Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) – a non-acute community, mental health organisation, appointed Avensys UK Ltd in May 2014 for the provision of the service and maintenance of medical devices. Working together to achieve best practice in the service and maintenance of medical devices.

The Estates Department at Northamptonshire Healthcare explained:

“Following various Trust changes, equipment maintenance was fragmented by different areas. It was decided to bring all equipment maintenance together to reduce any potential risks and allow Estates to monitor the management of equipment more effectively.

Avensys UK Ltd began by undertaking a full asset survey, combined with servicing equipment identified, across all sites throughout the Trust, creating an online database of equipment recording maintenance dates. This allows Estates to view the status, range and location of equipment at any one time, and gives a clear overview of the equipment being used within the Trust to enable more effective purchase planning.

Like many trusts, NHFT have found over the years, we have bought different types of equipment which perform the same task. This can lead to additional training needs for our medical teams as they move around the Trust working in different locations. With Avensys UK Ltd’s input, we are using the database to help with future purchasing decisions to standardise equipment which support our clinical requirements.

Avensys UK Ltd has now been carrying out maintenance and repair for a year, and the trust are able to use the data collected to be better informed with regards to equipment age, faults and user errors. The Trust has a dedicated Avensys UK Ltd engineer who discusses with Estates any frequent call outs. The Trust is using this information to put in place user training programmes, which is something Avensys UK Ltd may be able to support in the future.

Avensys UK Ltd has the expertise we require to support us with our inventory management and to assist in top-up training for users. Avensys UK Ltd are represented at our regular medical devices group and with their support we believe the Trust can continue significant steps forward in achieving best practice in equipment maintenance and purchase planning.”