New bot on the block
The small army of non-clinical staff who keep our hospitals running often go unnoticed but it would be hard to ignore a certain Medirest employee at Central Middlesex.
The robotic cleaner quietly goes about its business, despite curious looks from passers-by but isn’t the first time the hospital trust has employed a mechanoid.
Jeeves, a five-foot high robot complete with his own ID card, was employed to carry blood samples and notes around Northwick Park Hospital in the early 90s.
The electronic hospital helper was pre-programmed with a map of the hospital, moved at walking speed and had an immediate stop function when obstructed before reportedly making a polite request for people to step aside.
Unfortunately, Jeeves did not pass his six-month probation. We hope Central Middlesex Hospital's robot has a shining future.