Clinical Benefits

Early mobilisation is a healthcare approach that encourages physical activity – at very least, basic movement from bed rest to a seated position – at the earliest stages possible of a patient’s recovery.

This proactive strategy aims to prevent the negative effects of long-term immobility, including muscle weakness, joint stiffness, pressure injuries, risk of blood clots or deep vein thrombosis, longer hospital stays, and a decline in mental health or general quality of life.

The Sydney GoFlat™ will give care professionals in hospitals across Australia, and particularly in ICU facilities, a new option for early mobilisation.

Patients who were previously immobile, sedates, or even semi-conscious, will now be able to access the critical physical and mental benefits that mobility can deliver.

The long-term impact of this extends to their carers, families, and the broader hospital network.

Unique benefits of the Sydney GoFlat™ include:

• Fully go flat seat: Sydney reclines from seated to fully flat in a smooth movement with a single button.
• Integration with ICU bed: Sydney can be positioned to align neatly with an ICU bed to enable smooth lateral transfer. The seat can be electronically moved up and down to come level with the bed, with minimal gaps. 
• Option for lateral transfer of patient from bed to seat. The arm adjacent to the bed reclines for transfer, while the other arm remains in position to prevent falls.

Despite the clear benefits of early mobilisation, there are many situations in which it is considered impossible – whether that’s due to the patient’s condition, or lack of appropriate equipment, training and hospital resources.

90% of Seating Matters patients will require hoisting into their chair to enable early mobilisation.

This process involves safely lifting and moving a patient from a bed to a chair using specialised equipment, generally due to the patient’s limited mobility or inability to bear their own weight.

Unfortunately, there are many situations in which patients are not able to be hoisted – notably those who are intubated, in the ICU, or have severe burns, open wounds or broken bones in their neck or back. This is also the case for patients who are sedated or semi-conscious.

The Sydney GoFlat™ is specifically designed for these patients. It allows for early mobilisation in cases where this was previously considered impossible.  

The Sydney GoFlat™ chair will change the lives of patients who were previously unable to be hoisted or moved. This includes patients in the ICU and critical wards, the emergency room, burns units and rehabilitation units.

The Sydney chair can also be used to support and move individuals who are sedated, comatosed or semi-conscious, enabling them to access the benefits of early mobilisation. 

The Sydney GoFlat™ is now available to purchase or rent in Australia.

If you require a rental chair for a hospital in NSW, you can Make a Hire Request online today.

For other requests or to arrange a demonstration and trial in your department, please contact us directly on 1300 001 550 or email info@seatingmatters.com.au

Alternatively, you can book a FREE Seating Assessment. This personal approach involves testing the range of motion of a patient’s joints, understanding their specific cognitive, behavioural and psychological symptoms, and assessing the standards and impact of their current bed or chair.

On the basis of this assessment and any personal goals of the patient, their family and their care team, a specific Seating Matters chair will be recommended to meet their needs.

The Sydney GoFlat™ was internationally recognised with a prestigious Red Dot Design Award in 2023.

The Red Dot Design award is the largest global design competition for product design, communication design and design concepts.

The jury praised the Sydney GoFlat “on the basis of its sophisticated ergonomic layout and functionality, which serve the needs of patients and caregivers alike to a large extent.”