Trials of an inflatable pillow developed to make moving ventilated patients lying on their front easier and safer have found it reduces the demands on ICU teams.
The BathMat was created by the University of Bath and Royal United Hospitals (RUH) to be used under a prone patient's chest and abdomen to raise them.
Patients lying prone have to be repositioned up to seven times a day and preliminary findings showed the device cut the number of staff needed from five to three.
Dr Alexander Lunt, senior lecturer at the university said the device was inspired by ICU teams' experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic which remain relevant as they "continue to operate under significant workforce pressure".
The RUH said the BathMat has been designed to free up intensive care teams, helping patients receive more consistent repositioning, "even during periods of workforce pressure".
The trial, which concluded in June this year, involved 30 patients and around 160 repositioning procedures. As well as reducing the number of people needed, it was also found it saved an hour of staff time per procedure.
Source: BBC News, 15 September 2026
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