The Centre
The National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) is a £105 million, 70-bed specialist NHS facility on the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate near Loughborough — part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme. Run by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and co-located with the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, it is designed to care for patients recovering from some of the most complex and life-changing conditions in the NHS, including traumatic brain injuries and severe neurological impairment.
The NRC received its keys in July 2026 and will welcome its first patients in September 2026. Beyond direct patient care, it is designed as a national hub for rehabilitation research, innovation, and clinical education, backed by a consortium of 24 universities.
Its founding principle is that rehabilitation should be continuous — woven into daily life, including the time a patient spends in their room between clinical contacts. That principle shaped everything, including what happens at the bedside.
The Requirement
The NRC’s clinical leadership required a bedside technology solution capable of going considerably further than standard patient entertainment. The patient cohort — many recovering from traumatic brain injuries, with varying degrees of mobility and cognitive impairment — placed specific and demanding requirements on the technology from the outset.
The NRC required a system that could:
- Give patients direct control over their room environment — blinds, lighting and heating — without requiring staff intervention
- Integrate with electronic patient records, providing live access to discharge dates, medications, diet plans, care team information and daily schedules
- Deliver personalised rehabilitation and therapeutic content tailored to each individual’s programme
- Support personal diary and scheduling functionality, particularly valuable for patients managing memory impairment
- Enable video calling with family and loved ones
- Support meal ordering and patient feedback directly from the device
- Remain accessible to all patients regardless of digital confidence or physical ability
- Reduce non-clinical demands on frontline staff through self-service digital features
- Be delivered through a rigorous NHS procurement process, assessed on cost, clinical suitability and supplier experience
Our innovative approach to rehabilitation at the NRC will be a game-changer both for patients and rehabilitation as a whole. This technology is one of a wide range of measures designed to deliver that step change for patients, helping them to engage in their ongoing rehabilitation 24 hours a day.
Miriam Duffy, NRC Director
The Technology
Following a competitive tender process, Airwave Healthcare was selected to deploy MyCareTV across all inpatient beds at the NRC. Each patient is provided with a dedicated iPad, delivering a fully managed digital engagement platform configured specifically for the centre’s clinical requirements.
▼ Entertainment and on-demand content
Each device provides access to live television, on-demand content, and radio — keeping patients informed, entertained, and engaged throughout their stay.
▼ Therapeutic apps and educational content
Relevant apps and educational resources are made available through the same device, supporting patient wellbeing and therapy engagement beyond formal clinical sessions.
▼ Environmental control
Patients can adjust room blinds, lighting, and heating directly from their device without needing to ask a member of staff. For patients with limited mobility, this removes a meaningful source of dependence and supports the NRC's rehabilitation model from the moment of admission.
▼ Electronic patient record integration
Each patient has live access to their estimated discharge date, medications, diet plan, care team information, and daily schedule — keeping them informed as active participants in their own recovery.
▼ Personal diaries and scheduling
Patients are kept informed about their daily care activity and upcoming appointments — particularly valuable for those managing memory impairment following a brain injury.
▼ Meal ordering and patient feedback
Patients can order meals and submit feedback directly from the device, reducing reliance on staff for everyday tasks.
▼ Video calling
Patients can connect with family and loved ones from their device, supporting connection and wellbeing during what are often lengthy admissions.
The Outcome
Airwave Healthcare’s work on the NRC was recognised with the Digital Patient Platform Award ahead of the centre opening — an acknowledgement of the innovative approach taken and the clinical rigour behind the technology specification.
For the NRC’s clinical team, MyCareTV represents a direct extension of its rehabilitation philosophy — a bedside environment that actively supports recovery around the clock, and one designed to reduce unnecessary demands on frontline staff by putting information and services directly in the patient’s hands.
Intelligent bedside terminals will help to promote independence for our patients, many of whom have life-changing injuries. For patients with limited mobility, it will mean they can use the technology in their room to control their environment, without having to ask a member of staff. And for patients who may have impacted memory from brain injuries, it is another means by which we can keep them informed about what is happening in their care.
Miriam Duffy, NRC Director
In any hospital environment, investment in technology that helps to stimulate and engage patients in their care is important to enhance recovery. The needs of patients at the National Rehabilitation Centre place this in sharper focus. We will continue to work with healthcare professionals to understand changing needs and innovate to respond throughout this agreement. It is a privilege to support the NRC, a strong example of excellence in rehabilitation transformation, and we are committed to helping staff as they deliver the best for patients.
Dean Moody, Healthcare Services Director, Airwave Healthcare
Get in Touch with Airwave Healthcare
Interested in what intelligent bedside technology could do for your patients? Get in touch to find out how MyCareTV supports patient independence, engagement, and recovery across NHS and private healthcare settings.
