Supporting healthcare innovation at Stepping Hill Hospital: A lighthouse partnership with SPARK TSL

As part of our ongoing mission to transform the healthcare experience for both patients and staff, SPARK TSL is proud to announce the launch of a landmark pilot programme with Stepping Hill Hospital, part of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.

This pilot marks the first official UK lighthouse deployment of our groundbreaking SPARK Fusion® platform — a digital bedside solution designed to enhance patient engagement, improve clinical workflows and support the NHS on its journey toward greater digital maturity.

A strategic step forward for patient care and hospital efficiency

Stepping Hill Hospital, which serves a population of 350,000 across Greater Manchester, has now fully replaced its outdated Hospedia bedside units with SPARK Fusion® touchscreen devices. 

These advanced platforms are now live across all traditional ward spaces in the 700-bed hospital, with 500 brand-new bedside units installed.

The move is part of a 12-month pilot programme aimed at gathering valuable insights, producing measurable outcomes and creating a compelling case study to support wider adoption across NHS Trusts.

"The Hospedia entertainment solution has remained largely unchanged for the last 10 years and is very limited in what it provides to patients."

Peter Hughes, Chief Technology Officer, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.

Peter added: “Following consultation with SPARK TSL, it was a no-brainer for us to take advantage of the opportunity to replace all our Hospedia units with the latest, tablet-based devices of SPARK Fusion®.

“This not only provided for a wider array of entertainment options for patients, but it’s also a medium at which we can deliver targeted information and leverage other digital capabilities, including translation services and meal ordering.”

What makes SPARK Fusion® different?

SPARK Fusion® is more than an entertainment upgrade. It’s a fully integrated platform that brings a suite of clinical, administrative and engagement apps directly to the patient’s bedside.

Some of the key features include:

• Free at the point of use access to TV, radio, newspapers, phone calls and chat.
  
  
• Modern nurse call system with personalised responses and tracking.
  
  
• Translation tools to support diverse patient populations.
  
  
• Meal ordering apps that ensure dietary preferences and nutritional needs are met.
  
  
• Feedback forms, such as the Friends and Family Test, to capture patient sentiment.
  
  
• Patient education content to support recovery and reduce readmissions.
  
  
• HL7 integration with EPR systems for smarter data use.

Built on international interoperability standards, SPARK Fusion® also enables hospitals to expand functionality through integration with third-party applications, providing a scalable platform that evolves with healthcare needs.

The Stepping Hill partnership has been designed as a “lighthouse” site. This essentially means it’s a flagship deployment intended to demonstrate the real-world impact of SPARK Fusion® in a working NHS environment. 

This model allows SPARK TSL and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust to collaborate closely on evaluating how the platform affects:

• Patient experience and access to services.
  
  
• Staff efficiency and reduction of non-clinical administrative tasks.
  
  
• Quality of communication between patients and care teams.
  
  
• Informed decision-making, driven by digital feedback and usage data.
  
  

"With an eye on the near-term future and our EPR programme, the ability to leverage devices at the bedside will absolutely improve the availability of the patient record and potentially dispense with the need for laptops, PCs on trolleys and a wide array of tablets for staff."

Peter Hughes, Chief Technology Officer, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.

Part of a larger vision for the NHS

This pilot builds on SPARK TSL’s long-standing expertise in delivering WiFi and digital services across healthcare, retail and public venues. Since first entering the NHS space in 2005, SPARK TSL has grown into a leading technology provider for UK hospitals.

In recent years, this commitment has deepened significantly:

• In 2021, SPARK TSL’s parent company, Volaris Group, acquired Hospedia, the former dominant bedside unit provider.
  
  
• In 2024, SPARK acquired the Sentean Group, creators of Fusion®, whose platform is already live in 40% of hospitals in the Netherlands.
  
  

SPARK Fusion® aligns closely with the NHS’s vision of the “digital hospital”, with features already in use internationally — including environmental controls, digital door signage and real-time patient interaction tools. 

These capabilities support Trusts in progressing toward HIMSS EMRAM Level 7, the global benchmark for digital maturity.

"We are passionate about improving patient experience by ensuring patients have access to the information and services they require, and we know what a difference it can make to provide support to the clinical teams delivering those services."

Jane Stephenson, CEO, SPARK TSL.

Jane also added: “The go-live for our first lighthouse project is a tremendous achievement and we are confident that it will be instrumental in helping us to achieve those aims, which I know we share with the dedicated team at Stepping Hill.”

What’s next?

While the Stepping Hill pilot is now live, it’s just the beginning. SPARK TSL is already working on the announcement of a second UK lighthouse site to further demonstrate the value of digital bedside platforms in NHS Trusts of varying size and scope.

The insight gathered from these early deployments will form the backbone of future campaigns and technology enhancements, with a focus on:

• Creating interoperable ecosystems that connect seamlessly with hospital infrastructure.
  
  
• Reducing the hardware burden on staff by consolidating digital tools.
  
  
• Strengthening person-centred care by offering patients greater access to information and autonomy.
  
  
  

Explore what's possible with SPARK Fusion®

While the pilot at Stepping Hill focuses on general wards, SPARK Fusion® is built to deliver value across all areas of care. From improving patient engagement to reducing admin burdens and enhancing communication, SPARK Fusion® is helping NHS Trusts reimagine the bedside experience.

Discover how our digital platform supports better outcomes — for patients, staff and entire hospitals.