Inflatable medical mat from University of Bath to be developed commercially
An inflatable mat designed to help move intensive care patients is being developed commercially after successful trials at Bath's Royal United Hospital.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A medical mat designed at the University of Bath is moving towards commercial development after trials at the Royal United Hospital (RUH) in Bath showed it can save staff time and improve patient care.
The inflatable mat is used to help move intensive care patients who have to lie on their fronts, a position known as prone positioning. This is often needed for patients with severe breathing problems, but turning them and carrying out routine care can be difficult and risky. The mat works by gently inflating to create space, allowing staff to turn the patient's head safely and smoothly, and to access the mouth and eyes more easily.
Engineers at the university worked closely with RUH staff to design and test the system. In a clinical trial, the mat was found to save hours of staff time per inpatient per day. One member of staff said: "We've had a lot of staff sort of post-trial ask, where's the mat gone? When's it coming back? So it's definitely made a huge difference."
The device also helps with larger patients or those with stiff necks, making it easier to provide mouth and eye care while patients are nursed in the prone position. Andrew, an engineer from the university, said: "The opportunity to contribute and cut time, save staff time, improve patient outcomes, it's a real honor to use our engineering capabilities to address those types of problems."
The plan now is to roll the mats out to other hospitals across the country. The university and the hospital say the device is ready for the next stage of development, moving from a successful trial to a commercially available product.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| A clinical trial found the mat saves hours of staff time per inpatient per day. | |
| An inflatable mat was designed at the University of Bath and trialled with staff at the Royal United Hospital. | |
| There is a plan to roll the mats out to other hospitals across the country. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focused on the local angle, highlighting the partnership between the University of Bath and the Royal United Hospital. It gave voice to clinical staff who used the mat during the trial, and stressed the practical benefits, including time savings and easier patient care, with a clear forward-looking note about rolling it out nationally.
- “It might look like something you inflate on the beach, but it's dramatically changed how patients are cared for at the RUH in Bath.”
- “We were very fortunate to be able to run a clinical trial which has shown that we can save hours of staff time per inpatient per day, which is all frontline staff who are then able to take that time and put it back into the care of their patients.”
Broadcast Timeline
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