A major project to upgrade operating theatres and electrical systems at a rural hospital has been completed by a team of experts from Cumbria.
The work – delivered by Ulverston-based Bender UK – will help to future-proof critical clinical services and improve patient safety at Hexham General Hospital.
The project is one of a growing number delivered by the company, which has worked with some of the UK and Ireland’s leading public and private sector hospitals.
Russell Hallowes, projects lead north at Bender UK, said: “This upgrade is already helping teams identify and address potential issues before they impact hospital operations.
“Continuous monitoring and live reporting allow risks to be spotted early, reducing unnecessary downtime and disruption to patient services.
“It was a pleasure to work with the team at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to create an upgraded facility that will have a genuine and meaningful impact on the safety of patients.”
Hexham General Hospital had been operating with ageing electrical infrastructure.
Increasing demand from modern surgical, diagnostic and treatment equipment was placing additional pressure on systems that were not originally designed for today’s clinical environment.
Before work began, the trust had set out a clear ambition to modernise its theatre suites and standardise equipment and technology across its hospital estate.
A key priority was reducing the risk of unplanned electrical disturbances, which can lead to cancelled procedures, temporary closures and disruption to patient care.
Unexpected electrical faults can also increase safety risks and place additional strain on estates teams.
The trust wanted earlier visibility of potential issues, allowing engineers to identify and address problems before they could affect clinical services.
Bender UK was appointed following previous work with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust at its Alnwick and Wansbeck sites.
The Hexham project brought together four operating theatres, a five-bed recovery unit, endoscopy suites and dental facilities as part of an integrated approach.
The installation includes medical IT systems, resilient power supplies for critical areas and continuous monitoring technology.
This allows faults to be detected earlier and replaces traditional reactive maintenance with a more proactive approach, helping estates teams plan work around clinical activity rather than responding to emergencies.
Marion Dickson OBE, Northumbria Healthcare’s executive director of nursing, midwifery and AHPs, said: “Completing this redevelopment programme and opening our new theatres is a major achievement for the trust.
“These facilities give our teams more space, improved equipment and a better environment in which to deliver care to the local people of Hexham and beyond.
“These new theatres will make a real difference to our patients and our teams. Having modern, purpose-built facilities means we can work more efficiently, support new ways of working and continue to provide safe, high-quality care.”
Bender is a leading provider of monitoring solutions to identify, locate and deliver proactive warning and analysis of electrical system health and degradation.
The company is advancing its scope of supply in power, condition monitoring, and digital engineered services to deliver real-time monitoring for customers such as Network Rail and the NHS – to improve repair time, reduce the need for call-outs and increase operational and financial efficiency.
