Clipdeck

Summary

The requester asked Manx Care about the usage, ownership, and safety protocols of Clipdeck units in moving ambulances, specifically regarding manufacturer warnings. Manx Care disclosed a detailed Standard Operating Procedure confirming the use of Clipdecks with specific safety straps to mitigate risks, but withheld ownership and service schedule details citing personal data exemptions.

Key Facts

• Manx Care uses Clipdeck units to mount aerosleds on standard ambulance trolleys for ground transfers.
• The service employs a specific safety protocol using understraps, four yellow corner straps, and four red straps to secure the aerosled directly to the stretcher base.
• The red straps and ambulance stretcher belts are used to mitigate the risk of the aerosled becoming dislodged if the pin locking system fails.
• Information regarding who owns the units and their service schedule was withheld as absolutely exempt personal data.
• Other UK air ambulance services (Capital Aviation and EMBRACE) were noted to use Clipdecks for ground transfers without the additional red straps.

Data Disclosed

• 2025-05-20
• 2025-07-03
• March 2025
• March 2028
• 1.0
• 2018
• 17th February 2025
• 25 June 2025
• 12
• 2
• 4664912

Exemptions Cited

• Section 25(b)(i) & (ii) of the Act (Absolutely exempt personal information)
• Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation

Original Request

Please could the air ambulance service confirm the following. How many clip deck units are in use for the service? Who owns them? What is their service schedule? Given the manufactures statement on their website states not for use in moving vehicles. Please could they confirm if they use clip deck units in moving ambulances? Their risk assessments to do so? Their policy and procedures on the units ? What do they use in the UK when transporting patients in Uk based ambulances?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Page 1 of 9

CARE GROUP – Surgery, theatres, Critical Care & Anaesthesia

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR USE OF THE CLIPDECK

Author(s)

Version Number 1.0 Document effective from March 2025 Next review due March 2028

Intended audience/scope Air Ambulance Transfer practitioners, Air Ambulance Doctors, Ambulance crews. Superseded documents

Stakeholders consulted prior to ratification 

 Air Ambulance Transfer Practitioners 

Ratified by Surgery, Theatres, Critical Care and Anaesthesia Care Group Clinical Governanc Meeting Date Previous reviews

Changes made during latest review

1. AT A GLANCE

The purpose of this document is to:  To guide safe use of the clip deck

Summary of Guidance:  The clip deck must be secured using the understrap and four yellow corner straps  The four red straps must also be used to secure the aerosled directly to the ambulance stretcher base.  The ambulance stretcher seat belts, must be used in addition to the aerosled seatbelts.

1. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

2.3 Related Policy

1. Policy
   The clip deck is used to mount the aerosled on any standard ambulance trolley.

Page 2 of 9

If present, the mattress on the ambulance stretcher needs to be removed so the clip deck is positioned on the hard surface.

Check the orientation of the clip deck matches the orientation of the stretcher. One end of the clip deck is marked “head”.

The clip deck is attached to the ambulance stretcher by  Aircraft seatbelt type under strap, make sure it is tightened.  Four yellow straps, one at each corner, make sure these are tightened

1 Clip deck on the ambulance stretcher 2 Aircraft seatbelt type under strap

Page 3 of 9

The aerosled is secured to the clipdeck by four spring loaded pins. Check the pins have locked in place by attempting to slide the aerosled in each direction without releasing the pins.

3 Yellow corner straps

Page 4 of 9

Additional straps should be applied to prevent the aerosled becoming detached from the clipdeck in event of pin failure. These straps attach the aerosled, directly to the ambulance stretcher base. Apply four red straps, one on each corner as per picture 5.

4 Pin docks on the clip deck 5 Red strap correctly clipped around the ambulance stretcher base.

Page 5 of 9

Once the patient is on the aerosled, apply the aerosled seatbelts AND the ambulance trolley safety belts. The ambulance stretcher safety belt strap the patient directly to the ambulance stretcher base.

1. APPENDIX 1 – Safety warning on clip decks

The red straps and ambulance stretcher straps mitigate the risk of the aerosled becoming dislodged should the pins become unlocked. As such the safety notice in Appendix 2 does not apply.

6 Aerosled and ambulance stretcher straps

Page 6 of 9

Appendix 2 – 2018 safety notice

Page 7 of 9

Appendix 3 – information on safety incidents triggering the 2018 notices https://www.airmedandrescue.com/latest/news/camts-warning-stretcher-clip-decks

Appendix 4 - information from other air ambulance services

Telephone conversation, , Capital aviation with Monday 17th February 2025. Confirmed they use the clip deck and aerosled for ground transfers without any modifications. They do not use the red straps. Telephone conversation, EMBRACE duty operation manager, Monday 17th February 2025 confirmed they use the clip deck and aerosled for ground transfers of their incubator without any modifications. They do not use the red straps. Appendix 5 – manufacturers changes to pin locking system

Page 8 of 9

Appendix – IOM Ambulance Service Operational bulletin

Page 9 of 9

Manx Care Noble’s Hospital, Strang Braddan, Isle of Man IM4 4R (01624) 650 000

Our ref: 4664912 25 June 2025

Dear

We write further to your request, received 20 May 2025, which states:

"Please could the air ambulance service confirm the following.

How many clip deck units are in use for the service?

Who owns them? What is their service schedule?

Given the manufactures statement on their website states not for use in moving vehicles.

Please could they confirm if they use clip deck units in moving ambulances?

Their risk assessments to do so?

Their policy and procedures on the units ?

What do they use in the UK when transporting patients in Uk based ambulances?"

Response

s25(b)(i)&(ii)
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because it is absolutely exempt under section 25 of the Act (absolutely exempt personal information). The reasons why that exemption applies are that:
• Manx Care is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data of which you are not the data subject; and
• Manx Care is satisfied that disclosure of the information would contravene one of the data protection principles as set out at Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation as it applies in the Isle of Man pursuant to the Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018, namely that the Manx Care can only disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions for lawful processing in Article 6 or if you are dealing with sensitive personal data “and one of the conditions in Article 9 of the GDPR and Schedule 2 of the Implementing Regulations is met” and in this case, none of those conditions have been met. Names and email addresses have been redacted

1. How many clip deck units are in use for the service?

Six clip decks

1. Who owns them?

Five are owned by Manx Care, one is owned by IAS Medical (Aviation Company)

1. What is their service schedule?

Serviced once per year routinely, with additional maintenance, if required.

1. Given the manufactures statement on their website states not for use in moving vehicles. Please could they confirm if they use clip deck units in moving ambulances?

Yes we use clip decks in moving ambulances, with additional straps to prevent separation of the sled from the clip deck, in event of pin failure. See the attached standard operating procedure.

1. Their risk assessments to do so?

See attached standard operating procedure.

1. Their policy and procedures on the units?

See attached standard operating procedure.

1. What do they use in the UK when transporting patients in UK based ambulances?

Patients are transported either on the clip deck/aerosled or directly on the ambulance stretcher, depending on their mobility and need for monitoring.

Please quote the reference number 4664912 in any future communications.

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I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely