Ireland’s leading paediatric hospital was opened in 1956 in Dublin as Our Lady’s Hospital For Sick Children. Since 2019 it has been known as Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin.
CHI at Crumlin is an acute paediatric and teaching hospital that provides most of the specialist tertiary and quaternary care services for children in Ireland. The hospital also provides secondary care for children in the local catchment area. The hospital currently has around 230 beds.
The hospital is also a renowned teaching centre, and trains students from University College Dublin, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Trinity College Dublin. CHI at Crumlin also incorporates the National Children’s Research Centre.
The Task
Our work with Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin involved two separate projects, each with their own specific flexible specialist requirements.
For our first contract with CHI at Crumlin, we were asked to intervene during a two-week emergency maintenance issue. Our objective was developing a custom procedure to transfer soiled and/or sterile reusable invasive medical devices (RIMD) to and from two other Dublin hospitals.
After devising this initial emergency solution, CHI reached out again for assistance during a pre-planned process of replacing sterilisation units over six weeks. Wheels We Deliver developed a logistics solution that involved removed and delivering these sophisticated pieces of machinery and sterile instruments through a specialised custom service.
The Solution
The Wheels We Deliver business development team held on site meetings with the clinical decision unit (CDU) teams at the three hospitals and implemented the following arrangements:
- On site security clearance for the Wheels We Deliver driver and service vehicle — specially adapted and sterile lined
- Agreed detailed internal hospital route to/from CDU for all hospital locations
- Created a bespoke documented procedures manual for our dedicated fully trained DGSA/GDP driver
- Fully audited cleaning records for all RIMD movements
- Mobile phone access to the driver and the WWD operations team
- Commitment to amend tailored service design at short notice
- Additional standby arrangements beyond project timeline
The result
Here’s what another valued clients had to say about our service:
“I am writing in relation to Wheels We Deliver medical transport and to give testament to the excellent and professional service that they provide. I have used this company twice, the first time during a two-week emergency situation, and the second time during a six-week pre-planned sterilisation unit replacement programme.
During both instances we needed assistance transferring soiled and/or sterile surgical instruments to several other locations. Wheels have the experience and knowledge of the logistics involved in this undertaking, and were able to draw up a flexible plan, tailored to suit our needs. They also provided excellent service and support throughout.
We found the entire team professional, courteous and very helpful.
I have no hesitation recommending Wheels to anybody in need of this service, and look forward to any dealings I may have with them in the future.”
Maria Flynn: Acting Manager, HSSD – CHI at Crumlin