BHTA works with the Society of Tissue Viability on variety of valuable resources

The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) has teamed up with the Society of Tissue Viability (SoTV) to create a webinar and three articles on various important pressure care and beds and mattresses topics.

BHTA’s Beds and Support Surfaces and Pressure Care and Seating Sections worked with SoTV to create these assets on the beds and mattresses standards landscape, making it easier to understand what is essential and how to apply the standards in practice.

The webinar, titled ‘Pressure ulcer treatment vs fire risk: A case discussion’, discussed the risk of a catastrophic fire when using powered mattresses and actions that can be taken to mitigate the risk.

It is aimed at clinicians involved in the care of patients who smoke and require equipment for pressure relief. It is also suitable for people involved in procurement.

Speakers include:

• Dr Jeannie Donnelly, Lead Nurse Tissue Viability & Honorary Senior Lecturer Belfast Health & Social Care Trust & School of Nursing, Queens University Belfast
• Dr Barend ter Haar, Director of BES Healthcare, which is a BHTA member company
• Peter Cassidy, Station Commander Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service and Ulster University

The webinar covered the adverse outcomes associated with the development of a Category 4 pressure ulcer; the human factors that must be considered prior to providing a powered mattress to people who smoke; and potential intervention strategies and their effectiveness in minimising the risks associated with accidental dwelling fires.

In addition, the session looked at the role of individuals and agencies that are in contact with people at risk and how they can be employed to reduce the risk from fire. It also discussed national and international fire standards, and issues that need to be considered when procuring beds, mattresses, and cushions.

Watch the webinar below.  

The three co-produced articles were written by Dr Barend ter Haar and Jeannie Donnelly.

First, ‘Understanding Standards for Beds and Mattresses: Whose job is it anyway?’, discusses the story of a contract adjudication group who were asked by the tender management team if the standards cited in a bed and mattress contract were correct/up to date.

The article discusses why understanding standards matters; which standards to use; where to find support in SoTV and the BHTA’s series of bite-sized Beds and Support Surfaces and Pressure Care and Seating articles; an introduction to the BS EN ISO 20342 series of mattress and overlays standards; and a note on terminology.

Secondly, ‘Understanding Standards for Beds and Mattresses: Bed Rails and the Risk of Entrapment’ discusses incidents where elderly patients have died in hospital after becoming entrapped between side rails and their mattress.

The article covers learning from the analysis of accident data; the actions that were required to comply with the MHRA’s updated guidance on the management and safe use of bed rails; international standards for ‘assistive products’, medical beds, and mattresses; and references.

The final article, ‘Understanding Standards for Beds and Mattresses: Pressure Care Devices Flammability Safety Criteria’, takes a procurement perspective, with a focus on what should be specified within the description of the relevant flammability criteria for selection of a pressure care device.

It only covers pressure care devices which are referred to as “medical devices” since these are specifically excluded from UK fire regulations, whereas domestic beds, mattresses, and cushions fall under furnishings fire regulations. The article considers environmental inputs, product elements, and explains FDA: The standard is BS ISO 16840-15 plus Amd1.