Safety is a priority for all healthcare facilities around the world.

The project
Derriford Hospital forms part of the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust and is the largest hospital in the South West peninsula, providing access to comprehensive secondary and tertiary healthcare for almost 2,000,000 people.

To complement the opening of their new, state-of-the-art Changing Places facility, which will greatly improve the experience of disabled patients and their families, the hospital realised a need to improve the reception foyer washrooms.

The challenge
With safety a priority for all healthcare facilities around the world, we were asked to design a bespoke cubicle system to meet the specific needs of Derriford Hospital. Above all, the washrooms would need to accommodate a high footfall of patients and visitors of all abilities.

"We decided on the System M cubicle, to aid with manual handling and to assist with a quick access should we need to." - Peter Caton, Senior Planning Support Manager, Site Services Planning Department, Derriford Hospital.

The solution
As well as allowing rapid access, the washrooms also needed to be strong and durable to support the challenging environment of a major hospital. System M made the ideal choice and was tailored to suit the needs of the environment with doors and partitions manufactured from their strongest material, Solid Grade Laminate (SGL); defending against scratches, water and moisture, vandalism and hard impact.

In addition to patient safety and durability, Venesta tailored the cubicle door widths to improve accessibility for all users of the hospital. The washrooms were specified in our "Peacock" laminate to make their washrooms pop with colour. They featured a unique, adjustable pedestal at 150mm high, which allows hassle-free cleaning from the outside of the cubicles.

Part of the V2 range of toilet cubicles, System M features an innovative pivoting pilaster design with a discreet release facility operated without the use of tools or removable parts, allowing the normally inward opening doors to be opened outwards in the event of an emergency. Resetting is simple with no replacement parts and no visual compromise to this stylish design.

"The overall reaction from users has been that they are delighted with the new facilities, commenting on the extra space, increased number of cubicles, simple but useful accessories such as bag hooks and the colour of the cubicles." - Peter Caton, Senior Planning Support Manager, Site Services Planning Department, Derriford Hospital.

Venesta are thrilled to hear how their System M toilet cubicles have been a welcome addition to Derriford Hospital, and that the busy hospital now has added peace of mind in the event of an emergency.