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”.

Back to news

In 2016, around 13% of adults worldwide were affected by obesity, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), characterising an abnormal excess of body fat posing health risks. Epidemiological studies indicate a steady rise in obesity prevalence in recent decades, reaching epidemic levels (Großschädl & Stronegger, 2019; NCD-RisC, 2017), with projections indicating a continued increase (Thomas et al., 2014).

The prevalence of obesity among residents in nursing homes is also on the rise, potentially impacting required nursing care, facility provisions, and morbidity rates. A US study revealed a significant increase in obesity prevalence among newly admitted nursing home residents, rising from 16.9% to 25.8% over ten years (Cai, Rahman et al., 2013). Additionally, residents with moderate or severe obesity had a 15.0% higher likelihood of developing pressure ulcers compared to non-obese residents in the same facility, highlighting associated health risks.

Woburn Ultimate bed frame
Prism A320B bariatric mobile hoist

Unfortunately, increased body mass often leads to reduced mobility, complicating care tasks such as repositioning and increasing the risk of secondary health issues, all contributing to pressure ulcer development risk factors.

Ensuring accessible care for all is paramount, particularly in private and non-purpose-built nursing homes. Considering these statistics, it’s evident that plus-sized patients require specialised care with the appropriate equipment. However, this presents its own challenges for both care homes and community equipment providers.

Sourcing the required equipment can be challenging. This leads to many care providers lacking the necessary equipment to support bariatric individuals, especially in larger quantities. This impacts timely care delivery, care home admissions, and patient discharge from hospitals.

Residences may also face infrastructure limitations hindering care for plus sized individuals further complicating care provision. Acute care environments recommend spacious rooms for plus sized patients, posing a further challenge for many long-term care settings (Muir, 2009).

At Prism Healthcare Group, we are dedicated to easing the burden of sourcing and fitting bariatric equipment, allowing caregivers to concentrate on delivering high-quality care. Our Prism Plus line features an extensive range of bariatric products designed to streamline selection, backed by knowledgeable customer service and sales teams ready to address any challenges.

Our products are designed to enhance the quality of life for residents and caregivers, ensuring equitable access to care and support.

For more information on Prism Plus products, please visit the Prism Healthcare website.

Arden Bariatric Rise and Recliner Chair

References

Großschädl, F., Schoberer, D., Eglseer, D., Lohrmann, C., Everink, I., Gordon, A. L., Schols, J. M. G. A., & Bauer, S. (2023). Obesity and its associated factors in older nursing home residents in three European countries—Secondary data analyses from the “International Prevalence Measurement of Care Quality”. International Journal of Older People Nursing, 18, e12530. 

Cai, S., M. Rahman and O. Intrator (2013). “Obesity and pressure ulcers among nursing home residents.” Medical care 51(6): 478-486.

Muir, M. (2009) “Space Planning for the Bariatric Patient.” Bariatric Times.

Back to news

Filter by...

Newsletter Sign Up

Fill in the form to sign up for our newsletter.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recent Posts

Categories

Archives