Patients to benefit from new addition at Royal Liverpool University Hospital

Patients in Liverpool will benefit from new beds at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital as old beds are phased out.

The new beds help offer an improved and safer experience for our patients as they are easier to get in and out of and have safety bars – this will help prevent vulnerable patients from falling.

They are also easier to clean than older beds, which helps prevent infections and any mattress can fit in them, which improves the management and prevention of pressure conditions.

Every week, eighty brand new beds are being used by patients across the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust as part of a project to replace all the old beds.

Jacqui Stamper, deputy chief nurse at the Trust said: “We had planned to use the new beds in the new Royal, but we decided to introduce them earlier so that patients can benefit from them now.

“They are a real upgrade to the old beds. We’ve currently got about 500 of the 800 beds and have been rolling them out for a number of weeks.”

“When we were selecting equipment for the new Royal, choosing the right beds was really important. We were determined to select beds that were the best for patients and our staff. The beds will be transferred over to the new Royal.”

“We worked with DeVilbiss right from the beginning and production of the beds didn’t begin until we agreed that we had the right bed for us. Now they have been delivered we are really excited to introduce them onto the wards.”

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Danny Griffiths, patient outcome service management coordinator for tissue viability said: “The best part about rolling out these new beds across our hospitals is how they have been adapted to increase patient safety. The beds can be lowered to a height of just 22 centimetres, which combined with the four bar side rails prevents our most vulnerable patients falling out of bed. The new bed design also means any mattress we want to use can go onto the frame. Getting patients onto the correct mattress as soon as possible helps in the prevention and management of pressure conditions such as pressure ulcers.”

“We’re also donating some of our old mattresses. We decided to contact the International Aid Trust, who we already do a lot of work with, to see if the old mattresses could be given to people who can make better use of them. So far they have taken two hundred mattresses which will go to countries like Uganda, Ukraine and Romania, and they’re making excellent use of our old mattresses in their hospitals.”

Craig Wright, regional business manager at Drive DeVilbiss, said: “Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare is delighted to be continuing their association with the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust through the supply of our Innov8 low beds and ongoing pressure care management services.”

The beds will be used in the current Royal and will be transferred over into the new build when the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital opens.

Keep up to date with the new Royal developments by visiting their website here.

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