Trials start on Bath pillow for safer bed transfers
10 Jun 2025
A new product co-developed by university academics and their local hospital trust could reduce the time and labour needed to move intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
Repositioning critically ill patients is essential to recovery but is also resource intensive because of the danger of causing further trauma.
But a joint project involving the University of Bath and Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust (RUH) is developing an inflatable pillow that could offer a more effective procedure.
Nicknamed the BathMat, the Inflatable Prone Repositioning Device can be expanded in sections under parts of the body.
As well as limiting the chance of physical injury to patients, the solution has a further potential benefit, say the developers, reducing the number of staff required to move an individual from five to just two.
Clinical tests began last month at RUH with three other trusts due to take part also. These include Southmead Hospital (North Bristol NHS Trust), Wythenshawe Hospital (Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust), and Derriford Hospital (University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust).
A total of 30 patient recruits will be sought across all four trust regions, with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to support the project over 14 months.
Senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at Bath Dr Alexander Lunt is the project’s principal investigator.
He said: “Moving critically ill patients is a significant challenge on intensive care wards worldwide. We are pleased to be using our engineering expertise to work toward a better solution to the issue.”
The product has already secured regulatory approvals and will publish trial data as a prelude to seeking to bring the product to market, working in partnership with Bath university’s innovation and research teams to secure investors.
