The importance of Lifts in Healthcare Settings

Lifts are extremely important in healthcare settings, regardless of whether that is a hospital, clinic or care home. There is a range of lifts that are applicable for healthcare settings, which are vital in moving patients, transporting medical goods or deliveries, and for general use. 

Lifts in hospitals and other similar environments are a significant part of the operations of buildings, especially for emergency transportation of patients or moving patients to different floors such as from the ward to the surgery floor. 

As one of the high-quality NHS lift companies in the UK, Sheridan Lifts provides healthcare lift installation that you can trust, with a collection of different lifts that can attend to the demands in healthcare settings. 

Dumbwaiter Lifts

Also known as automatic service lifts, dumbwaiter lifts are small lifts that are used to transport goods of up to 450kg from one floor to another. In healthcare settings, dumbwaiter lifts are excellent for moving medical equipment and medication which is beneficial for overall efficiency in healthcare operations. 

Keep in mind that dumbwaiter lifts are not suitable for passenger use, which is why we only recommend the transportation of goods on dumbwaiter lifts. As dumbwaiter lifts are smaller than your traditional goods lifts, they are often a cost savings solution for healthcare settings such as clinics where there is not much footfall compared to a hospital for instance.

Dumbwaiter

Passenger Lifts and Passenger Goods Lifts

The most common type of lift that you will find in buildings are passenger lifts and passenger goods lifts. The former consists of fast-travel lifts with an average capacity of 8 to 12 passengers to help improve traffic flow in busy environments which could be expected in healthcare facilities such as hospitals. 

Meanwhile, passenger goods lifts can handle both the aforementioned capabilities of passenger lifts, plus the extra load of carrying goods. This can be especially useful for healthcare buildings that do not have much space in installing multiple lifts for separate uses, thus, passenger goods lifts are utilised for transporting both goods and passengers.

Passenger Lift

Platform Lifts

In regards to healthcare lifts, ease of access is certainly something to consider, which is why our platform lifts are the ideal solution for improving building accessibility. In particular, platform lifts can provide physical accessibility for patients or visitors with disabilities or injuries, meaning that wheelchairs will be able to fit inside such lifts, as well as families with prams or pushchairs. 

Platform lifts are also able to carry goods that are difficult to otherwise carry by hand, offering a safe and comfortable solution for healthcare workers who may be transporting medical supplies or equipment.

outdoor accessible platform lift

Trolley/Stretcher Lifts and Bed Lifts

Healthcare environments that require lifts will certainly need trolley/stretcher lifts and bed lifts. These types of lifts are available with our bespoke lift installation where we design custom lifts according to your requirements – which include trolley/stretcher lifts and bed lifts. 

These lifts are designed specifically for transporting healthcare trolleys or stretchers, as well as patient beds. We have a track record of supplying such bed lifts that are high standard and reliable, so any healthcare lift installation is in safe hands with Sheridan Lifts. 

Our team at Sheridan Lifts will always attempt to accommodate bespoke lift requests, but these are subject to health and safety regulations regarding lifts, as well as rules that are enforced in healthcare settings – all of which we take into account when we start a bespoke lift project.

stretcher lift

The Complexities Associated with Lift Installation in NHS and Healthcare Settings

There are certain regulations and rules in terms of lift installation in the healthcare sector as there are many factors to consider in these types of environments. The Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) is a comprehensive guide that covers advice and technical information when it comes to engineering technology in buildings related to healthcare. 

In particular, HTM 08-02 reveals regulatory requirements for lifts in healthcare settings. It is a framework that contains specifications such as size and dimensions for engineers in helping them design healthcare lifts. HTM 08-02 also includes advice and information on suitable lift types for healthcare settings, as well as recommendations for the implementation of additional features or technologies within the lift itself like handrails. 

As one of the UK’s premier NHS lift companies, Sheridan Lifts takes HTM 08-02 into consideration when working with healthcare organisations to ensure the prioritisation of safety and efficiency when it comes to healthcare lifts.

Working with NHS Lift Companies

Sheridan Lifts is an accredited NHS lift company, so you can rest assured that our lifts are compliant and installed safely and up to standard. We are an independent lift company that organisations such as the NHS trust for their healthcare lift installation. 

Our Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) certification prove that we are a reputable lift company and compliant with LOLER rules including hiring competent lift engineers and operators (that’s us!). We carry out thorough inspections and offer a selection of maintenance contracts to make sure that your lift is regularly checked and maintained for optimum performance and safety. 

We are based across the country in cities like Manchester to London, and with a 24/7 callout service, you can rely on Sheridan Lifts to be there in the event of a lift emergency or problem, which we know is crucial in healthcare settings. For emergency calls, our expert team can be with you for as soon as 1 hour. For non-emergency calls, our response time is 4 hours.

Lift Maintenance and Repair for NHS Lifts

As mentioned previously, our service does not stop at just lift installation, we also provide lift maintenance where our qualified engineers will regularly check and inspect your lifts with additional benefits according to the maintenance package that you choose from. 

Frequent lift maintenance is necessary not only to comply with regulations regarding lift safety but also to prevent lift breakdowns which can become a hindrance, especially in healthcare settings. 

Additionally, for extra peace of mind, Sheridan Lifts are available in the event of a lift breakdown with our lift repairs service. Our team of qualified and experienced lift engineers will make sure to get your lift up and running in no time, minimising the disruption to healthcare operations.

Sheridan Lifts – Passionate about Healthcare Lifts

Sheridan Lifts is a leading UK provider of lift installations, lift refurbishment, repairs and maintenance. With over 4 decades of experience and expertise, you can count on our talented team to deliver exceptional customer service for a variety of sectors, including public sector organisations such as the NHS, which makes us one of the UK’s renowned NHS lift companies.  

Lifts in hospitals or other healthcare environments are essential in such settings, which is why our lineup of healthcare lifts is reliable and affordable. Our lift solutions are unrivalled in the industry, working closely with our clients to ensure that all of their lift needs are met. 

If you have further questions or require expert advice about Sheridan Lifts and the healthcare lifts that we can provide, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Case Studies

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Case Study: An electrical lift refurbishment by Sheridan Lifts

We are commencing our second week of work on a 12-story building for one of our clients. This week we are continuing to carry out a full MRL electrical refurbishment (no motor room) after some severe historic water damage to the existing equipment was causing ongoing issues for the tenants of this residential block.

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