. A ferro scan of the stairwell was therefore needed to build an adequate steel structure for safety.

During the initial stages of using the WD 290 IQs, we managed to operate within standard working hours and utilized the hospital’s loading docks and elevators to facilitate transportation of the machines into the department. With the sterilizers, however, a one-in, one-out strategy was necessary, since the department could not afford to lose significant capacity due to the high volume of surgical instruments required daily. On the final lift, we had to raise both the last sterilizer and the CS750, resulting in the crane being stationed at the hospital for the entire weekend.

Once the sterilisers were in place, they were able to connect straight to the services as they were a like-for-like replacement. Installation of the new machines means we have successfully met the target to increase throughput by 25% and achieve efficiency savings of 25%.

Since September 2023, the CSSD at Yeovil District Hospital has been operating at full speed.

Sam Frisk, CSSD Manager: “I am delighted with the new equipment installed by Belimed. Although complex due to our CSSD being located on the fifth, the project was meticulously planned and executed. This allowed us to maintain our regular workflow and ensure uninterrupted service. The Belimed and CFES teams demonstrated exceptional adaptability when they discovered that the roof’s membrane structure necessitated four crane lifts instead of the initially planned one. The unwavering commitment and professionalism from Belimed and CFES throughout this project are commendable. We now look forward to leveraging the immense benefits of our upgraded CSSD, equipped with state-of-the-art sterilizing machines.”