Healthcare engineering and construction specialist, MIG Medical, has launched what the UK’s first healthcare design and innovation hub at its Union House building in Altrincham.

The Healthcare Innovation Centre, a joint initiative with Dräger, which supplies many of its pendants and lighting, features a fully-equipped operating theatre, intensive care unit, and clinical washroom area.

It has been created to offer a hands-on experience of advanced healthcare design and technology, and access to simulated clinical areas that would be difficult to gain entry to in a live hospital.

MIG Medical says that, in addition to enabling ‘unique training’ opportunities for medical staff; the space offers NHS teams, architects, designers, and contractors the chance to develop a deeper understanding of clinical equipment and layouts as part of the design, procurement, and construction of medical facilities.

Products featured include technology and equipment from Barco, Arthrex, Aspire Inside, Saturn Visual, Altro, SDS, Norwood, and Mann + Hummel.

Carl Mitten, director of MIG Medical, said: “The Healthcare Innovation Centre is a living, breathing space that will continuously evolve to reflect the latest changes in practice, technology, and construction techniques.

“The operating theatre and ICU are installed to the same standard as the UK‘s most-modern hospitals and, when provided with access to medical gases, they could – in theory – be used to conduct medical procedures.

“We believe the centre will become a hub for collaboration within the healthcare design and construction community.

“It’s a place where architects, contractors, and engineers can work with NHS surgeons, estates teams. and senior leaders to explore the very best practice in the industry.”

Melanie Jacobsen Cox, head of healthcare at HLM Architects, added: “No number of drawings or 3D visuals can replace the benefit that is offered by standing within a physical space when engaging with clinical stakeholders.

“Access to ICU and theatre spaces within existing estates is very limited and what happens within these areas is complex and procedural.

“Being able to stand in the physical space, with interactive human movement, brings healthcare processes to life, shining a light on where there are pinch points which can then be alleviated, to provide a design that serves the needs of the service being provided.”

And Victoria Roberts, sales director for Dräger UK, said: “The centre is a fantastic environment to learn and experience the many solutions that can be offered to enhance an acute care area.

“It allows everyone to visualise the proposed infrastructure design, to enable discussion about clinical workflow, and to design to improve patient outcomes.

“Getting it right at the design stage is critical to a successful installation, and negates costly adjustments later in the project.”

There are now plans to add an emergency department care area this summer and a neonatal intensive care area in the autumn.