Alert over walking frame safety

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 1st May 2008

An alert over the safety of a type of walking frame has been issued by the medical devices regulator. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is concerned about a defect in frames manufactured by Trulife Limited. The problem concerns the plastic height adjustment clips that can fail, causing the user to fall.

The defective frames, including all variants of the standard model, were made between April and November 2007.

They include models with or without wheels, and walking frames with arm support troughs. Users are being advised to check if their walking frame is affected by finding the identification label on one of the front legs which stipulates the manufacturer's name, date and product code.

Clive Bray, director of device technology and safety at the MHRA, said: "Following investigations by the MHRA, the manufacturer has agreed to replace all plastic clips on frames already in use. They will arrange for either one of their engineers to modify the walking frames on site, return of the product to the factory to be modified or supply replacement clips with fitting instructions."

Trulife Limited changed the metal clips used to set height adjustments on all its walking frames to a plastic clip in April 2007. However, the company switched back to metal clips seven months later following reports that the plastic clips had either snapped in use, or did not engage correctly, causing the frame to collapse.

A Medical Device Alert has been issued to all those involved in the provision and maintenance of walking frames to trace these particular models and to contact Trulife Limited to arrange for them to be modified. This includes nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and managers of equipment stores.