Acute Care

H-Frame & Integralift Hoist Installation For Nuero Specialist Hospital

Innova installed 24 H-Frames and 51 Integralifts at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability, creating a welcoming, non-clinical environment for patients.

Client Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability

Location London

Sector

Health

The Challenge

The Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability (RHN) is a charity-run hospital that cares for people with brain injuries and complex neurological conditions. Many of its patients stay for long periods, so the ward environment has a real effect on their comfort and wellbeing. In 2015, RHN approached Innova with a clear ambition: make the hospital feel welcoming and non-clinical without compromising clinical excellence. The equipment needed to give staff full hoisting capability across several wards and therapy areas, while staying quiet, discreet and easy to keep clean. The hospital also had to stay open, and care could not be disrupted during the works.

Approach

Innova looked at how each space was used by patients, families and staff, then specified a hoisting solution that would blend into the environment rather than dominate it. Two systems were chosen for their subtle design and low noise: the Integralift, a hidden hoist system, and inset H-frame ceiling track hoists. Infection control was considered from the outset. The Integralifts are wipeable and detergent-safe, and the inset H-frame systems are easy to clean, with minimal surfaces for bacteria to collect. Innova also planned the installation in two stages, coordinating the full scope across every area so the hospital could rely on one partner throughout.

Implementation

The phased programme allowed RHN to keep one ward open for patient care while the other was refurbished, so disruption to patients and staff stayed to a minimum. Installations covered the wards, the physiotherapy department and the gym:

Draper Ward: 19 Integralifts and 4 H-frame systems
Evitt Ward: 17 Integralifts, with additional H-frame systems
Cathcart Ward: 15 Integralifts, with additional H-frame systems
Physiotherapy and gym: H-frame systems to support therapy and rehabilitation

In total, Innova installed 51 Integralifts and 24 H-frame systems across the hospital.

Results

The hospital now feels supportive and reassuring for patients, families and staff. Hoisting equipment is available wherever it’s needed but no longer defines the look of the rooms. This gives patients a calmer, more homely place to live, which matters especially to those with severe neurological disabilities who may be sensitive to noise and visual clutter.

Staff have reliable, hygienic equipment that is quick to clean and suits every area, from bedrooms to therapy spaces. With one specialist partner delivering a consistent solution across the whole site, RHN has shown that a non-clinical environment and clinical excellence can go hand in hand.