Medical Air Technology (MAT) has installed two ECO-flow™ ultraclean operating canopies at Nuffield Health Chester, the Grosvenor Hospital, working with main contractor DD Porter Construction. The new operating theatres mark the completion of the first stage in a £7 million development programme, which will enable the hospital to offer a wider range of surgery and deliver an even better patient experience through the implementation of connected and integrated healthcare. The theatres are on the first floor, which presented challenges around the delivery of equipment: the windows had to be removed and the ultraclean ventilation (UCV) canopy delivered in quarters and reassembled in situ. In addition, the theatres are located close to the wards, and while this will help to improve flow and efficiency, it meant great care had to be taken by MAT during installation work to ensure the day-to-day running of the hospital was not disrupted and patients were not disturbed.

In addition to the two UCV canopies, MAT carried out associated mechanical and electrical work and installed theatre control panels. MAT also coordinated with Stryker Endoscopy, the company that equipped both theatres for minimally invasive surgery. With the completion of these new theatres, the Chester team will be able to move to stage two of the development – converting existing theatres into day-case suites so that patients undergoing procedures such as endoscopies and cataract surgery will have a shorter waiting time for surgery and will not have to be admitted to a ward for an overnight stay. The new suite is already proving very popular with surgeons operating out of the hospital, with bariatric surgeon Professor David Kerrigan saying: “Our team of weight loss surgery experts were delighted to be the first to use the new state-of-the-art keyhole surgery theatre at the Grosvenor Nuffield. The technology is unparalleled in the region and will enable us to safely treat patients weighting from 15-75 stone.”

MAT offers a wide breadth of services so is able to respond flexibly and quickly to the specific needs of each client, providing all the benefits that come from working with a specialist contractor. With its own in-house manufacturing facility and dedicated team of highly skilled engineers, MAT manufactures and supplies bespoke equipment for demanding clinical arenas. Clients can choose from several options, ranging from UCV canopy only right through to a total turnkey package, ensuring they get exactly the solution they need. In addition, MAT FM can provide a range of competitively priced and highly effective service and maintenance packages for all core products and turnkey solutions offered by MAT or other suppliers, ensuring that equipment is maintained, serviced and validated correctly for optimum performance.