The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH) has purchased PEATplus software from Drax (UK) Ltd. - one of Europe's leading independent providers of life safety systems and management solutions.

PEATplus, a unique software solution, is designed to help NHS Trusts to optimise their PEAT ratings. PEATplus software runs on PC tablets or PDAs and includes the current PEAT survey form. Users simply complete the survey on the tablet and PEATplus's powerful analytical capability provides an accurate assessment in real-time.

Up until now, GOSH had been using the DoH's PEAT form in hard copy, then manually inputting the information into the DoH's web based return every quarter. Whilst there is only one statutory assessment per year, GOSH carries out PEAT every quarter to ensure robust and sustainable standards are maintained, as well as carrying out mini PEAT assessments for hotspots and problem areas. The quarterly assessments traditionally take up to ten people - including the Head of Facilities, the Cleaning Manager and other members such as infection control, Non Exec Directors and patient carers - up to five hours to ensure as wide a coverage of the 340 bed hospital.

This relatively lengthy process is exacerbated by the time taken to produce the overall report and action points and PEATplus has helped to speed up the overall process for the hospitals team by providing a medium for putting results directly into an IT system and producing meaningful information from that data in a format that is useful and readily recognised, i.e. consistent in appearance.

Lizzy Hand, Head of Facilities, explains: "It will assist in the better use of resources associated with PEAT assessments, which should mean that more assessments / mini assessments are possible. This should lead to better performance management of services which, in turn, will help us improve standards and overall rating."

PEATplus has been designed by Drax to eliminate the demands on staff paperwork, collation and analysis. The data collected is processed and delivered as reports tailor-made to the requirements of each individual Trust. Reports can be delivered to the appropriate recipients by e-mail, fax or hard copy.

To achieve the broadest possible level of inclusion, different PEATplus modules are available from Drax for Assessors, Patients, Visitors and Staff.

For more information on the Drax PeatPlus system please contact us - or read more here

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