6 June 2024
In April 2022, the general hospital launched a major improvement project to address several operational issues.
This project, funded by ring-fenced financial aid, addressed the following key areas:
- The morgue received a complete refurbishment, increasing capacity and improving hygiene, and a more accessible Chapel of Rest was built to better serve families
- To ensure consistent hot water access throughout the hospital, a brand new and efficient hot water system was installed
- A crucial backup power system was implemented to safeguard vital equipment during power outages. This project successfully addressed its goals within budget and has significantly improved services for both patients and staff
The project aimed to achieve key outcomes that included ensuring consistent and reliable service delivery to the public, safeguarding valuable hospital equipment, and generating long-term operational cost savings for the hospital.
Mortuary and Chapel of Rest improvement
Following a competitive tendering process in early 2023, AMD Engineering secured the contract to transform a former medical storage area into a more modern mortuary with an adjoining, accessible Chapel of Rest. The project reached official completion in March 2024, with the mortuary partially operational since November 2023 and the Chapel of Rest becoming fully operational in April 2024. Key improvements to the mortuary include:
- A new body chiller with a capacity to accommodate six bariatric-sized bodies
- An enhanced workspace for efficient and streamlined mortuary operations
- Hygienic finishes and upgraded hoisting equipment
- Provision of a newly built Chapel of Rest that allows seating for approximately 15 people and single-level access for improved accessibility for all
Hospital hot water system improvement
Completed in March 2024, Henry’s Construction and Raymond Yon were awarded contracts to install a hot water system and enabling works to provide hot water to areas of the hospital lacking this service. A summary of these improvements are:
- The installation of a larger combined single boiler system allowing other stand-alone boilers to be removed from the network
- A more efficient hot water system using thermal solar panels and heat pumps for heating that is three times more efficient than typical immersion heaters
- Installation of hygienic hospital-grade long lever-handle taps
- Installation of an insulated hot water pipped network to support the new boiler and removal of old end of life pipe network systems
Backup power supply
A new generator and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system has been installed to safeguard vital medical equipment against power instability, and ensure a constant power supply throughout the hospital complex.
To expedite the project, SHG employed a procurement strategy that focused on acquiring equipment that would take longer to procure in advance. While this approach facilitated a quicker start to certain installation phases, the manufacturing of custom equipment took longer than initially anticipated.
Commissioning of the UPS and Generator is now successfully complete. The next step is to begin the technical task of connecting the new wiring with the existing hospital electrical system. These works are expected to be completed by June 2024.
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SHG
06 June 2024