When we think of a nurse or engineer, we don’t usually see them as inventors. But that’s exactly what a nurse and a hospital engineer at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust have become. They designed a new product with the help of the Innovation Team.
They noticed the area behind patients’ beds was messy with tubing and wires. This was an infection control issue. It also caused problems when clinicians tried to access vital equipment.
Head of resuscitation services Emma Thomson and Steve Connew, former electro-biomedical engineering operational manager, felt improvements could be made. Since there wasn’t an existing product to help keep the area tidy, they invented one!
Steve said: “A jumble of tubing and wires are by a patient’s bedhead. It causes nursing staff problems, it doesn’t look good or professional either. I thought there must be something to tidy them up – but I couldn’t find anything. I even asked different hospitals – but nothing existed.”
Ward sister Jane Kemp and Steve Connew with the Bedhead Tidy
Their idea was simple. They needed a product that would move the tubing away from the floor, prevent confusion, and ensure it wasn’t an infection control risk. But to make it a reality, they needed support, funding and advice.
Steve added: “I just thought simple is best. A holder with built-in hooks means it can hold nasal cannulas, suction devices and yankers.”
By teaming up with the Trust’s Innovation Team, Steve and Emma got the support, expertise and funding they needed. The Bedhead Tidy will now be rolled out to wards across the hospital.
The Innovation Team helped with the idea, design protection, financial costing support, researching competitor products, and how to bring the product to market.
Emma Thomson, head of resuscitation services
Emma said: “I’ve never thought of myself as an inventor before. But in healthcare you have to adapt all the time to the needs of the patient. Having that mindset means you’re often thinking of a better way of doing things – and that includes the equipment you’re using or equipment you wish you had to use!
“The Bedhead Tidy seemed such an obvious idea. It’s great we had the support to develop it. Now we can fit it to all beds across the Trust to help staff and therefore patients.”
Porters have strength tested it to see how durable it is, patients have trialled a prototype at Colchester Hospital and staff gave feedback. Now there are three versions: for hospital beds, specialist care beds (neonatal and critical care), and a design for beds in the community.
Jane Kemp, ward sister at Easthorpe Ward at Colchester Hospital was part of the trials. She said the product really helps the team.
She added: “It’s a simple device and helps us do our job. It’s also cost saving as prevents wastage from items that are no longer able to be used and have to be thrown away. Every penny counts.”
Bedhead Tidy in use
The Bedhead Tidy is now ready for manufacture with 1,000 units being produced.
The Trust’s charity – Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity – provided £5,000 ‘innovation vouchers’ to contribute to the project, and £9,180 towards the project to ensure every ward has the Bedhead Tidy. Through the Gibbons Innovation Fund the charity offers £5,000 innovation vouchers to staff to support early-stage development of their ideas.
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