Hospital Beds

Did You Know: The number of NHS hospital beds has halved in the last 30 years, with sustainability and transformation plans being drawn up to develop health care systems even further. This is in an attempt to modernise services and provide better quality throughout a range of hospitals in the UK. Due to the reduction in Acute hospital beds there will always be a growing demand for quality and reliable hospital equipment for people nursed at home or in a professional care home setting.

At Shelden, we hope to be a part of the journey for hospitals that are looking to enhance their overall service for the comfort of patients or the the private individual at home looking for a cost effective but homely care bed.

We’re here to help you with any questions you may have regarding hospital beds, hospital mattresses and other equipment we provide for care homes and hospitals. Below are our most common and frequent questions we get asked, so have a little browse or alternatively, contact us for more information using the live chat in the bottom right hand corner, or call 0178 883 3294

Hospital bed buying guide & FAQs

Are hospital beds comfortable?

Hospital beds are comfortable depending on the type of mattress you choose. Comfort is a very personal thing. We recommend you spend what you can afford on a foam mattress but remember that the more you spend the better the quality of the foam mattress. We recommend a minimum of 5 and a half inches in depth to prevent the mattress bottoming out and always go for a high-density foam as this is a sign of quality and robustness.

Foam is generally rated by two criteria. The first being density. Density is a measure of mass per unit volume. This is expressed as kilograms per cubic metre (kg/m3). Density is the property that dictates the durability of the foam, in general terms the higher the density the better the foam will perform.

Secondly hardness or firmness is a measure of the force required to compress a test piece to a specified percentage of its original thickness, expressed in Newtons. The hardness factor is purely a matter of choice and can become very subjective. Personal comfort is very individual and subjective.

High density foam mattresses tend to offer high degrees of comfort and pressure reduction. Memory foam or Visco-elastic foam is now very popular. Visco-elastic foam has been around for about 40 years now. The material was originally invented by NASA to be used in space shuttle seats. It is now used in many memory foam mattresses, toppers, and pillows.

What are hospital bed made out of?

Generally, a combination of metal, plastics and timber. Most hospital beds have a steel frame this offers strength and support. Hospital beds tend to be finished with abs plastic components that are easily cleaned and decontaminated in a hospital environment whereby domestic hospital beds tend to be finished in a wood or vinyl wrapped surround that is aesthetically pleasing and fits into the home environment.

What are hospital beds called?

Hospital beds are generally found in hospitals and are electric beds used for the care of patients in hospital. Their correct name would be hospital bed, but they are often called Electric Adjustable beds, Electric beds, Profiling beds, Care beds, Nursing beds, Medical beds. They are often supplied for people at home in the community and are often referred to as Home bed, Care bed, Low bed or adjustable bed.

How much does it cost to rent a hospital bed for a month?

The monthly price to rent a hospital bed will vary dependant on a number of factures. The type of bed and its specification will affect the price. The location of the delivery in relation to the supplier might increase or decrease the price. Typically, Shelden Healthcare would supply a hospital bed including a mattress and delivery/collection charges for £500 for the month. You can view all of our hospital equipment rentals or get in touch with us.

What is the size of a hospital bed?

All hospital beds are a standard size in order they meet the standard for hospital beds. Typically, the internal dimensions of the mattress platform are 880mm- 900mm wide by 2000mm long. The external dimensions are typically around 1020mm wide by 2240mm long. In 2010 an updated hospital bed standard was published called the IEC/EN 60601-2-52.

The IEC stands for International Electrotechnical Committee. The IEC is the world’s leading organisation for the preparation and publication of International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies. By purchasing a bed that conforms to the new IEC/ EN 60601-2-52 bed standard, you can ensure you are buying a safe and reliable bed.

What is the best hospital bed for home use?

When buying a hospital bed for home one must consider several factors. The buyer still needs the functionality that a hospital bed provides in order to maintain independence and increase mobility whilst reducing the complications of bedrest. A minimum requirement would be that the bed has an electric rising backrest in order that the user can sit up at the touch of a button to help with breathing or simply sitting upright to watch TV or eat a meal without the need for many pillows.

A rising knee break function makes the sitting position much more comfortable and also reduces sliding down the bed. The final most important feature is variable height adjustment. Lowering the height of the beds makes it easier for the user to enter the bed whilst raising the beds height when the user is sat at the edge of the bed helps the user mobilise to a standing position.

Home care beds such as The Invacare Medley Ergo or Drive Casa Med Classic FS Hospital Bed have all the features found on a hospital bed with several other benefits. The beds have a homely look with wooden trims and finish and importantly can be split down into several parts to make it easier to set up in the home. They are also compact in design to fit into a room. They are fitted with side rails as standard and are competitively priced for the Homecare market.

How much do hospital beds cost to buy?

A hospital bed typically costs between £1200 - £1600 to the NHS. Hospital beds that are available for Home use tend to be much cheaper, typically for an Invacare Medley bed I have found prices as low as £598 plus vat. It all depends on the specification, finish and style of the Hospital bed. Specialist beds such as the Apollo Saturn Rotating Chair Bed that helps a user go from bed to standing is much more expensive at £3899+vat. We recommend you find a reputable supplier who can understand your requirements and provide a cost-effective product for you.

One aspect you should be particularly mindful of is the electricity used by hospital beds, in the current economic climate. Here's a guide we've written on How Much Electricity Does a Hospital Bed Use at Home?