Inside the lorry will be 200 new mattresses and the challenge will be to swop new mattresses for old ones, causing minimum disruption to patients and ensuring the lorry is refilled with 200 old mattresses by the end of the day.

With military precision, a small and enthusiastic team will systematically work through the hospital wards undertaking this testing task – the like of which has never been done before at the hospital.

Contrary to recent press reports, the Trust has taken a proactive approach to replacing mattresses and beds, rather than waiting until there was a problem. The Trust has an infection control team whose responsibility is to ensure patients are not put at undue risk of infection during their hospital stay. Part of their work is to ensure good practice and hygiene in the hospital environment and in line with their commitment to improve patient care, an audit of hospital beds and mattresses was undertaken. The audit found that many did not meet the strict standards required and the replacement mattresses have been purchased and form part of a rolling replacement programme. The Trust will also be receiving 56 “profiling” beds and a further 114 mattresses in the course of the next few weeks.

The beds will reduce manual handling risks for staff and allow patients with limited mobility to have more independence by being able to sit themselves up using the electric beds.

Graham Elderfield, Chief Executive, of the Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust, praised the staff’s enthusiasm to undertake this task, saying “It never ceases to impress me how staff will go that extra mile to get this sort of project completed – it is not for the faint hearted and I am sure they will be absolutely exhausted at the end of the day.”