SCREENswitch: Switchable Opacity Patient Isolation Systems Phase 2

The COVID-19 pandemic has made social distancing mandatory in hospitals. Healthcare staff are currently utilising a number of measures to answer to this, including hygienic partition screens. However, these screens are limited by being either solely opaque or solely transparent.

Opaque screens are needed when a patient requires privacy, but hospital staff also need visibility over the patient in order to monitor their wellbeing. It's also crucial for the patient to be able to see the rest of their ward and not feel secluded; the negative mental health consequences of which have been well documented (Texas A&M University).

To meet this challenge, some hospitals use disposable curtains. But curtains are not sufficient as an infection control barrier, with 92% of curtains testing positive for contamination within 1 week of being put in place. Furthermore, 90% of curtains used in NHS hospitals are made of disposable polypropylene, disposed of by incineration or landfill every few months, which damages the environment.

SCREENswitch provides an integrated solution to all of these challenges in the form of a hygienic, retractable partition screen that can change opacity at the touch of a button. Harnessing cutting-edge smart film technology, SCREENswitch is an effective infection control measure that gives patients the choice over privacy or visibility. As a multi-use screen, it promises to be less impactful on the environment than other infection control alternatives.

KwickScreen has over 10-years experience in designing and manufacturing portable, retractable partition screens, predominantly for healthcare environments, with sales to every NHS trust. In Phase 1 of the project, we proved that it was feasible to make a retractable screen using smart film technology. In Phase 2, we'll be focusing on five main technical areas: material testing and development, prototype development, in-hospital testing, manufacturing process design, and environmental impact assessment. By the end of this phase, SCREENswitch will be ready for commercialisation and use in hospitals.