Choosing the Right Pressure Care Solution: Static Mattresses

Pressure ulcers, often known as bedsores, remain a significant concern for individuals with limited mobility or those who spend extended periods in bed. These painful wounds develop when prolonged pressure on the skin restricts blood flow, leading to tissue damage. Selecting the correct pressure care solution is crucial for both preventing new ulcers and managing existing ones. While active mattresses offer dynamic support, static mattresses play a vital role in a comprehensive pressure care strategy.

What is a Static Mattress?

A static mattress is a non-powered pressure redistribution mattress designed to conform to the user’s body shape. Unlike active mattresses that use alternating air cells, static mattresses rely on advanced foam technologies and construction to achieve pressure relief. They work by:

• Immersion: Allowing the body to sink into the mattress, increasing the contact area.
• Envelopment: Conforming closely to the body’s contours, distributing pressure more evenly.

This combination helps to reduce peak pressure points, improve blood flow, and minimise shear and friction forces, all of which are critical in preventing tissue damage.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Static Mattress:

Selecting the right static mattress involves a careful assessment of several factors to ensure optimal comfort and clinical effectiveness:

• Risk Level: The user’s risk level for developing pressure ulcers is paramount. This is typically assessed using a validated risk assessment tool, such as the Waterlow or Braden scale. Static mattresses are generally suitable for individuals at low to very high risk, depending on their specific design and materials.
• User Needs: Consider the individual’s weight, height, mobility, and any existing medical conditions. A mattress must be able to support the user’s weight effectively without bottoming out.

Mattress Features:

• Material Composition: Look for high-quality foams (e.g., viscoelastic, high-resilience) that offer excellent pressure redistribution properties.
• Zoning: Some mattresses feature different foam densities or cuts in specific areas to provide targeted pressure relief for vulnerable body parts.
• Cover Properties: A multi-stretch, vapour-permeable, and water-resistant cover is essential for skin integrity, hygiene, and durability.
• Stability: Ensure the mattress provides good stability for patient transfers and repositioning.
• Profiling Compatibility: The mattress must be compatible with profiling beds to ensure it articulates correctly without compromising its pressure-relieving properties.

Recommended Static Mattresses from Harvest:

Harvest offers a range of high-quality static mattresses, each designed to meet diverse pressure care needs and provide exceptional comfort:

Visco MultiZone Mattress: Our enhanced static mattress, the Visco MultiZone, features specialist foam “zones” strategically positioned across key areas of the mattress. This varying firmness allows for greater immersion and envelopment around the most vulnerable parts of the body, leading to superior pressure redistribution. It provides additional support where needed most, often reducing the need for dynamic mattresses. Proudly made in the UK and assembled by Harvest, it’s lighter than previous models and includes complete corners to minimise entrapment risks.

Discover the Visco MultiZone Mattress here

Prime Comfort Plus Static Mattress: The Prime Comfort Plus is an excellent static mattress known for providing great patient comfort and excellent pressure redistribution. Its clever side wall construction encases the foam, enhancing stability for the patient and assisting in transfers. A castellated foam top allows excess heat to escape, preventing overheating. Keyhole slots in the high-density base aid profiling, ensuring seamless integration with profiling beds.

Explore the Prime Comfort Plus Static Mattress here

Community Plus Static Mattress: The Community Plus Static Mattress is a highly versatile and cost-effective solution, suitable for patients at medium to high risk of developing pressure ulcers. Built with high-resilience CMHR foam, it offers excellent pressure distribution and comfort. Supplied with a four-way stretch, vapour-permeable, water-resistant PU cover, it’s designed for durability and easy cleaning. Its ability to be turned extends its service life, providing long-term value.

Learn more about the Community Plus Static Mattress here

Why Choose Harvest?

When you choose Harvest, you’re partnering with a provider committed to excellence in pressure care:

• Reliable and Durable Products: Our mattresses are built to last, providing consistent performance and peace of mind.
• Comprehensive Warranty: All our static mattresses come with a robust warranty for added reassurance.
• Cost-Effective Solutions: We offer a range of pressure care solutions designed to fit various budgets without compromising on quality.
• Servicing and Repair: Our dedicated service team provides prompt and reliable support, ensuring your mattresses remain in optimal condition.
• Mattress Management Programme: Our comprehensive programme offers a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to mattress replacement, with repair, cleaning, and decontamination services.
• Training and Support: We provide comprehensive training and support to ensure your staff can effectively use and maintain our pressure care solutions.

