A complete refit and redesign of the existing facility at the Huntingdon-based hospital was carried out on behalf of the Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust by Milby Coldrooms.

The East Goscote, Leicestershire-based company has a history of mortuary project work. Managing director Nigel Rodgers led the project, which saw old equipment removed and the area reconfigured into three main sections to maximise use of the existing space, almost doubling the body capacity.

Mr Rodgers explained: ''We specialise in redesign and reconfiguration. We put in new chambers – an independent freezer and an independent isolation area – and to the rear of those rooms a body handling area which was accessible for ward staff and funeral directors.'' 

For the isolation chamber, a JEHR-0050-B1-M-1 Fusion condensing unit was installed. The freezer chamber is served by a JEH2-0175-L-1 Fusion condensing set. For the bigger room, measuring 48 sq metres, a Fusion Scroll JEHS-0600-M-3 was chosen.

Mr Rodgers added: ''Two identical sets of equipment were installed for the larger room because one was on back-up standby. There is a control panel and in the event of an emergency, if one set of equipment fails, the back-up takes over.''

The new units were supplied by AFR Refrigeration of Wandsworth, London. J & E Hall Fusion and Fusion Scroll commercial refrigeration units create the perfect answer for those demanding a compact yet efficient unit. The units are the ideal solution for commercial refrigeration sectors where noise, size and reliability are paramount.

Larry Gough, head of estates for Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust, which serves more than 160,000 people in Huntingdon, St Neots, St Ives and surrounding villages, described the new project as a great success: ''The mortuary we now have has a 63-body capacity, which is just under double what we had before and more than adequate. The way the system is configured with the layout is ideal. It has good circulation space, good temperature control and back-up capability. It is also much easier to clean.

''Before, we had four sections and four compressors which we were running pretty much continuously. The systems we have now are much smaller and more efficient because they are inverter-driven, so the energy demands should decrease. Long term, the outlook for future savings is very good.''