Healthcare storage expert Medstor first became involved with Northern Ireland’s Electronic Materials Management (EMM) over 30 years ago and has been instrumental in the system’s evolution and success. A systematic and disciplined framework for achieving and maintaining an optimum level of stockholding streamlines procedures and helps hospitals to run more efficiently, ultimately enhancing patient care. EMM has achieved just this, transforming the way hospitals in the region order and store goods and delivering a truly modern solution to the issue of ensuring essential products are easily accessible, in stock and in date. First installed at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, the system has been rolled out across all Northern Ireland’s healthcare trusts and Medstor products remain a key factor in its success.
The EMM programme was developed to make the best use of space in hospital wards and departments to simplify and automate the re-ordering of goods by the scanning of product barcodes. Operated by Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care (HSC) service, it uses new technology to establish and maintain full control over and access to materials used in patient care, minimising storage requirements, avoiding potential problems due to human error and releasing nursing staff time. It is operated in conjunction with the Procurement and Logistics Service (PALS), which benefits from smoother product demand patterns, fewer missing products or returns to store for product incorrectly ordered and no longer having to spend time checking requisitions for approval and product code queries.
Medstor has been part of EMM right from the start and has worked closely with the HSC to develop new storage products and adapt existing ones to ensure integration with the mechanics and expectations of EMM. This versatility and commitment to developing pragmatic and effective solutions characterises Medstor’s approach to materials management – in response to changing technology and evolving client needs, the company is always looking ahead, integrating the latest advancements and expectations into product design and functionality to benefit hospitals, clinical teams and ultimately patients. Medstor currently holds the Northern Ireland contract for the Supply, Delivery and Installation of Modular Storage Systems for Materials Management including Survey and Design, a contract it has been awarded four times.
Medstor, Ulster Hospital and EMM
Medstor recently completed work at Ulster Hospital, designing and delivering materials management solutions throughout the hospital’s new buildings. To support the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust in the implementation of EMM at the hospital, Medstor installed its cabinets, trolleys and long span shelving system in all areas where both stock and non-stock products were to be located. Medstor achieved the trust’s aims in this ambitious redevelopment programme by providing a full range of materials management products:
- Bespoke HTM 71 cabinets for maximum storage capacity - featuring Medstor’s unique tray and liner system, designed to accommodate a wide range of medical and surgical products, all simple to see and access for better stock rotation and control.
- Specialist lockable COSHH cabinets - designed for the control of substances hazardous to health.
- Metromax Q shelving – quick to assemble, adjust and clean for the safe storage of items, with Microban anti-microbial protection for enhanced infection protection.
- HTM 71 long span shelving units - a mobile or static bulk storage system, compatible with EMM, that can be adapted for any room size or configuration and has smooth, easy to clean, surfaces.
- A selection of Medstor trolleys and accessories - fully compatible with the high density cabinets and using the same trays, dividers and labelling system, these provide a fully flexible and complete materials management system.
- A unique label holder and insert to accommodate the dual sided printed barcode labels provided by the EMM department for stock location and control.
The solution Medstor delivered has helped to hospital to streamline materials management for greater cost and time efficiency, supporting the aims of EMM.
