Robots at new super hospital offer blueprint for NHS savings

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 5 November 2024

A company introducing its robots into a new Midlands 'super hospital' claims its systems could revolutionise patient care all over the UK and save millions of pounds annually. 

Nottingham-based Aerocom (UK) Ltd supplied automated guided vehicles (AGVs) at the new Midland Metropolitan Hospital, in Birmingham, earlier this month, and is claiming that they are giving hours of patient care back to the NHS.

The AGVs are being used to carry heavy loads quickly from the hospital warehouse to the ward hubs on each floor, allowing staff more time to care for those in need. 

Tom Hughes, managing director at Aerocom (UK), said:

"This new way of working could literally transform the NHS in terms of man hours and free up much-needed cash. 

"We were delighted to be asked by the Midland Metropolitan Hospital to assist it with this project and we hope that more hospitals will follow suit. The negotiations and discussions around this project have been taking place over a four-year period, and to see the AGVs finally in action is a tremendous moment for our team here.

"The challenge has always been convincing hospital bosses that robots do have a place in this environment, and for less important tasks such as transporting linen to different areas of the hospital, AGV use is ideal.”

The new robots, produced by German brand, MLR, work by interpreting a staff command. A request is given to the robot, telling it where to pick up and drop off the goods. The robots move quickly along the corridors but can stop for safety when nearby objects or staff are detected. There are sensors along the corridor walls which help the robots send and receive signals. 

Heavy lifting was once done by people, specifically the porters, but now their focus can be solely on the patients.  

Zaheer Iqbal, Portering Manager at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, said:

"Porters are hugely essential in our trust and will continue to be so forever.

Porters do a valuable job, not just in moving our patients around to get them to appointments and areas, different departments but also, they support the general visitors that come in with directions."

The robots will be working on their own floors of the hospital. So unfortunately, you won't ever see them but they are there working to make things faster for patients. 

It is estimated that for each AGV used within the NHS, 19,500 man-hours could be released over a five-year timeframe, and the financial investment will pay off within four years. 

For over 20 years, the team at Nottingham based Aerocom (UK) Limited has been a trusted supplier to the NHS, providing internal logistics solutions, AGVs, specialised blood sample handling pneumatic tube systems and, more recently, fire suppression technology.

The contract for the new AGVs came as a result of a long-standing relationship to provide pneumatic tube systems. 

Tom added:

"Today's budget announcements seem to highlight some good news for the NHS, and we hope that more money can be invested into time saving and efficiency measures such as this.

"Technology is improving, and if we can offer a solution which allows hospital staff more time to look after those within their care, it makes perfect sense."

For more information on the AGV solutions from Aerocom (UK) Ltd, please visit Pneumatic Tube Systems & AGV Solutions - Aerocom UK Ltd

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