Capital Purchase of Hospital Beds

Background and overview

Located in the South East of England, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust provides integrated care across two Acute and three Community sites to the local population.

In 2021 the population of East Sussex exceeded 545,000 people1, and has a much older age profile compared to England and the rest of the South East; 26% of the county’s population is aged 65 or over, compared to 19% in England and 20% regionally. The median age of the county is 48.4, compared to the national average of 40.2. During 2019/20 the number of emergency hospital admissions due to falls in people 65 and over per 100,000 was 2,488, compared with 2,222 for England overall.

Capital purchase of hospital beds
In 2017 East Sussex rolled out a long term bed replacement plan, to upgrade its aging bed fleet. The Trust extensively evaluated a range of beds from multiple suppliers, finally selecting the INNOV8 range as best meeting the varying patient requirements for the 800 acute bed spaces available. They identified the Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare beds were able to best meet the needs of their patient cohort, assist clinical staff, support their Green Plan KPI’s and provide value to the Trust.
The majority of the bed spaces are equipped with the INNOV8 iQ bed with cantilever side rails, as well as a number of INNOV8 Low beds to aid those patients most at risk of falls, with a low platform height of just 22.5cm.

Key benefits 

Enhanced patient care. East Sussex Healthcare Trust offers a wide range of services to the local community. It was very important when selecting new ward beds, that the
equipment selection met the needs of the patient cohort and supporting their comfort and physical wellbeing.

The INNOV8 range of electric profiling beds provide many benefits for patient care at East Sussex Healthcare Trust;

INNOV8 iQ with cantilever side rails provides additional security for those at risk of falls, and lower to below the level of the mattress to help patients get in and out of bed more easily.

Simultaneous operation of the cardiac chair and tilt functions combined with auto regression improves patient positioning, mobilisation and rehabilitation.

With intelligent profiling and auto contour function, the INNOV8 range of beds enable patients at the press of a button to easily sit up and reposition themselves, promoting comfort and autonomy.

INNOV8 Low bed features an exceptionally low minimum platform height of just 22.5cm to reduce the risk of injury from falls for at risk patients.

Easy to use handset controls to provide patients with independence to re-position by adjusting the profile or height of the bed (if deemed appropriate following a clinical risk assessment).

The INNOV8 range of beds comprise of four sections, for ultimate profiling and adjustability. Four section profiling beds have a number of additional benefits for patients which can also reduce other potential complications of immobility; and have a beneficial effect on major body systems;

• Improved lung function
• Earlier upright positioning and mobilisation helps reduce the risk of pressure ulcer development
• Reduced cardiac workload and improved cardiac output
• Improved urinary drainage and reduced infection risk
• Improved gut mobility and nutrient absorption
• Reduced muscle wastage, while maintaining joint flexibility

Key benefits

Clinical staff benefits
Workers in the health care industry, especially nursing staff, are known to be particularly susceptible to musculoskeletal injuries due to their patient handling tasks. Provision of high quality electric profiling beds (EPBs) has been widely reported to assist clinical staff with manual handling tasks and reduce the number and frequency of these tasks. A study carried out at the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, found a 62% reduction in the number of manual handling operations carried out per patient through the provision of EPBs.

The INNOV8 range of beds provide benefits to the clinical staff to assist their care duties;

• The intelligent profiling of the INNOV8 range of beds enables the backrest and knee brake to operate in harmony, assisting staff with repositioning of patients, and reducing manual handling tasks.
• Staff only need to be familiar with one manufacturers equipment, reducing risks associated with medical devices in use due to standardised training and competency programs. It is widely acknowledged that standardisation of equipment and the implementation of a standard competency-based training program helps to minimise errors and increase patient safety.
• Staff spend less time repositioning patients, allowing them to move quickly on to other tasks.
  The bed height can be easily adjusted to ensure a safe nursing height for staff to ensure that a carers posture is closer to neutral whilst carrying out care and nursing procedures.

