Lancaster Chooses Apollo
In recent years the trend in hospitals has been to try and provide a less institutionalised, more hotel-like, atmosphere.
One only has to look at the use of colour in floorcoverings, wall paints, curtains and bedcovers to realise how this trend is gathering pace. The way we use light in hospitals is changing too. Apollo Lighting has been at the forefront of these changes.
While in the sixties it was perfectly acceptable to put bright linear fluorescent fittings down the centre of the ward and to leave the patients in the gloomy perimeter with an adjustable reading light, this is no longer the case. The modern approach is to treat the patient more like a customer, providing him, or her, with a relaxed lighting environment in which to recover.
At Lancaster Royal Infirmary these modern ideas were incorporated in the ongoing upgrade of the hospitals facilities. Typical examples are Ward 3 (coronary care), and the Bromley corridor.
The general lighting of the ward is provided by wall mounted Gondola luminaires. One of these mounted at the head of each bed providing sufficient light to meet current recommendations. Additional ceiling lighting is provided in the central area of the ward by small 300x300 modular fittings which incorporate nightlights.
Patient reading light is provided by the Solar overbed luminaire which is a variant on the 300x300 modular fitting giving two different light levels whilst eliminating cross ward glare.
Working closely with the architect and the local hospital engineers, Apollo's next task was to tackle the problems inherent in lighting corridors. The solution was to stagger the overhead luminaires either side of the centre line. This allows patients being moved on trolleys to avoid looking directly up into the light source and incidentally provides a very pleasant wall wash effect. Once again the subtle use of colour is a bonus.
Ward 3
Hospital Engineer
- P.McMullen
Building Services Engineer
- A P Bellis Associates
Electrical Contractor
- Chris Bowker Ltd
Installation
25 GN236 wall mounted uplighters, 13 Apollo RM33 28W (of which 8 were emergency and 5 included nightlights). Over the nurses station, dimmable low voltage luminaires.
Bromley Corridor
Hospital Engineer
- Ian Ferguson
Building Services Engineer
- A P Bellis Associates
Electrical Contractor
- Chris Bowker Ltd
Installation
69 Apollo RM33 38W modular luminaires with opal diffusers (of which 21 included emergency provision and autotest facility).