Tri-Chair 7 Specialist Chair

Yes. Every Tri-Chair 7 is delivered as part of our white-glove service. Our trained delivery team will bring the chair into the room of your choice, assemble it fully, and remove all packaging. We will then give you and any carers a complete demonstration of every feature — Tilt-in-Space, back recline, legrest, split-wing headrest, any accessories and the electric upgrade if fitted — so everyone involved in the user’s care feels confident operating the chair safely and correctly from day one. We deliver and install across the whole of the UK.

The most effective starting point is a free home visit from one of our seating consultants, usually arranged within 7 days of your initial call. Our consultants are experienced in working alongside Occupational Therapists, moving and handling coordinators and care teams to ensure the assessment reflects the full picture of the user’s needs — including transfer methods, care environment and any progressive elements of their condition. You can call us on 0800 193 2524, request more information online, or ask your Occupational Therapist about a joint referral. Our online Chair Selector Tool also allows you to filter by condition, symptoms, height and weight to generate initial recommendations before booking a visit.

The Tri-Chair 7 is particularly well suited to users managing Motor Neurone Disease, where the combination of Sara-Steady compatibility, motorised positioning, battery back-up, midline lateral support and portering-ready design addresses the full spectrum of MND’s progressive demands on seating and care. It is also appropriate for users with Acquired Brain Injury, Alzheimer’s Disease, stroke, COPD, heart disease, cardiopulmonary conditions and obesity-related mobility limitations. The chair’s features, covering back and spine issues, circulation, neurological conditions, head and neck issues, posture, pressure care and support and repositioning requirements reflect the breadth of clinical scenarios it is designed to address. In all cases, the appropriate configuration of motor options, accessories and seat dimensions is determined through an individual assessment.

The overlapping lateral support back cushions on the Tri-Chair 7 are positioned on the inner sides of the backrest and extend inward to hold the user’s torso from both the left and right. This three-dimensional support helps the user maintain a centred, upright midline sitting position rather than leaning or drifting to one side. Maintaining midline position has direct functional implications beyond posture: when a user is sitting symmetrically and upright, their head is better supported, their airway is better aligned, and their visual field and arm reach are both more symmetrical. All of these factors directly support the ability to eat safely, to swallow effectively, to use communication aids and to engage with others. For users with MND, stroke or other conditions that affect postural muscle tone, this lateral containment can make a meaningful difference to quality of life and daily function.

The slide-out footplate on the Tri-Chair 7 is a footrest that extends out from underneath the chair to provide a stable, load-bearing surface for the user’s feet. Unlike a standard elevated legrest, which supports the legs from below, the weight-bearing footplate is designed to support the user’s feet during transfers. This is particularly relevant when using Sara-Steady equipment, where the user’s feet need to be on a firm surface as part of the transfer process. It also helps maintain correct lower limb positioning during use, preventing foot drop or uncontrolled movement during Tilt-in-Space adjustments. The slide-out mechanism means it can be extended when needed and retracted when not in use, helping with access and manoeuvrability around the chair.

Portering-ready means the Tri-Chair 7 has been designed to be moved smoothly and safely through clinical and care environments including narrow corridors, ward spaces, care home communal areas and lifts while the user remains seated in the chair. The combination of a robust push handle, high-quality lockable castors and a frame built for repeated movement means the chair can function as part of an active care environment, not just as a static piece of furniture. This matters particularly for users in residential care or clinical settings who may need to move between rooms, attend appointments or be repositioned in different areas of a building as part of their daily routine. Portering-ready design also reduces the number of transfers required, allowing for safer handling for both the user and their care team.

For users who depend on motorised positioning to manage pressure, maintain comfort or reposition throughout the day, a power interruption is not merely inconvenient it can leave the user stuck in a position they cannot independently change, with potential consequences for skin integrity, discomfort and dignity. Battery back-up on the Tri-Chair 7 means that the chair’s motor functions continue to operate during a power cut or if the chair is temporarily unplugged while being moved. This is particularly important in care settings where the chair may be portered between rooms, or for users with MND or other progressive neurological conditions where the ability to self-reposition is absent. Battery back-up as standard, rather than as an optional extra, reflects the level of dependency many Tri-Chair 7 users have on the chair’s motorised functions.

The dual motor option provides motorised control over two independent functions: the Tilt-in-Space mechanism and the back recline. This allows the user or carer to tilt the entire seating unit for pressure management and to adjust the backrest angle separately for rest or repositioning. The triple motor option adds a third independent motor, typically controlling the legrest or footrest, allowing all three elements - tilt, back and legs - to be adjusted independently of one another via a single handset. This additional degree of control is particularly relevant for users who need to manage lower limb positioning for oedema, circulation or contracture management without affecting the tilt or backrest angle. Both options include battery back-up as standard. The most appropriate motor option for a given user is discussed and confirmed during the home consultation.

The Sara-Steady is a widely used stand-assist and transfer aid that supports users through a sit-to-stand or sit-to-sit transfer - allowing a person to be safely moved into or out of a chair with the assistance of a carer, without requiring a full hoist. The Tri-Chair 7 has been specifically designed and tested for compatibility with Sara-Steady equipment, meaning the chair’s geometry, armrest configuration and footplate design do not obstruct or compromise the transfer process. This is a clinically significant distinction: a chair that is incompatible with the transfer aids used in a person’s care plan creates risk, additional handling steps and potential discomfort. For users whose care teams rely on Sara-Steady equipment for daily transfers, the Tri-Chair 7 integrates directly into that plan rather than working against it.

The Tri-Chair 7 is designed for semi-ambulant and non-ambulant users with complex postural and mobility needs, particularly those whose care spans multiple settings. That includes the home, residential care, clinical environments and beyond. It is particularly well suited to users managing Motor Neurone Disease, Acquired Brain Injury, Alzheimer’s Disease, stroke, COPD, heart disease, cardiopulmonary conditions and obesity-related mobility challenges. The chair’s combination of Sara-Steady compatibility, motorised positioning with battery back-up, midline postural support and portering-ready design makes it particularly appropriate for users who require regular assisted transfers, who spend extended periods seated, or whose condition is progressive and likely to place increasing demands on both the chair and the people providing care.

The Tri-Chair 7 was inspired by Channel Healthcare’s collaboration with Rob Burrow CBE, the Leeds Rhinos rugby league player who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2019 and became one of the UK’s most influential advocates for MND awareness and research. Rob wore the number 7 shirt throughout his career at Leeds Rhinos, and the chair is named in his honour. The clinical priorities built into the Tri-Chair 7, including Sara-Steady transfer aid compatibility, motorised positioning with battery back-up, lateral support for eating and communication, and portering-ready manoeuvrability, were directly shaped by the real demands that MND and other complex progressive conditions place on users and their care teams. Rob passed away in June 2024 and the Tri-Chair 7 stands as part of his legacy: a chair designed to give people living with MND and similarly demanding conditions the support, independence and dignity they deserve.