The communications infrastructure at the new 500-bed wing of the NHS Fife Victoria Hospital in Scotland will be implemented by NEC IT Solutions.
The infrastructure will comprise a rounded healthcare solution, including complete voice and data infrastructure with a LAN, WLAN and Data Centre solution, as well as wireless communications, digital signage, IPTV and radio throughout the hospital, and an intercom solution in the A&E department.
NEC was chosen because of its competitive bid, long-standing relationship with NHS Fife and its proven track record in the healthcare market, having implemented over 100 IT and communications solutions in Acute Hospitals and PCTs throughout the UK.
As well as a resilient and robust IT network infrastructure, the NEC solution also expands the present cordless infrastructure from the existing platform implemented by NEC at Fife's Queen Margaret hospital and the retained estate of the Victoria Hospital into the new wing.
This provides full cordless coverage throughout the Victoria hospital site, whilst at the same time future proofing Fife's previous major investment in equipment, handsets, and licences as well as enabling users to roam seamlessly between sites.
The new system also enables significant benefits such as peer-to-peer VoIP, Fixed Mobile Convergence and Unified Communications, all helping to reduce costs and help NHS Fife capitalise on existing investments. "We already have a strong working relationship with NEC from previous projects we have worked on together and they have an excellent understanding of our technology requirements and of the challenges we face as an organisation," said Donald Wilson, Head of eHealth at NHS Fife.
"NEC's heritage gives us a great deal of confidence in their ability to implement the new infrastructure at the Victoria Hospital on time and within budget, ready for the opening in December this year."
NEC is also providing the new wing at Victoria hospital with digital signage, which will provide information alerts to visitors at the hospital such as A&E waiting times and general information. NEC will also be implementing IPTV and radio throughout the hospital as well as an A&E solution which provides a specialist communication solution for the accident and emergency department, supplying an intercom that links all members of the department for ease and speed of response in times of emergency.
"NEC is delivering a complete and future-proof solution communications platform which will provide the new wing at Victoria hospital with a very resilient and robust infrastructure, ensuring that staff and patients are able to benefit from the very best IT facilities," said Wilson.
"We are looking forward to the opening of the new wing in December and we are confident that the NEC solution will help us to deliver the very best service to patients and visitors."
