York Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
York Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. A trusted bespoke solution for a great cause.
Background
The County of North Yorkshire is the largest County in the country covering an area of 5,500 Square Miles, much of it remote rural locations. This makes the provision of some medical services particularly challenging. In particular those services which are ordinarily provided via central based hospital locations. One of these services is the delivery of Ophthalmic Screening Services relating to Diabetes. The Health Trust therefore provides mobile screening services delivered at local GP Surgeries and Health Centres. This negates the need for patients to make often long and complicated journeys to the Trust’s six main hospitals, including York Hospital.
Problem
The screening of patients includes an examination. An Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Imaging System or camera is used. An examination table would usually mount the camera. The specially adapted had to take the camera across the country. The clinic then had to be able to receive the camera. Transportation of the camera around the surgery was crucial. Once in the clinic the camera needed to be mounted on a height adjustable stand ready to use.
Consultation
Gary Tremble Craven’s Design Manager visited the Trust and spent a significant amount of time understanding the requirements of the Mobile Ophthalmic Screening Team and the problems that they faced in transporting the OCT camera around the County, the following problems were identified:
The camera needed to be very secure when mounted on the trolley, they cost £45,000 each.
In effect the Trust need a mobile, height Adjustable Mobile Stand holding the camera to navigate the inside of the Surgeries as well as a robust Trolley to Transport the Mobile Stand to and from the van. Craven needed to design a trolley within a trolley.
Both trolleys would need to be light enough to be easily manoeuvrable in both external locations with rough and uneven surfaces and within the clinic.
The valuable camera needed to be safe.
The specially adapted vans could load the trolley.
The Trust staff needed to be confident in use of the trolleys.
Design
Gary decided the prime issue was the security of the camera when mounted on the mobile stand. Hence, the Trust arranged for him to be provided with a camera to take exact measurements, he designed the plate on which the camera could be securely mounted.
From this foundation Gary designed the stand with an electrically controlled actuator column based on a four way castor base. The camera can be manoeuvred around the surgeries and be set to the required height for each patient.
Next came the external transport trolley to get the camera on and off the van as well as transporting it from the van to the surgery. Gary was also able to include a lockable cabinet for the Ophthalmic Teams other equipment.
See below the finished product before we delivered them to the Trust. Six of them are now in use all over North Yorkshire.
