NHS Grampian could use robot caterers and cleaners to help staff

By Chloe Irvine

August 23 2022, 5:00 pm

Could robots like Spot the dog become part of the team at NHS Grampian? Picture by Darrell Benns

NHS Grampian serves 800 plates of food to patients every day, but could robots be the ones dishing it out in future?

Health bosses say new technology could revolutionise the way hospitals across the north-east are run – benefitting patients and staff..

Tech experts gathered in Aberdeen today to brainstorm ways technology could help the NHS in the future.

Robots could dispense drugs on the wards, change curtains or even clean in high-up areas.

And another idea would be to give catering departments a boost by letting machines plate up and portion food in the kitchens.

Could a robot serve your hospital food?

At Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, meals are plated up on a long conveyor belt before they’re delivered to the wards.

Staff members are each responsible for adding a different item, checking menu cards on each tray to see what patients ordered.

Plating up food at ARI is an intensive process, with many people involved at mealtimes. Picture by Kami Thomson

And the hospital’s catering manager Stuart Donald says the introduction of new machines could make a big difference.

“At one end someone has to put a tray with a plate, cutlery and menu before it goes down,” he explained.

“It can take an hour and a half to do that. If that could be automated, then the staff could do other duties.

“There are 800 patients a day, so you’re talking about 800 plates of food, it’s quite hard going.”

Stuart Donald working in the kitchen. Picture by Scott Baxter

It’s not about robots replacing people

Dr Jamie Hogg, the clinical leader for NHS Grampian’s innovation hub, has stressed that livelihoods are not at risk from a mechanical takeover.

He said: “The NHS is struggling to fill all of its vacancies.

“It’s not about robots replacing people, it’s about whether the teams can get some assistance with tasks heavy on human time.

“It’s going to take a few years to develop, but the key thing is to have the catering staff and robot engineers working together.”

Innovation Manager Leigh Mair attending the @NHSGrampian and @NRobotarium event 'Beyond Surgery: Robotic Assistance In The NHS Workplace', talking to attendee's about the support InnoScot Health can provide.

Read more about our expertise 👉https://t.co/4AJQn7IMYj pic.twitter.com/75rhC0oYDr

— InnoScot Health (@innoscot) August 23, 2022

‘Great strides’ in Grampian

Adam Coldwells, NHS Grampian’s deputy chief executive and director of strategy, is looking forward to other ways they can use tech in hospitals.

He added: “We have already seen great strides forward in areas such as robotic-assisted surgery in Grampian.

Pictured is the robot with from left, Dr Jamie Hogg, Adam Coldwells and Stuart Donald at the Suttie Centre, Aberdeen. Picture by Darrell Benns

“There are opportunities in other areas as we look to recover from the impact of the pandemic and improve the health service moving forward in future.”