Innovative Transfer Trolley Canopy Designed to Support the COVID Pandemic

In March 2020 with COVID-19 crisis sweeping the globe, Peninsula Heart Clinic (PHC) managers and staff designed an innovative patient transportation device designed to offer protection to the patient and equipment whilst undergoing transportation to and from PHC and Derriford hospital, and potentially to and from the Helipad.

PHC got in touch with a local company called Luminati to express their urgent requirement for a prototype of their design. After discussions between PHC and Luminati, the clinical team and Luminati engineers got together to run through the design and manufacturing process. Drawings were prepared, a test frame was produced, and then a fully functional patient transportation cover was delivered, all inside of two weeks!

The transportation cover is particularly useful when transporting COVID‐19 patients as it reduces the transmission of nasal and airway secretions.

We will be approaching NHS Improvement for guidance on whether this canopy could now be successfully rolled‐out across the NHS.