Complaints/Concerns re Flame Retardant Chemicals in Furniture

Reference: 25-26068

Date response sent: 27/05/2025

Details of enquiry

1. The total number of reported incidents, complaints, or logged concerns received by your Trust in which patient health issues (e.g. skin irritation, respiratory symptoms, allergic reactions) were linked to chemical flame retardants (CfRs) present in hospital furniture (such as mattress covers, beds, chairs, cushions, or other furnishings) used in your facilities.
2. Details of any correspondence (internal or external), meeting minutes, or formal complaints that reference concerns about the health impacts of chemical flame retardants (CfRs) in furniture within your facility.
3. Information on whether your Trust has conducted or commissioned any safety reviews, risk assessments, or evaluations regarding the use of chemical flame retardants (CfRs) in hospital furniture.
4. Details of any changes made to procurement policy, furniture specifications, or supplier contracts made in response to concerns about chemical flame retardants (CfRs) in furniture.

Response sent

1. The total number of reported incidents, complaints, or logged concerns received by your Trust in which patient health issues (e.g. skin irritation, respiratory symptoms, allergic reactions) were linked to chemical flame retardants (CfRs) present in hospital furniture (such as mattress covers, beds, chairs, cushions, or other furnishings) used in your facilities.

Having checked our incident report logs, the Trust confirms that no incidents, complaints, or concerns have been reported nor logged in respect of adverse reactions to flame retardant furniture/furnishings in our clinics. Accordingly we find that there has not been any suggestion that this is a concern to the Trust.

You may be interested to know that the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust provides outpatient, and mainly psychological services via talking therapies. We do not provide acute services, nor inpatient patient services.

2. Details of any correspondence (internal or external), meeting minutes, or formal complaints that reference concerns about the health impacts of chemical flame retardants (CfRs) in furniture within your facility.

None. Please see our response to Q1 above.

3. Information on whether your Trust has conducted or commissioned any safety reviews, risk assessments, or evaluations regarding the use of chemical flame retardants (CfRs) in hospital furniture.

This is not something currently being considered.

4. Details of any changes made to procurement policy, furniture specifications, or supplier contracts made in response to concerns about chemical flame retardants (CfRs) in furniture.

None – See above responses