It’s About Time Your NHS Trust Installed Phone Charging Stations

If you’re responsible for estates and facilities within an NHS Trust, then this article is for you. 

Battery Frustration and Nomophobia

Mobile phones have been with us in the UK in some shape or form since 1985 but ownership tipped in the majority of British households around 2001.

People have been struggling to keep their devices charged for some decades now and it’s a familiar problem to us all, especially when we find ourselves in unanticipated locations or in workplaces with limited facilities.

Every new smartphone release claims improved battery capabilities but the reality is that those clever manufacturers at the likes of Apple and Samsung simultaneously introduce more things we can do with our phones. The net result is that we don’t actually get any improved battery life, meaning we are still looking to charge up during the course of the day.

Nomophobia is an enhanced level of concern that your phone battery isn’t going to last as long as you need it to. People have different preferences and requirements: the critical battery percentage level can be high for some at around 50% or low at 10% or below. 

Wireless Charging is the Best Charging Solution in Public Spaces

In public spaces Nomophobia is magnified as nobody really wants to be carrying around their charging cable never mind their plug. Following the introduction of wireless charging in 2013, people can now just place their smartphone on a charging pad and benefit from a boost to their battery level.

Once Apple introduced wireless receivers to their iPhone 8 range, the world settled on using Qi as the global standard for wireless charging. 

Initially, wireless charging was limited to a paltry 5W charge but now the global standard is providing a very decent 15W. This should mean that your smartphone benefits from a top-up rate of at least 1% per minute (depending on the starting power level of the battery).  

You should ensure you check what power transfer levels your charging station options are delivering through wireless charging pads as well as through USB ports.

Where to Locate Phone Charging Solutions

In hospitals and other healthcare buildings, it is imperative that phone charging solutions are provided throughout. Why? Here are just a few reasons why the provision of wireless chargers will improve your facilities:

• Stops people using low wall level sockets that are intended for internal use only.
• Stops the creation of trip hazards where low level sockets are in use.
• Stops the use of 3rd party cables that could be damaged and create fire risks.
• People are calmer when they have a suitable level of charge on their phone.
• Staff time isn’t wasted with people asking how and where they can charge their phone.
• With a charged phone, people can access all-important information including any personal details requested by the care provider.
• A charged phone means that people can use their phone for financial transactions as required.

Security Concerns

Unlike the installation of charging solutions more suited to a domestic environment, a wall-mounted shelf that houses a multitude of charging points is the answer for healthcare settings. Being wall-mounted and connected directly to mains power means a charging shelf is secure and cannot be stolen. 

Many estates and facilities directors have expressed concerns that phones placed on charging shelves might be stolen. The answer to this is that people simply don’t leave their phones unattended these days - they always have them within their reach and their eyeline. In any case, would a phone connected to a charging point by a cable be any harder or slower to steal? Not at all.

Keeping Staff Happy

People working within the NHS are reliant on their mobile phones and other portable devices.  Some of the most popular locations for the installation of charging shelves are nurses’ stations where they are in constant use for phones, tablets and other portable devices.

Nurses’ stations, reception desks and waiting areas are critical to the smooth running of hospitals. Keeping staff charged up instead of having to hunt for charging cables for themselves or members of the public prevents time being wasted and frustration levels increasing. 

Checkout one of Crable’s NHS case studies here. Gateshead Health benefited immediately from the installation of Crable's wireless charging shelves.

Funding for Charging Stations?

If you’re serious about positively improving people’s experiences in your hospitals, then the funding of Crable’s charging stations is a straightforward application for spending from Trust funds. As the charging shelves are patent protected and design registered, there’s no need for a competitive tender as there are no comparable products available.

NHS Shared Business Services, NTH Solutions and frameworks like Everything ICT will have options listed that other Trusts have previously purchased.

Perhaps your associated charity is able to fund the charging stations in exchange for their logo and a fundraising QR code being promoted on the chargers themselves? King’s College Hospital Charity, League ofFriends and The Grand Appeal have all recently sponsored installations of Crable charging shelves in their local hospitals.

An alternative option for funding can be made through Legacy Funds which are solely for spending that improves and enhances the hospital environments for patients and staff.

But our electricity bill will go up if we give a free charge to people!

Not necessarily. On a typical commercial electricity contract in 2023, the cost of wirelessly charging phones is approximately 50p for 100 hours of charging. If people typically take a 15-minute charge at most, then you’re looking at 400 happier people in your hospitals for an extra 50p on your bill (likely to be less as many of the 400 users would have plugged into inappropriate sockets anyway and created significant unwanted risks for the Trust). 

The right supplier will be able to help reduce your Scope 3 emissions.

Calculating and eliminating value chain emissions is a serious consideration for those responsible for hospital estates and facilities. By procuring charging shelves from a ‘Made in Britain’ supplier such as Crable, you can have confidence that you are contributing significantly to your net zero goals.  

Have a read of Crable's article on how, as a supplier to the NHS, they help reduce a Trust's Scope 3 emissions.

Are Charging Stations difficult to install?

Not at all. Crable is able to offer a full package with their charging shelves that includes a full survey, purchase, branding, installation and extended warranties. 

The most important part of the survey is to identify the areas within your hospital that will most benefit from a charging solution. The wall identified should already be supplied with mains power and the charging shelf located at a height of 1.1m from the floor to meet DDA compliance. 

Crable recommends installing with a separate fused spur for ease of maintenance, but this is not essential as Crable Charging Shelves are internally fused for added protection.

One installed Crable provides charging options for up to eight devices simultaneously. There’s x2 15W wireless chargers, x2 12W USB Ports and x4 plug sockets all efficiently configured within one robust and fully certified shelf. 

You can have a look at Crable’s installation guide.

Get in touch with Crable here and we will prepare a tailored package to meet your charging station requirements.