Replacement hospital beds (FOI)

​Request

Regarding the 90 new hospital beds bought to recently replace those deemed unsatisfactory in terms of safety please confirm the following:-

​A

How much did the 90 replacement hospital beds cost in total? 

B

How much is the cost of a single replacement hospital bed?

C

Have the new hospital beds been purchased with the New Multisite Hospital Facilities funding? If not, where did the funding come from?

D

Why was it decided to replace the old hospital beds, and why were they deemed no longer compliant with safety standards?

E

When did the hospital beds become non-compliant?

F

When will the hospital beds be recycled and removed from the current site?

G

How will the old hospital beds be recycled?

Response

A

£165,600.

B

£1,840.

C

No. Health and Community Services has a Capital funded medical equipment replacement budget.

D

The service provider no longer supported the model of bed, meaning that spare parts are not available. Unserviceable beds cannot be used for patients, therefore, needed replacing. Disposed beds ranged between 15 – 20 years old.

E

The service provider confirmed they would no longer support the maintenance service contract in June 2023, resulting in parts becoming obsolete.

F

The majority of beds have already been removed from site by a third-party contractor that was appointed to undertake the logistics and recycle the metal bed frames. Prior to this, hospital engineers strip the batteries, cabling, and plastic parts, also to be recycled where possible. The remaining beds will be collected in the week commencing 29 January 2024.

​G

Locally, by third party contractors, as per the response to Question F.​