Choosing the right static mattress is a critical decision for a user’s well-being and overall care quality. Contact Harvest today to discuss your pressure care needs and find the best solution for your users.

Harvest Healthcare is delighted to announce an extended warranty on its popular Woburn and Cadence ranges of beds. This enhancement underscores the company’s commitment to providing reliable, high-quality solutions and offering customers even greater peace of mind.

The extended warranty now includes a 7-year guarantee on bed frames and a 5-year guarantee on woodwork and electrical components for both the established Woburn range and the premium Cadence line. This extension is effective from the original date of purchase, reinforcing Harvest Healthcare’s confidence in the durability and performance of their products.

The Woburn range has long been a trusted choice for clinical and operational teams nationwide, known for its reliability, ease of use, and robust design. Similarly, the Cadence bed range caters to more discerning environments, blending sophisticated aesthetics with exceptional functionality. This extended warranty reflects the consistent feedback from healthcare partners regarding the minimal service issues and high durability of both bed ranges.

What This Means for Customers:

• Enhanced Peace of Mind: Reduce potential downtime and minimise disruptions to essential patient care.
• Long-Term Value: Benefit from the proven durability of Harvest Healthcare beds, contributing to a lower total cost of ownership.
• Reinforced Trust: This extended warranty backs years of reliable, real-world performance and the company’s dedication to its partnerships within the healthcare sector.

“We are incredibly proud of the quality and reliability of our Woburn and Cadence bed ranges,” said James Hunt, Senior Marketing & Communications Executive. “This extended warranty is a direct reflection of the confidence we have in our products and our ongoing commitment to supporting our customers with dependable solutions.”

Customers seeking further information about the extended warranty or the Woburn and Cadence bed ranges are encouraged to visit the Harvest Healthcare website or contact the sales team directly.

Sarah Champion MP has lent her support to the local health and social care sector following a visit to Rotherham-based medical equipment supplier, Harvest Healthcare. The visit provided an opportunity to highlight the urgent pressures facing suppliers of critical medical equipment amid a national crisis in community care funding and delivery.

The visit took place at Harvest’s headquarters, where the Labour MP for Rotherham was given an in-depth tour of the supplier and manufacturer’s premises, including an overview of its range of medical beds, pressure care products and industry-leading decontamination facilities for active mattresses. During the visit, Harvest emphasised the increasing strain faced by suppliers and local authorities alike due to a lack of adequate government funding.

Sarah Champion MP, a longstanding advocate for health and social care services, was briefed on the growing crisis in Community Equipment Services (CES) — services that sit at the heart of safe hospital discharge and care at home, yet remain significantly under-resourced. The discussion covered the far-reaching impact of budget constraints on local authorities and the knock-on effects on the sustainability of vital equipment supply chains.

Harvest also highlighted how broader cost pressures, including rising Employer National Insurance Contributions and the increase to the National Living Wage, have exacerbated the situation for the sector. These financial strains have resulted in both suppliers and customers freezing recruitment, ultimately leading to a direct impact on timely patient care and increased pressures on the NHS.

Sarah Champion MP, MP for Rotherham, said:

“The work being done by Harvest and the wider community equipment sector is absolutely vital for the health and wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable residents. I was deeply concerned to hear just how close to breaking point many community services are due to funding pressures and rising costs. These issues urgently need national attention if we are to deliver safe, timely, and dignified care in people’s homes.”

Mike Burns, Managing Director of Harvest Healthcare, said:

“We are proud to support Long term Care facilities, the NHS and local community services through innovative, durable, and cost-effective equipment. But we’re at a critical juncture where insufficient investment and funding for local authority and community equipment services is putting quality patient care at risk. This impacts all of us and our families. It’s incredibly reassuring to see Sarah Champion take the time to hear directly from our sector, and we hope today’s visit will help motivate wider action to safeguard community care services.”

