A healthy practice: movemanSKG platform lift makes surgery accessible

Modern doctor surgeries usually span over multiple levels, with different rooms for different treatments or consultations. Also they are service providers and subject to the Equality Act (2010). It is up to practice managers to ensure that premises are fully accessible to elderly, infirm or disabled patients.

Croft Hall Medical Practice is a friendly, innovative and fully computerised surgery, which has been at its present location since 1995. The building was formerly the St John of God Nursing Home and, prior to that, its history stretches back to being a hotel, a presbytery and a private residence. It is a large Victorian villa with pleasant gardens, parking and ground floor access for disabled people.

The practice takes a proactive approach to ensuring accessibility for people with mobility problems. It keeps routes to and around the surgery clear and appropriately signed, as well as making adjustments so wheelchair users can avoid or overcome physical building features that would otherwise obstruct them, such as flights of stairs.

Practice Manager Pamela Vooght explains: "We are committed to the needs of wheelchair users and other less able patients. Croft Hall Medical Practice has three floors, which incorporate various GP consulting rooms, nursing clinics and treatment facilities. A lift allows those with disabilities to access the different levels, but the previous unit was old and expensive to maintain. We contacted specialist lift supplier movemanSKG."

movemanSKG visited the surgery to assess its needs. The new lift had to be freestanding as the existing shaft could not accommodate a new unit without extensive building work. movemanSKG recommended Prestige, a self-contained platform lift that carries up to 400kg and has enough space for a wheelchair user plus an attendant.

"Although disabled access is a top priority here, Croft Hall Medical Practice is publicly funded and under pressure from the government to cut costs. So any equipment we purchase, whatever it relates to, has to be good value for money as well as top quality. Fortunately, movemanSKG came up with a cost-effective design that suited our requirements and fitted within the confines of our existing shaft."

Croft Hall Medical Practice’s Prestige travels 6,080mm and has fire-rated doors in single-entry configuration. It runs quietly, efficiently and reliably, providing a smooth transition between levels.

Prestige is available in a range of colours and finishes, which allows customers to tailor its appearance to suit any environment. This makes it perfect for publicly accessible buildings, such as schools and retail outlets. There is also a wide range of accessories, such as the carriage alarm and designated user control (DUC) system, which prevents unauthorised use.

movemanSKG offers Prestige with three inclusive service visits in the first year of ownership and a standard twelve month warranty.

Pamela is delighted with movemanSKG’s performance: "Gary Bound, movemanSKG’s Sales Engineer is professional and attentive. He took the time to call us and visited several times to oversee the installation of the unit. The after-sales service we have received has been second to none."