Bovis selects Molex and ABB for installation of voice and data network at state-of-the-art PFI hospital

Bovis Lend Lease has selected a Molex Premise Networks shielded Category 5e computer cabling system installed by ABB, to meet the networking needs of one of Britain`s most advanced new hospitals.

Under the innovative Private Finance Initiative (PFI) agreement governing construction and maintenance of the new 452-bed Worcestershire Hospital., Bovis Lend Lease is both design and build contractor and FM manager over the 30 year concession period. As such, the company has an interest in optimising every aspect of the construction to reduce its future FM risk.

The requirement on Bovis is to deliver the project to an overall specification set down by the NHS Trust. When it came to the voice and data cabling network for the hospital, Bovis recognised the need for specialist advice, and turned to Molex Premise Networks.

David Orrell, Bovis` Senior Commercial Manager for the project explains: "Molex was very helpful in the initial stages of the project, helping us to drive through our IT strategy with the Trust. They also gave us advice on specific concerns we had to do with meeting the appropriate standards. The level of service we received from them in the early stages persuaded us of the superiority of the Molex solution."

A state-of-the-art hospital

In total, the hospital covers an area of 38,500sq. metres. It includes eight major operating theatres, four of which are specialist ultra-clean theatres for invasive surgery, a large accident and emergency department capable of handling 65,000 patients a year and specialist radiology and scanning facilities.

The Category 5e cable network is designed to meet all the hospital`s administrative and clinical communications needs, including the PACS patient medical information system, and various links to outside medical services. Five km of fibreoptic cable and 300km of copper make up the network which has a total of 4,800 points.

ABB is the specialist contractor responsible for installing mechanical, electrical, public health and networking services on the Worcestershire Hospital site. The company has worked closely with Molex to implement the network for Bovis.

"The network installed at Worcestershire Hospital is the highest specification possible under the current ratified standards," said Ian Spicer, Project Engineer, ABB. "It provides two data connections at every bedhead, giving medical staff voice and data access to the network from every patient bedside. In the operating theatres, ports in the overhead pendants are provided for high-resolution CCTV used in surgery. There are also ample points provided in the nurses stations in each ward, in the offices and administration areas. The network supports Gigabit Ethernet speeds to the desk, and is designed with a 25% growth capacity."

All the data cabling in the hospital is fully shielded, to protect it from the possibility of electromagnetic interference. Basket trays have been used for fast-installed, effective containment.

David Orrell again: "We are looking to install the highest specification services and systems that we can on this project, in order to support the hospital`s needs over the next 30 years, and reduce our own risk. The Molex 20-Year System Performance, Application Assurance and Product Warranty - guaranteeing the performance of Class D applications on the network for the next 20 years - was another critical factor in our decision."

Life time support

Steve Gayton, Major Projects Manager, Molex Premise Networks: "We take an active interest in the project, providing technical support to installer and customer - in this case Bovis - throughout. "Further, we have offered Bovis life cycle support for the network here. We will perform a full `health-check` of the system any time they want us to, and advise on performance levels, maintenance and upgrades.

The 33-month Worcestershire Hospital construction project began on April 1st 1999. The hospital will be open for patients in the spring of 2002.