Renfrew Group International assists UKDI with new adaptable stretcher

Renfrew Group International has been commissioned by UKDI to provide the design and development of the new Recovery+ stretcher.

The stretcher is a lightweight, highly flexible three-part foldable device made entirely from polymer materials.

It is designed to be used by medical and security authorities for safely medicating and transporting vulnerable or disorderly people who may also need to be subjected to an X-ray or MRI scan while remaining on the stretcher.

The Recovery+ is designed to provide a range of safe options for emergency responses and has been used by the NHS for two years.

Nick Gray, Director of UKDI, said: “The stretcher is a multi-positional flexible stretcher which folds into three parts, making it a treatment platform that can be used for transport, evacuation, and rescue. It can be used in a seated position or a supine position. The stretcher is produced with simple principles, in particular the way a person would like to be treated, with a specific focus on compassion., dignity, and safety for carers and patients alike.”

The design concept incorporates a hinging detail to allow the three section of the Recovery+ to be arranged as a supported seat, a self-supported seat, and a stretcher.

Features on the main sections allow for the attachment of bespoke carrying handles and secure restraint straps in any position along the edges, and a prop can be hinged out to support the backrest in the seated position.

The whole stretcher, including an occupant, is also able to be placed on a typical commercial airline seat.

The main components of the stretcher are rota moulded in HDPE, and during the design RGI conducted stress analysis simulations to determine strength, material distribution and selection, sag limitations, and overall design parameters.

James Wiliamson, Senior Design and Projects Manager at RGI, said: “The project was a first in terms of having to provide a structurally sound adjustable device entirely composed of plastic components. Where we would normally specify metal for pivoting and locking elements, we had to instead design and engineer plastics parts which would withstand the various mechanical loads without flexing or fracturing, making material selection a crucial part of the design process.”