Robots set to revolutionise hospital work

Yorkshire-based software company SoftSols Group is helping a hospital in Scotland to become one of the first in the UK to use a fleet of robots to carry out routine deliveries.

The robots at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Stirlingshire, will help to keep patient areas free of trolleys and other clutter, and reduce infection risks. The robots will also deliver food to the wards.

David Hipkin, the group managing director of SoftSols, said the robots would function behind the scenes, trundling around in purpose-built corridors.

He added: "It is a whole new area, where the software is not just supporting systems; it is breaking boundaries."

The robots will be supported by the Agility computerised facilities management helpdesk system developed by Wakefield-based SoftSols. The software is being integrated with the robotic vehicles to monitor their performance as they deliver and retrieve a wide range of supplies.

The robots won't be allowed to stand idle. The Agility software generates performance management statistics, which raise an alarm if the robots are not delivering on time. The robots are being tested before the hospital opens to patients in August.

The Agility system is being used to take food orders at the bedside and manage a wide range of services including reception, security and cleaning.

Agility operates as a computerised maintenance management system. This system can link documents, manuals, photographs and drawings to any record, keeping users updated about the performance of the maintenance team. It should help to improve efficiency.

The software has been implemented as part of the hospital's facilities management contract with international services company Serco.

SoftSols, which has a turnover of 1.6m and 25 staff worldwide, managed to grow during the recession by picking up new contracts. Customers for the Agility software include the Stagecoach-managed Manchester Tram network.

Mr Hipkin told the Yorkshire Post: "We're a small, very focused team in Wakefield but the future is bright. We've been delivering business-focused innovation for 30 years and our specialist asset and maintenance management technology is now being used in hospitals, factories and office buildings. As our expertise grows in the healthcare sector so do the opportunities."

Mr Hipkin said several UK hospitals were interested in using the company's software to improve patient services.

He added: "We have also rolled out similar facilities and 'soft-service' management systems in the People's Hospital in Beijing and we are tendering for a hospital project in Australia.

"When SoftSols joined the Forth Valley project, the hospital robots already existed but how they would interact with the hospital's bigger management systems was unclear – it was uncharted territory.

"The SoftSols Group engineers went in and made the technology work within months of the commission – an exceptional achievement in healthcare IT implementation. I would like to take the company to 5m turnover in the next few years."