ACR: Ambulance child restraint

Client: The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) & ParAid Medical Ltd

The Challenge

Through discussions with paramedics and commercial exploration we had identified the lack of any products globally for the securing in ambulances of those children too large for infant harnesses yet too small for adult restraints, and a general dislike of any of the infant products available.

We embarked on a joint venture with the SAS to design a system capable of restraining all children from new born to 12 years old which was both clinically effective and extremely easy to use.

The brief was tight, with strict requirements on clinical access, infection control, strength and testing protocols. Significant functional issues had to be resolved also to deliver rapid transition from lying and sitting positions without adjustment and also operation in the recovery position, all while fitting an enormous size range.

Approach

The key to the project's success was a robust and thorough research phase, which involved use cycle mapping and requirement identification for clinical teams across the country.

User interviews, parallel product analysis and trial and clinical observation, and involvement in live transfers were combined to produce a detailed specification, capturing the needs of a diverse multidisciplinary team, incorporating paramedics, paediatricians, ergonomic experts and infection control managers.

Our design team then explored the specification through an iterative conceptual phase, incorporating over 100 in house prototypes and involving a series of 10G developmental crash tests performed at a world class international testing house.

We worked with UK suppliers to specify and develop a string of custom materials to meet the stringent infection control and strength requirements of the application, and worked with clinical teams throughout to ensure conformity to requirements and clinical acceptance.

In product assessment and evaluation we enlisted the help of an entire primary school to trial the system for ergonomic fit, percentile coverage and ease of use.

Result

The only paediatric restraint capable of fitting all children less than 45 kg which is fully crash tested to CEN compliance levels. The patented two-part restraint system allows operation in all configurations and space-age materials provide an unprecedented level of infection control to clinicians.