As a member of the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA), Harvest Healthcare are signed up to the association’s code of practice setting best practice and responsibility standards for medical equipment and service providers. The BHTA are currently supporting their members involved in community care services – such as Harvest – by raising attention to the so-called ‘CES crisis’ resulting in shortages in vital medical equipment in community care settings and exacerbating hospital discharge delays. The BHTA are calling for urgent support for this vital cornerstone of the wider social care system, that supports over 4 million patients annually at no additional cost to the NHS.

David Stockdale, Chief Executive Officer of the British Healthcare Trades Association, said:

“Our members operating in this sector are under more strain than ever before, and this is having a direct impact on the quality of care people receive. Visits like this are crucial. They allow MPs to hear directly from those keeping the system going despite huge pressures. The concerns raised today highlight currently extreme pressures on the wider industry, caused by a concoction of regulatory and financial changes and inefficiencies impacting critical medical supply chains and, ultimately, patients who rely on these vital pieces of equipment to live healthily and independently.”

ENDS.

We are pleased to share important news about a leadership change at Harvest Healthcare.

After several successful years at the helm, Paul Mullan, Managing Director of Harvest Healthcare and Prism Healthcare’s Long-Term Care Division, has announced his retirement. Paul will be stepping down and leaving both Harvest and Prism at the end of November 2024.

During his time with the company, Paul has led with unwavering professionalism and energy, steering Harvest through a period of significant growth. His dedication to the company, our customers, and—most importantly—the individuals who benefit from our products and services has left a lasting legacy. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Paul for his outstanding contribution and wish him all the very best in his retirement.

We are also excited to announce that Mike Burns, who has worked in the healthcare industry for nearly 20 years and served as our Commercial Director over the past year, will be stepping into the role of Managing Director, effective 1st December 2024.

This marks the beginning of a new chapter for Harvest. Mike Burns brings extensive experience, a deep understanding of the sector, and a continued passion for supporting our customers and driving innovation. We look forward to the next stage of our journey under his leadership.

CEO Jason Leek and the entire team join in expressing our gratitude to Paul and our excitement for the future.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a meeting to discuss what this change means for you, please get in touch with your usual Harvest contact.

We are delighted to announce that on 30th October 2024 Joerns Healthcare’s UK business, including the ‘Oxford’ range of products, became part of the Prism Healthcare Group. With a heritage dating back to the 1950s, Oxford is one of the leading brands in the patient handling and rehabilitation product markets.

The Oxford brand specialises in clinical hoisting equipment, slings and bathing equipment. The Oxford product ranges represent a strategic addition to the Prism Healthcare Group, which is dedicated to transforming lives in the home, long-term care, acute care and paediatric settings. Prism will take on board the full Oxford product set, including the ‘Professional’ and ‘Classic’ ranges as well as complementary bathing products, slings and other products supplied by Joerns UK. Within its core UK market, Joerns UK is a supplier to the community equipment market via loan store operators and independent local authorities, as well as to NHS Trusts, care homes and dealers.

The acquisition of Joerns UK is expected to strengthen Prism’s position as one of the UK’s leading providers of safe patient handling, pressure area care and specialist seating equipment for individuals with limited mobility.
Chris Morgan, Managing Director of Joerns UK, will take on an expanded role within the enlarged Prism group. He will lead Prism’s UK Homecare and Acute Care businesses, including leading the Joerns UK team within the enlarged UK group.

Chris Morgan comments:
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to join the Prism Healthcare Group in this exciting new era and to continue the positive development of our company. I love working with the fantastic people in this industry and am delighted that the Prism group will support us to continue our successful growth. This will be for the shared benefit of our customers, our team and our supply chain partners.”

Jason Leek, CEO Prism Healthcare Group, adds:
“The Oxford range of products is an exciting addition to the Prism Healthcare Group. This acquisition strengthens our product offering, supports our expansion into the acute market and, most importantly, allows us to provide our customers a broader offer. I am very excited that we can expand the value-add offering for our customers as well as enhancing our relationships with our suppliers. I am delighted to welcome Chris Morgan and the Joerns team to the group and look forward to working together”.

 

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