More than 5,000 items of furniture have been manufactured and installed by Mansfield-based Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading contract furniture specialists, in a £1.4m contract for the new Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Scotland.

The £212m hospital provides high quality acute facilities in a welcoming, therapeutic environment. A palette of materials was developed for the scheme to convey longevity and to create an uplifting, person-centred and world-class facility for patients, staff and visitors.

Deanestor manufactured more than 300 bespoke bedheads which were finished in a natural oak laminate and had provision for medical gases, electrics, nurse call system and lighting. The bedhead units were designed for the specific requirements and layout of each individual room with over 40 variations and were installed by Deanestor’s own fitting team with removable panels for easy access to services.

Co-ordinating floor-based fixed furniture was also provided by Deanestor – shelving, cupboards, worktops and cabinets across the hospital campus.

Commenting on the project, William Tonkinson, managing director of Deanestor, said: “This project went very well from our perspective. We had highly-organised logistics for efficient deliveries to site, and our project management team required little intervention from the contractor. We are pleased to be working on our next major healthcare project with Laing O’Rourke.”

Stephen Howie, Design Manager for NHS Dumfries and Galloway said, “We are more than satisfied with the products that Deanestor has manufactured for our new acute hospital. The bedhead IPS panel units have helped to create an ambiance within the patient bedrooms and have contributed to reducing the clinical feel of these rooms. The quality and robustness of benching and cabinetry stands out and gives confidence that we will have many years of problem-free usage with the products.”

Laboratory furniture was manufactured as part of Deanestor’s contract for areas including chromatography, blood transfusion, histopathology and microbiology. The Trespa benching was supported by powder coated white steel frames with adjustable feet and was supplied in a range of sizes and perimeter, peninsular and island configurations. The benches had sinks, shelving and different worktop sizes to accommodate specialist equipment. The work surfaces were supplied with upstands, polished edges and radiused corners.

There are three elements to the healthcare campus at Dumfries and Galloway Hospital – the diagnostic and treatment bar, inpatient pavilions and a women’s and children’s hospital.

Medical facilities in the central building include an integrated emergency care centre comprising A&E, a combined assessment unit and fracture and orthopaedic unit; critical care units, oncology, ambulatory care and a surgical complex with operating theatres and endoscopy suites. Wards are surrounded by garden spaces and palliative care bedrooms have their own private gardens, allowing patients to experience the external environment.

Originally established in 1948 to manufacture hospital furniture and fittings for the newly established NHS, Deanestor now has the resources and expertise to manage 5,000-room hospital projects. It has built on this success and expanded into new markets which have specific requirements for aesthetics, strength, and long-term durability. It offers bespoke design services to meet specific project requirements and is responsible for installation to provide a seamless approach for contractors and construction clients and a single point of contact.