Reducing the carbon footprint

In 2021, East Sussex Healthcare Trust set out its vision to become a more sustainable healthcare provider in its Green Plan. Both the NHS and East Sussex Healthcare Trust have set ambitious targets to achieve net zero carbon by 2040. As the sole supplier of hospital beds to East Sussex, Drive Medical plays a significant role in supporting the decarbonisation of the supply chain, largely due to the UK manufacturing of the INNOV8 range of beds.

With over 130 years of UK manufacturing heritage, Drive Medical continues to invest in and support domestic manufacturing. By implementing policies that prioritise local sourcing wherever possible, manufacturing within the UK, and local delivery using UK road transport, the reliance on costly and carbon-intensive sea or air freight is significantly reduced. This results in a robust, local supply chain with fewer opportunities for disruption.

When comparing the CO₂ emissions associated with importing goods from China to the UK versus manufacturing products at the Drive Medical site in Halifax, the environmental benefits become clear. The following provides an illustration of the impact on the environment, considering CO₂ emissions alone.

Wider benefits – UK manufacturing of medical beds at Drive Medical

Reasons to buy British

Quality of merchandise

When you buy a product made in Britain, you are investing in craftsmanship, experience, and long-term durability. UK-manufactured products are typically built by skilled teams with many years of expertise in producing high-quality goods designed to last.

At the Drive Medical manufacturing facility in Halifax, today’s products are built upon more than 130 years of manufacturing heritage. Drive Medical continues to invest in its UK manufacturing operations, ensuring consistently high standards of quality. This commitment is underpinned by accreditation to ISO 9001 and ISO 13485, demonstrating robust quality management systems and compliance with medical device standards.

Supporting the British economy

Buying British delivers clear benefits to the UK economy. When organisations choose UK-manufactured products, they are not only investing in quality but also helping to secure jobs and sustain British manufacturing. Money spent on British goods circulates through the local economy, supporting supply chains, encouraging collaboration between UK businesses, and enabling continued investment across the sector.

Carbon footprint

UK environmental legislation is closely aligned with protecting the environment, and many British manufacturers go beyond minimum legal requirements to further reduce environmental impact. At Drive Medical’s UK manufacturing sites, the carbon footprint of products is significantly reduced by sourcing components locally and delivering finished goods within the UK. This approach minimises transport miles and reduces emissions associated with long-distance freight.

Accreditation to ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems ensures that Drive Medical actively manages waste, minimises environmental impact, and continually monitors and improves its environmental performance.

Costs and long-term value

Products manufactured in the UK are often competitively priced when compared with those sourced from the Far East, particularly when transport and logistics costs are taken into account. When considering the total cost of ownership — including spare parts availability, lifetime servicing and support, compliance with regulatory requirements such as REACH and RoHS, disposal costs, and overall product lifespan — UK-manufactured products frequently offer superior value for money.

At Drive Medical, there is a strong commitment to delivering high-quality, UK-manufactured products at competitive prices, supported by long service life and comprehensive lifetime support.

Wider benefits

Manufacturing capabilities at the Drive Medical production facility in Halifax

At the Drive Medical manufacturing site in Halifax, the dedicated production facility brings together over 130 years of experience in the design and manufacture of medical beds, accessories, and hospital furniture. Operating from a modern, world-class facility, Drive Medical produces many of the UK’s leading, high-quality medical furniture products.

All products are manufactured in the UK, directly supporting UK industry, skills, and employment.

High-technology tube laser cutting systems ensure speed, accuracy, and efficiency throughout the manufacturing process. Drive Medical has invested in the latest production technologies to ensure its facilities are capable of consistently manufacturing medical products to the highest quality standards.

Robotic welding machines support high-volume production while driving improvements in efficiency, precision, and repeatable quality in finished products.

Computer-controlled bending machines accurately form tubing to precise dimensions, supporting both the manufacture and assembly of the Drive Medical range of market-leading medical beds.

The on-site powder coating plant delivers a consistently high-quality finish and enables Drive Medical to respond quickly to customer requirements and changing market demands.

Dedicated and flexible assembly areas, supported by highly skilled multidisciplinary teams, allow the Drive Medical production team to adapt rapidly to changing product demands and production schedules, ensuring timely delivery of the products our customers rely on.