A prototype body-length ‘blanket’ that keeps patients warm during surgery and helps to reduce their chances of infection after an operation, is being tested by a health board

Called the “Cozynorm”, the specially-designed fleece blanket has sealable openings that allow surgical teams access to different parts of the body.

By being able to open and close the blanket over a specific area, the surgical team is able to keep the rest of the patient’s body warm, a crucial element in ensuring that the patients avoid harmful post-operative complications.

The Cozynorm was created by NHS Highland as a result of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP) which has seen the health board’s staff identify simple steps to reduce infections.

They have achieved their aim to reduce major elective colo-rectal surgical site infection (SSI) to less than 10 per cent, and say that by applying innovations like the Cozynorm, improvement will be sustained.

Professor Watson, NHS Highland’s director of innovation, said: “We are delighted to encourage invention in NHS Highland. The team have developed a great solution to a very common problem. We hope that we can market the product to benefit more patients.”

In addition to the Cozynorm, the NHS Highland SPSP team is piloting the use of disposable warming blankets on the wards at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.