Darlington Memorial Hospital Diagnostics

Darlington Memorial Hospital Diagnostics

As part of a 10 year MES (Managed Equipment Service) between Philips and Co Durham & Darlington NHS Trust, the team at P+HS Architects have been supporting the Trust with the implementation of their programme of equipment replacement.

Each scheme requires a detailed understanding of equipment requirements, and how clinicians use each of the rooms. Projects extend beyond just the replacement of equipment but recognise the importance of the patient experience too. Patients presenting for treatment may be going through a challenging time and feel vulnerable: alongside the complex technical aspects, each scheme considers patient and staff experience to create an environment that is as non-threatening and supportive as possible.

The projects delivered at Darlington Memorial (DMH) Hospital so far have been part of separate work streams but as part of the first scheme’s delivery, we worked with the Trust to look at the imaging department as a whole to see how we could incorporate changes to improve the patient experience and staff environment.

The initial workstream saw the replacement of two digital x-rays, including the formation of new patient changing rooms and the replacement of the Cardio Catheter Lab equipment. The next workstream formed a larger project to replace an existing CT scanner, provide a 2nd CT scanner and new Fluoroscopy equipment, along with associated control rooms, preparation areas and changing rooms, including keeping the existing CT scanner live for as long as possible. Our latest work involved the replacement of the Gamma Camera and Bone Mineral Densitometer (DEXA) within the adjacent Nuclear Medicine department. Similar workstreams have been carried out and are ongoing at the Trust’s other sites.

The MRI scanner at DMH was delivered as a separate project, prior to the commencement of the MES contract, and involved a full refurbishment of the existing department, including a courtyard infill extension to provide increased provision for patient changing, recovery & staff reporting, along with space for a 2nd MRI scanner.

All schemes are delivered within a live and operational hospital environment.