Geriatric Assessment Unit (GAU) Upgrade, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham
Wandsworth Healthcare partnered with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and long-term collaborator Hilton Cannon to deliver a full nurse call and medical services upgrade for the new Geriatric Assessment Unit (GAU) at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham.
The project forms part of a major redevelopment, supported by NHS England, to create a dementia-friendly environment designed to improve the quality of care and comfort for older patients.
Enhancing Patient Experience Through Intelligent Design
The Geriatric Assessment Unit was fully refurbished within a decanted area of the hospital, enabling a complete transformation of the space. Led by Hilton Cannon and supported by Newton Construction, the project involved extensive upgrades across electrical, fire, security, and air handling systems.
Wandsworth Healthcare was appointed to replace the existing legacy nurse call system with the latest IPiN Evolution platform. The new nurse call system has been designed and configured in close collaboration with the Trust’s clinical and estates teams to provide an intuitive, modern, and highly flexible communication infrastructure that enhances safety, responsiveness, and patient comfort.
Scope of Works and Product Integration
Wandsworth supplied and installed 24 bespoke Medical Service Columns (MSCs), each designed to meet the specific clinical and spatial requirements of the Geriatric Assessment Unit. The majority were configured to provide full integration of IPiN Evolution bedhead units with handset, reset, emergency, cardiac, and auxiliary functions, alongside power, data, and medical gas services. Additional columns were tailored for specialist areas, featuring enhanced power and data capacity to support more intensive clinical equipment needs.
All columns were equipped with integrated USB charging points, data sockets, equipotential bonding, and lighting controls. The installation also included nurse call bedhead units, nurse display screens, indicator lamps, and ceiling pulls in assisted bathrooms and WCs, all fully compliant with HTM 08-03 standards.
The suspended ceiling design within the new unit simplified installation and avoided many of the structural challenges typically encountered at Queen’s Medical Centre, where existing block and beam ceilings can restrict modern cable and containment routes.
Collaboration and End-to-End Service
Wandsworth Healthcare supported the project from early design stages through to completion, contributing over 12 months of consultation and design development during the tendering process. Working alongside Hilton Cannon and the main contractor, Newton Construction, the Wandsworth team ensured all systems were designed to integrate seamlessly with the refurbished environment.
Installation was carried out during normal working hours within a fully decanted area, allowing work to proceed with minimal disruption to ongoing hospital operations. Wandsworth’s in-house project management team oversaw all phases of installation, commissioning, and on-site coordination.
Upon completion, full system training and a service level agreement were provided directly to the hospital’s Estates Department to ensure ongoing support and ease of maintenance.
Delivering Lasting Benefits
The completed installation provides a clean, efficient, and easy-to-manage nurse call system that enhances both the clinical workflow and patient experience. The IPiN Evolution solution enables flexible configuration, rapid response capability, and improved visibility for staff, ensuring high standards of safety and care for patients within the new unit.
As part of the hospital’s wider digital transformation, the GAU’s system is fully future-ready, offering scalability and interoperability with other hospital systems as the Trust continues to modernise its estate.
A Partnership Built on Trust
Our established relationship with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Hilton Cannon provided both proactive and reactive support across the project. This long-term collaboration, combined with Wandsworth’s proven reliability and technical expertise, ensured the successful delivery of a system tailored precisely to the Trust’s operational and clinical needs.
This project demonstrates how considered design and close collaboration can deliver modern healthcare technology within a sensitive and clinically focused environment. The new Geriatric Assessment Unit at Queen’s Medical Centre sets a benchmark for patient-centred digital innovation, combining comfort, efficiency, and safety in a space purpose-built for compassionate care.
To learn more about how Wandsworth Healthcare can support your next healthcare development, from early design consultation through to installation, commissioning, and long-term support, we’d be pleased to talk. Our team works closely with NHS Trusts, consultants, and contractors to deliver compliant, future-ready solutions tailored to the specific needs of each clinical environment. Get in touch today to discuss how our expertise in nurse call systems, medical service columns, and integrated healthcare infrastructure can help bring your project vision to life.
Supporting healthcare professionals across NHS, private, and specialist care settings, Wandsworth Healthcare delivers integrated, future-ready solutions from concept to completion. Contact us today to discuss how we can support your project with expert design, installation, and long-term system support.