Engineers from BAE Systems’ Submarines business, along with local company Lancastle and staff from University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT), have developed pioneering new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff on COVID-19 wards.

In just 11 months the project has gone from concept to the Morecambe Bay Hood gaining Health and Safety Executive (HSE) approval for use during the pandemic. BAE Systems and Lancastle have designed the hood free of charge, with the hoods being rolled out to hospital wards in Lancashire and South Cumbria over the next few weeks.

Developed to replace current PPE hoods, which were created for an industrial rather than a clinical environment, the Morecambe Bay Hood is less expensive, is fully cleanable, reusable and offers greater protection and comfort to healthcare workers as the hood is suitable for all face shapes and sizes.

The design - a full-face protective hood delivering a continuous stream of clean filtered air - significantly reduces ‘fogging’ and aids improved communication and empathy between healthcare staff and patients because facial expressions can be seen more clearly and lip-reading is easier.

Stuart Hosking-Durn, Head of Resilience and Patient Flow for UHMBT, said: “The dedication of our frontline workers has been instrumental in fighting COVID-19, but the Morecambe Bay Hood will be an absolute game-changer for us as we continue to care for patients, significantly improving comfort, durability and communication.

"It’s a UK success story, with our thriving tech sector supporting our frontline workers as they help our country to emerge from the pandemic. The hoods could be rolled out more widely across the UK and could enable the NHS to treat patients with infectious diseases more safely.”

The BAE Systems Human Factors team conducted trials at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), where NHS personnel undertook a simulation of critical activities. Their feedback on the concept and design was used to refine the final product which has been approved by the HSE and British Standards Institution (BSI) for use during the pandemic.

The project began after Stuart and the UHMBT team approached BAE Systems with a request to help design an air-fed mask, following the company’s successful deployment of 3D printed face shields and curtain hooks for the NHS Trust at the start of the pandemic.

Working with the Innovation Agency - the Academic Science Network for the North West Coast - a collaboration was formed to develop the upgraded PPE, which is equipped with an innovative air manifold system with special noise reducing features, a large visor and a protective sheath which extends over the chest and back. State-of-the-art 3D printing technologies were used throughout the prototyping process to accelerate its development and reduce costs, and will continue to be used for production of the complex air manifold system.