Specifying Gradus wall protection for a hospital
In this guest blog, Darren Cann, Senior Design Estates Officer at the Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, Wales, talks about working with the Gradus Contracts Team during our recent supply-and-fit installation of wall protection at the new facility
As Senior Design Estates Officer at the Grange University Hospital, I am tasked with ensuring that all the architectural elements of our facility are installed on time and perform to the required standards set out in the specification. This means I have to choose the suppliers that we work with very carefully.
Not only do we require high-quality products that befit a major hospital such as ours – but the products must be compliant with all relevant standards, offer value for money, and come from suppliers who are professional, efficient and adaptable in how they work.
A great example of such a supplier is Gradus, who installed a range of wall protection products throughout the corridors and rooms during our facility’s construction.
Creating a positive healthcare environment
When we contacted Gradus, we were seeking a variety of wall protection products – including wall cladding that would help to control the spread of infection while creating a less institutional and more relaxing environment. This is something that can benefit patients considerably, with a growing body of research showing that creating a positive environment in healthcare settings can potentially lead to fewer infections, therapeutic benefits, reduced pain and shorter hospital stays.
The service provided by Gradus was excellent from start to finish. Their representatives quickly visited the site to recommend and advise on the best product for each application, listening to what we had in mind and providing their expert advice on what would work best for our facility.
This enabled us to quickly settle on a preferred solution, and from there, the company was very efficient in getting their installers to our site to fit the products. We had changes along the way, and there were remediation works that meant they were forced to adapt to us at times, but the installers were always accommodating and easily adapted to these disruptions.
SureProtect Design® with bespoke artwork
Key among the products that Gradus supplied to us was SureProtect Design®, the company’s bespoke wall cladding that allows for bespoke artworks to be printed onto the back of the textured sheet. The Gradus Contracts Team worked closely with us to realise the look that we were after, asking a number of questions to ensure that they thoroughly understood the brief and showing us different examples to choose from.
In addition, Gradus also installed other types of wall cladding, corner guards, wall guards and strips, bed head protectors for protecting vital medical equipment, and a number of handrails in the corridors.
The standard of the products was uniformly excellent, all carefully chosen to suit and reflect the environment in which they are installed. Their service was great too, consistent and well-managed, with their installers working collaboratively with the other trades on site to get the job done.
As a result of our partnership with Gradus, our hospital today features stunning wall protection art that helps to lift the environment while performing the invisible-but-vital task of controlling the spread of infections – not to mention the benefits of the other products Gradus installed. For me, that’s the definition of a successful supplier relationship, and why choosing the companies that we work with is so important.
To learn more about our range of solutions for healthcare environments, you can download ‘The Gradus Knowledge – Healthcare’ here