Case Study
Complex Care Evacuation
We were called in after this job was deemed ‘impossible’. The request was to move a lady with severely contracted legs to a new bed in another part of the house. At first glance, it sounded straightforward—until we arrived.
The patient needed to be evacuated to attend rehabilitation, which meant the challenge shifted from a simple bedroom move to a full exit from the property. Suddenly, we weren’t just dealing with one set of doors, but two—each with very tight clearances, particularly the final exit, which opened onto a narrow external pathway.
To add to the complexity, the patient’s legs were fully contracted and unable to move, ruling out most conventional manual handling methods. What began as a standard transfer quickly turned into a highly complex scenario requiring adaptive thinking and precise teamwork.
Using a Flojac and an air device, we were able to laterally transfer the patient in a safe and controlled manner. Once on the Flojac, we gently lowered the patient to the ground floor and positioned the device inside the EvacPRO+ system. The patient was then fully secured and prepared for removal.
Navigating through the bedroom was relatively straightforward due to the wider door, allowing us to carefully angle and shimmy the EvacPRO+ through. However, once we entered the living room, we were met with the real challenge—the front door. Narrow, awkwardly positioned, and not aligned with the patient’s fixed leg position, it presented a serious obstacle.
So, we adapted.
By creatively modifying the equipment, we built a ramped embankment system that subtly elevated the patient just enough to clear the doorframe. This small adjustment made a huge difference—allowing us to carefully guide the patient through the doorway with a bit of gentle twisting and coordination.
From there, we continued along the tight external pathway and safely raised the patient onto a waiting ambulance trolley. The crew were then able to transfer her directly to the rehabilitation facility.
Without this move, the patient would likely have remained in bed—unable to access the rehabilitation she urgently needed. That simply wasn’t an option in our eyes.