Free guidance published for prescribers about important mattress standards
The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA), a membership organisation that represents over 400 companies in the healthcare and assistive technology industry, has published two free guidance articles that relate to mattress standards.
Both articles are relevant to prescribers of mattresses and related products. They were written by experts from the BHTA Beds and Support Surfaces and Pressure Care and Seating Sections.
The first article, called ‘New standards for testing mattresses and related products: An introduction’, delves into a series of International Standards, which are being published in the ISO 20342 series.
These standards encompass the testing of mattresses and related products that are designed to be surfaces to interface with the body, to manage the health of the body’s skin tissues when lying down.
The guidance highlights the importance and relevance of these standards to procurement, prescribers (clinicians/nurses), and healthcare providers, who will benefit from having a recognised ‘minimum standard’ of safety for these products.
In addition, the guide will enable readers to undertake a more meaningful comparison of important performance metrics, such as pressure redistribution, moisture vapour transfer rates, etc., across products during a product selection process.
The second article, titled ‘Guidance to the mattress and related devices’ General Requirements standard: BS EN ISO 20342-1:2022’, covers the ISO 20342 series of standards. Part 1 of the series covers General Requirements, and these are applicable to all APTIs. The information set out within the General Requirements standard is intended to help ensure the safety of users.
This series of standards covers various aspects of safety, performance, and technical information relating to mattresses and related products, products described in the standards as “Assistive Products for Tissue Integrity” or “APTIs”.
The devices covered by this standard include all pressure redistributing mattresses and overlays manufactured using a range of materials including foam, gel, air, and foam in combination with air (i.e. hybrid mattresses). Products within the scope of this standard also include all reactive (non-powered) and active (powered) mattresses and overlays. This standard does not include wheelchair cushions.
The aim of this article is to give the reader, which includes prescribers of such products, a feel as to why they should be aware of the standard’s content and provide an overview of what the standard covers in depth, and therefore its importance in the design, selection, and use of an APTI.
BHTA member NRS Healthcare recently launched guidance and training on bed rail measuring, following a positive reception among occupational therapists.