A mobile endoscope decontamination unit has been installed during redevelopment works at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil.
The works form part of a £130m investment to modernise healthcare facilities across Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board. As part of the redevelopment, Tilbury Douglas was tasked with refurbishing the hospital's endoscope decontamination department. The work could not begin until the Health Board had vacated the building, but taking the department out of service risked disrupting endoscopy activity and reducing diagnostic capacity at a time when demand for endoscopy services remains high.
Following an evaluation of several potential providers, Tilbury Douglas selected Vanguard Healthcare Solutions to provide a mobile endoscope decontamination unit.
Working closely with Tilbury Douglas and the Health Board's clinical and estates teams, Vanguard planned, delivered, and commissioned the facility at the Prince Charles Hospital within weeks of the initial discussions, allowing refurbishment work to begin without delaying the wider redevelopment programme.
The mobile unit will remain at Prince Charles Hospital until May 2028, providing resilient decontamination capacity throughout the construction period.
Cyril Glennon, project director at Tilbury Douglas, said: “We selected Vanguard based on the comprehensive approach they proposed and their collaborative commitment to delivering, commissioning, and bringing the mobile decontamination unit into operation within what were very challenging timescales.
“I would like to compliment the installation and commissioning team for their hard work, professionalism, and excellent collaboration, not only with Tilbury Douglas but also with the end users. Their commitment and teamwork were instrumental in getting the unit successfully operational.”
Richard Jones, operational decontamination manager, Prince Charles Hospital, commented: “The transition into the Vanguard Mobile Endoscope Decontamination Unit was extremely smooth. The unit was fully operational from the day we went live, which meant there was no disruption to our service or impact on patient care. All required training was provided to our staff before and during the implementation, ensuring everyone was confident in using the facility and equipment from the outset. The Vanguard team were also on hand throughout the process, providing ongoing support and responding quickly to any questions or issues that arose.
“The unit was supplied with everything we needed to continue delivering a safe, compliant, and efficient decontamination service, this allowed us to maintain service capacity and continue meeting the needs of our customers and patients while the redevelopment works progress.”