These guidelines provide staff with information on using the Flexmort Cuddle Blanket systems for care of deceased children.
The guidelines apply to use of the Flexmort Cuddle Blanket system within hospital, home and community settings.
The terms ‘child’ and ‘children’ include all ages of babies, children and young people in the care of NHS Borders Children’s Services.
Flexmort Cuddle Blanket is a portable cooling system which is designed to keep a deceased child cool, preserving condition and dignity after death.
Ward 15 (Children’s ward) is responsible for storage and routine testing, cleaning and maintenance of the Flexmort systems.
Supporting the use of Flexmort systems in individual cases is the responsibility of the healthcare professionals involved with that child’s care after death. When a child is transferred home after death, one or more healthcare professionals will be identified as points of contact for the family and will be responsible for providing ongoing advice and support which may also include home visiting.
Families’ chosen funeral directors are NOT responsible for the Flexmort systems but are a valuable source of advice and support regarding the care of a deceased child.
Flexmort CuddleBlanket is a portable mortuary system designed to keep a deceased baby or child cool, preserving condition and dignity after death. The systems allow parents / family to spend to spend time with their deceased child for longer, whether this is at home, in hospital or other community setting.
There are two types of Flexmort systems:
Operational guidelines from the manufacturers (Flexmort) are kept with each system.
The CuddleBlanket is stored in the Community Children’s Nurses’ Store cupboard in ward 15.
The deceased child should be allowed to cool naturally in the first instance, therefore it is recommended to wait 3 hours before using a Flexmort system.
5.3.1 Flexmort systems can be used in clinical areas and / or Bereavement Suites to enable prolonged viewing.
5.3.2 There is no stipulated time limit for either system to be used. It is recommended that the length of time for using the Flexmort system should be judged on a case by case basis. This may be influenced by staffing resources within the ward area and capacity.
5.3.3 Supporting the use and maintenance of the Flexmort system is the responsibility of the healthcare professionals involved with the child’s care after death.
5.4.1 Collaborative guidance for staff to support families who wish to take their child home after death has been developed by the Scottish Children and Young People’s Palliative Care Network (SCYPPCN) and adopted across NHS Scotland. Staff must use this guidance and associated documentation when facilitating the use of a Flexmort System at home or in the community.
5.4.2 Parents may wish to have their child at home until the time of the funeral. This may be as long as up to 9-10 days and staff should liaise with the funeral directors (where known) to inform them of the family’s wishes.
5.4.3 The following written information must be provided to the family:
5.4.4 The following documentation must be completed and filed within the child’s health records:
5.4.5 The need for home visits will be negotiated with the family by the identified healthcare professional.
5.4.6 The family’s chosen funeral director is NOT responsible for the Flexmort system but can be a valuable source of advice regarding the deceased child’s care, changes in their condition and whether or not embalming is recommended.
5.5.1 In NON Procurator Fiscal cases a family can still take their child home until the date of the scheduled hospital post-mortem examination. Staff must inform the RIE Mortuary staff at the earliest opportunity to inform them of the family request and seek guidance. RIE Mortuary tel: 0131 242 6995 ext 26995.
5.5.2 In order to protect the integrity of post-mortem samples, the length of time that the Flexmort system can be used may be limited and guidance should be sought from RIE Mortuary staff.
5.5.3 The identified Healthcare Professional should liaise with the mortuary staff to identify timescales for post-mortem examination.
5.5.4 Where the family chooses to return home with their deceased child, clear advice must be given for returning to hospital and a clear timeframe so that arrangements can be made for transferring the child to the Mortuary.
5.5.5 It is not recommended that the deceased child returns home after the post-mortem examination has taken place, but families may still request this. Where this is requested, staff must discuss with the mortuary and seek appropriate advice as what to advise the family in relation to:
5.6.1 In all cases where the Police and Procurator Fiscal are involved, staff must refer to the NHS Borders Sudden unexpected death in childhood policy SUDiC
When a Procurator Fiscal post-mortem examination is required, parents cannot take their child home prior to the procedure.
5.6.3 In order to protect the integrity of post-mortem samples, the length of time that the Flexmort system can be used may be limited and guidance should be sought from the Mortuary staff.
5.7.1 The system must be stored correctly and safely (as per manufacturer’s guidance) in the Community Childrens nurses storage cupboard ward 15.
5.7.2 The systems must be cleaned after each use by healthcare professionals involved with the child’s care after death. See guidance below for appropriate cleaning procedures of the Flexmort systems.
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Standard Cleaning Procedure (for patients who are not known to be carrying pathogenic organisms) |
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1. Wipe ALL surfaces of Flexmort system thoroughly using either:
a. A cloth soaked with general purpose detergent (e.g. Hospec) and water. Ensure the cloth has been wrung out before use and take care when cleaning the electrical components as excess fluid can damage the equipment and cause potential electrical hazard.
OR b. Pre-packed detergent impregnated wipes (e.g. Clinitex wipes).
2. Dry ALL parts of equipment before storing.
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Cleaning Procedure when the patient was known to be carrying a pathogenic organism e.g. MRSA or C.Diff) |
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1. Any gross contamination must be removed with a paper towel prior to applying Sodium Hypochlorite solution.
2. Wipe ALL surfaces of Flexmort system with a cloth soaked with Tristel Fuse. Ensure the cloth has been wrung out before use and take care when cleaning the electrical components as excess fluid can damage the equipment and cause potential electrical hazard.
3. Allow the solution to dry fully then clean off with a damp cloth and plain water.
3. Dry ALL parts of equipment before storing.
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Staff will carry out routine cleaning of the systems every month using the standard cleaning procedure above.
Electromed will ensure that the Flexmort system is PAT tested annually.
All faults must be reported to Electromed
NHS Borders clinical guidelines