Since 2014, the Capital Projects Team at Scarborough General Hospital had been planning to install a Changing Places toilet. Raising charitable funds and securing capital budget finally allowed the project to become reality, and the trust went to tender in December 2021.
Care Spaces by Wealden Rehab won the tender based on the experience we had in delivering similarly complex refurbishment projects, with particular attention paid to working in a busy public environment.
The project commenced with services isolation, working with the hospital Building Services team to identify pipework routes and electrical distribution boards. Due to some concurrent works to the entrance doors we were able to contain our works with dust protection and keep the site secure.
As the project progressed the entrance doors were reopened and we adjusted our site perimeter to provide security to our workzone, whilst maintaining safe passage for patient trolleys and pedestrian traffic.
A new wall was built to provide a sliding door garage, whilst internal walls were constructed to provide ducts for services and sufficient support for the hoist rails. The floor screed was removed in one area to allow a shower former to be inserted, whilst a new foul drain run was laid to the external manhole.
As part of our work we had to relocate light fittings in the entrance lobby and reinstate a Wi-Fi point. Once the new lobby had been established, carpet was laid to maintain safety.
The sliding door was a considered approach to access which protected the external lobby from a door swing. The trust access officer was closely involved in ensuring that the solution was suitable and inclusive. The final choice was a powered sliding door which was equipped with a magnetic RADAR lock. The low-speed sliding action is quiet and low-energy, so whilst it’s carrying a door leaf of nearly 1200mm wide and 70kgs it makes entrance into the room, and locking of the door very straight-forward.
New non-slip vinyl was laid, with welded joints and a coved upturn which allows the PVC wall cladding to lap over and form a seal against water ingress. A new ceiling grid was installed with moisture resistant tiles and lay-in LED light fixtures. Emergency call points were installed with anti-ligature cords.
The required equipment was installed over a 3 day period, and included the following items:
- Ceiling hoist XY track system, mounted on slimline wall posts
- Height-adjustable basin, with thermostatic tap
- Height-adjustable shower/changing bench
- Folding shower seat
- Thermostatic shower
- Comfort height WC, with paddle flush handle
- Ergonomic, folding rails, each side of the WC
- Wall-fixed, folding privacy screen
- Fixed grab rails, stainless steel with epoxy coating
- Hand dryer
- Soap dispenser
- Wide paper roll dispenser
- Mirror
- Coat hooks
- External signage, raised tactile lettering with braille panel
Before we handed over, the water systems were flushed, chlorinated and tested to the hospitals local water safety policy.
Care Spaces are so proud of the project as it demonstrated the breadth of our practical experience and capabilities, as well as our understanding of how a Changing Places toilet design should be tackled when faced with a refurbishment challenge!
