East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has introduced RFiD Discovery’s RFID mattress tracking system to strengthen patient safety and ensure full compliance with Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements.
As one of the largest hospital Trusts in England, East Kent Hospitals manages thousands of medical devices across three major sites. The Trust already uses RFiD Discovery technology to track assets such as infusion pumps, ECG monitors and beds. Building on this foundation, it is now applying the same approach to one of the most widely used - yet traditionally difficult to manage - items in patient care: foam mattresses.
Mattresses must be inspected regularly to prevent pressure ulcers and maintain hygiene standards. Previous processes at the Trust relied on manual checks recorded directly on mattress covers, offering limited visibility and no centralised audit trail. Identifying and locating mattresses across multiple hospitals was also challenging, particularly when dealing with contaminated items that required minimal handling.
The introduction of RFID technology has transformed this process. More than 1,700 mattresses are now tagged with two passive RFID labels - one inside the cover and one external rubber tag - improving detection rates across the Trust’s existing RFID infrastructure.
Nursing teams use handheld RFID readers and a dedicated app to carry out a structured seven-point annual mattress check. The system automatically matches each mattress to its digital record, guiding staff through the inspection stages and uploading results in real time.
A smart RFID-enabled disposal bin also records when mattresses reach end-of-life, automatically removing them from circulation and creating a full audit trail for compliance.
East Kent Hospitals is already seeing clear benefits from the new system, with improved visibility, faster processes and stronger safety controls. Digital records now support full CQC compliance, while teams can quickly identify and remove faulty or contaminated mattresses to reduce infection and pressure-ulcer risks. Automated identification reduces manual tasks and helps staff locate mattresses across sites, and contact-free RFID scanning strengthens infection control. The Trust also gains reliable, real-time data to plan and make informed procurement decisions.
Andy Barrow, Head of Electronics, Medical Engineering & Radiology Maintenance at East Kent NHS, said: “This technology has transformed the way we manage our foam mattresses. We now have complete confidence that every mattress is tested, tracked, and either maintained or disposed of appropriately, helping us keep patients safe while improving efficiency.”
By extending RFID tracking beyond medical devices to everyday patient-care assets, East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust is demonstrating how digital innovation can strengthen safety, improve auditability and streamline clinical operations. The initiative provides a scalable model that other NHS trusts can readily adopt.
Find out more about this initiative and its outcomes in the full case study.
