PUPI: Pressure Ulcer Prevention Innovation

This design for health product, is revolutionary within pressure ulcer management, proposing a wearable product, with zero off-loading at bony landmarks and enables patient mobility. Pressure ulcers have a profound negative effect on patient’s physical and psychological health, as well as social wellbeing and financial income. Older age increases the rates of ill-health and disability dramatically. Disability affects those over 85 years at a rate of 67%, compared to 5% of young people and relates to pressure ulcer prevalence. The prevalence of heel pressure ulcer has been estimated at 14%, with some Intensive care units reporting a prevalence rate of 41% and up to 56% in intensive care units. Litigation has impacted on the NHS, with some instances of pressure ulcers being termed as professional neglect as documented by the Department of Health, who have set targets to eliminate all avoidable pressure ulcers (Stevenson et al 2013).

A systematic literature review using ScienceDirect and CHINAHAL databases and patent searches were conducted identifying the extent, prevalence current treatment approaches for this issue. Three Service Improvement, co-design workshops with the Northern Ireland Leg Forum, (NHSCT) were conducted. Over a 2-year period, tissue viability experts critiqued the product design from initial sketch work through low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototype testing. Through the double-diamond framework, and the RITE method, this issue has been conceptually interrogated and exhaustively investigated through applied research. This research was heavily informed by anthropometrics and quantitative anatomy data, precision digital human anatomy modelling, new product development and ergonomic testing to precisely target preventive measures on specific areas of the lower leg. Magee is a 50% IP stakeholder in this invention which aligns wit the aims of the National Wound Care Strategy Programme (NWCSP).