NHS Hospitals Saves £750,000 per Year as Dura Pump Unveils New Intelligent System

Developed by Northampton-based pump system engineering specialist, Dura Pump, Velocity Sentinam is addressing the longstanding issue of fats, oils, grease (FOG) and high solid content wastewater pump station failures - common in hospitals, prisons and large public facilities.

At the NHS site, which previously struggled with recurring blockages, fat accumulation which resulted in the need for regular tanker intervention, the installation of Velocity Sentinam has resulted in zero blockages since commissioning: delivering uninterrupted service and improving operational resilience in the clinically sensitive environment. Over the past year, the system has saved customers over £2 million.

Combining heavy-duty cutting pumps, adaptive control technology (SenIQ) and remote monitoring (SenSync), the system detects and responds to conditions in real-time.

Features such as auto de-ragging, surface skimming and full Building Management System (BMS) integration means the system operates with minimal manual input while providing facilities managers with detailed performance insights.

Speaking about the company’s latest innovation, John Calder, technical director at Dura Pump, said:

“Velocity Sentinam was born out of what we were seeing on the ground - site after site struggling with the same problems and site managers frustrated by persistent blockages, repeated engineering callouts and reactive maintenance cycles.

“We spent a long time talking to facilities teams, especially in healthcare and correctional facilities, where even a short period of downtime just isn’t an option. Elements of the solution were introduced at various customers' sites before we then brought this all together to introduce the new system to our NHS hospital customer. We knew we had to develop something that doesn’t just fix the problems, it prevents them from happening in the first place.

“What we’ve created is more than just a robust pump setup. It’s a system that thinks for itself, the need for tank cleaning is reduced significantly, and gives estate teams the insight and control they’ve never really had before.

“The early results speak for themselves. At the NHS hospital where we deployed it, there haven’t been any blockages since installation, 12 months ago - and that’s a tough environment with high loads and strict compliance demands.

“We’re now introducing the full solution out to other prisons, hospitals and educational sites, where the ability to handle things like wet wipes, towels, bedding and other foreign objects makes a real difference. The feedback from those managing multiple or remote sites has been especially positive, with the live data and performance tracking being a game changer for the industry.”

Velocity Sentinam is supplied as a full-service package, from site assessment through to installation and maintenance. However, its emphasis on integration and low disruption during deployment has been key to its early adoption.