Foam mattresses are critical to patient safety and comfort but managing them across three large hospitals is challenging for any healthcare entity. To prevent patients from developing pressure ulcers and ensure hygiene, each mattress must undergo regular inspections
In England, regulations stipulated by the independent regulator of health and social care Care Quality Commission (CQC) requires hospitals to demonstrate when each mattress was last checked and whether it passed a defined set of safety and cleanliness criteria.
To meet these standards, East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust (EKHUFT) is one of the first to use RFiD Discovery’s RFID-based tracking system to transform the way it monitors and maintains its mattress inventory. EKHUFT is one of the largest hospital trusts in England, delivering acute care services across multiple sites including Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital, Kent & Canterbury Hospital and William Harvey Hospital.
Monitoring Mattresses
The solution enables automated compliance checks, precise location tracking, and reliable traceability for every mattress across its hospital network. EKHUFT’s previous process relied on manual checks with results written directly onto mattress covers— a method that was inefficient, inconsistent, and lacked any centralized audit capability.
Additionally, identifying and locating individual mattresses was difficult. Manual methods like barcode scanning required physical contact or line-of-sight visibility, which posed a risk when handling contaminated or severely soiled items.
Partnership with RFiD Discovery
RFiD Discovery, a Paragon ID company, is the UK leader in integrated identification and location tracking solutions, with deployments in over 200 hospitals. In its partnership with EKHUFT, an RFID-enabled mattress tracking system was deployed to cover 1,700 foam mattresses across its hospitals.
The solution leverages the existing RFiD Discovery medical device tracking infrastructure in place at EKHUFT’s three sites to capture mattress locations, including fixed passive RFID readers in key areas like the bed store, an RFID trolley pushed around wards during audits, and handheld RFID readers used for spot checks in smaller areas.
To track foam mattresses, each was fitted with two passive RFID tags: An internal label, inserted inside the mattress cover at one end and an external rubber tag containing the same unique identifier, attached to the zip via a small cable tie.
This dual-tag design maximizes the chances of the mattress being detected by RFID readers.
When mattresses reach the end of their life, the external tag is removed at the disposal point and placed into a smart RFID disposal bin equipped with internal readers. The system automatically updates records, removes the mattress from circulation and provides an audit trail of disposal.
New Protocols
Nursing teams carry out a structured seven-point mattress check each year using a dedicated app on the RFiD Discovery handheld reader.
“This ensures the correct mattress is being checked by matching each RFID tag to its corresponding record in the database so that inspection results are automatically and correctly logged against the right asset,” said Arron Duddin, General Manager at RFiD Discovery.
The app then guides the user through the required inspection stages which includes a comprehensive assessment of the mattress’ external condition, internal foam integrity, odour, and overall functionality. Results are recorded directly in the system and uploaded in real time to a centralized database.
The system is used to record the result of an acceptance test when foam mattresses are first delivered, ensuring that every mattress entering circulation meets quality and safety standards from day one.
Benefits of a RFID System
According to both RFiD Discovery and EKHUFT officials, the implementation of RFID mattress tracking delivered several key benefits:
- Compliance & Assurance. The Trust can provide digital evidence of inspection and disposal to the CQC and internal auditors, strengthening accountability and providing full traceability.
- Patient Care and Safety. By making it easy to locate mattresses due for inspection the solution helps to ensure that all are checked as required. This means faulty or contaminated mattresses can be identified and removed, reducing risks of infection and pressure ulcers.
- Operational Efficiency. Automating mattress identification and disposal tracking eliminates manual record-keeping and reduces administrative burden, while the ability to locate mattresses quickly saves time to improve efficiency.
- Infection Control. RFID readers can scan and identify mattresses without requiring physical contact or visual access to tags – ideal for infection control when dealing with contaminated or severely soiled mattresses.
- Asset Visibility & Future Planning. By automatically capturing accurate information about mattress status and disposal, the system provides accurate data of available, in service or unfit-for-use mattresses to assist planning and inform procurement decisions.
By extending the use of RFiD Discovery’s passive RFID system from tracking medical devices to everyday patient care assets like foam mattresses, East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust is demonstrating true innovation in healthcare asset management.
“Above all, the approach safeguards patients and also ensures the Trust meets regulatory requirements while maximizing operational efficiency,” said Andy Barrow, Andy Barrow, Medical Engineering & Radiology Maintenance at 2Gether Support Solutions (subsidiary of East Kent NHS Trust). “This pioneering initiative is setting a new standard for mattress management within the NHS, offering a model that other healthcare providers can replicate.”