By Vvon Engineering Team | Published | Updated
Plan ICU and HDU equipment around the approved clinical service, bed-space access, utilities, isolation requirements and model-specific acceptance checks.
Medical equipment RFQ checklist (TXT)
An ICU planned from a target bed count alone can leave too little room for staff, equipment and transfers. Start with the intended level of care, clinical workflow and an accurately drawn bed space, then test whether the building can accommodate the proposed capacity.
It is worth reversing the order. Draw one bed space properly, with every object that will stand in it, then multiply. If the room will not take the number you promised, that is a finding you want before the tender goes out rather than after the beds arrive.
An ICU bed space includes the bed in its permitted operating positions, accessories, surrounding equipment and working clearances. Use the actual model drawings and check the full movement envelope, rather than assuming a catalogue footprint includes every attachment.
Use applicable local building and healthcare requirements alongside a competent clinical and facilities review. International planning guidance, such as NHS HBN 04-02, can inform that review but is not a substitute for local approval. A full-size mock-up helps validate access; it does not justify reducing required clearances.
Build the equipment schedule from the clinical requirements at each bed space, then identify shared equipment and reserve capacity separately.
| Item | What to establish before ordering |
|---|---|
| Electric ICU bed | Compare the exact model’s movement functions, safe working load, controls, emergency release and power-failure behaviour. Features named for one model must not be assumed across the range. |
| Bedside cabinet | Specify usable storage, compatible cleaning products, brakes where fitted and a position that preserves bedside access. |
| Overbed table and IV support | Check compatibility with the actual bed, adjustment effort and allowed accessory loads. Quantity follows the clinical equipment schedule. |
| Portable or mobile suction | Confirm intended patient group, vacuum and flow range, duty cycle, power source, overflow protection and consumables. A mobile chassis does not imply battery operation or continuous duty. |
| Monitor and ventilator support | Agree mounting interfaces, accessory loads, electrical outlets and cable management with the responsible clinical and engineering teams. |
| Waste and seating | Specify cleanable seating and waste arrangements under the hospital’s infection-control and sharps policy. |
Shared equipment may include an emergency trolley, medicine trolley, transport trolley, contingency beds and storage. Assign responsibility for these items and verify the configuration and quantities with the clinical team.
Coordinate bedside electrical and data services with the equipment plan. Where hospital medical-gas services are required, their design, testing and maintenance belong to the hospital’s appointed specialist provider; VVON does not supply medical-gas systems.
Agree power-failure and recovery checks in a written commissioning plan. Qualified staff should carry them out without patients connected and without interrupting other clinical services; the expected response must come from the device instructions.
Assess observation from the planned working positions with beds, equipment, lighting and privacy arrangements in place. Review the result with the clinical team; sightlines are one input alongside staffing, monitoring and alarm response.
Isolation provision should be designed by the infection-prevention, clinical and facilities teams for the intended patient population and transmission risks. A side room alone does not establish that the required isolation conditions have been achieved.
Agree the ICU and HDU equipment needs with the clinical lead from the support and escalation planned for each area. The categories below organise that discussion without prescribing a universal reduced ICU list.
| Planning question | ICU and HDU assessment |
|---|---|
| Level of support | The clinical service plan determines the level of monitoring, organ support, staffing and escalation arrangements. |
| Bed functions | Specify functions from the planned care and handling requirements, not the unit label alone. |
| Shared equipment | Calculate quantities and reserves from expected simultaneous use and the contingency plan. |
| Observation and access | Validate the layout against the staffing model, alarms, privacy and safe transfer routes. |
Agree acceptance criteria, responsibilities, defect handling and payment milestones before purchase. Clinical opening requires the hospital’s authorisation after the relevant systems and equipment have been accepted.
Share your application, equipment requirements and procurement timeline. Our engineers can help clarify the configuration and scope for your enquiry.