Hospital Direct

24/09/2025

📢 Growing to Meet Demand - Welcoming the J-Squad 🙌

For over 28 years, Hospital Direct has stood by three core principles:

✅ Supporting the NHS
✅ Helping care professionals tackle complex manual handling challenges
✅ Delivering dignified, easy-to-use solutions for people with mobility needs at home
As demand for our expertise continues to grow, we’re thrilled to welcome three new appointments to the Hospital Direct team:

👤 Jay Haughton – With a Diploma in Sports Medicine and a career spanning from Support Therapist to Sales Specialist, Jay brings a passion for innovative patient-handling solutions. He’ll be supporting clients across the Southern counties and South London.
👤 Jaime Stubberfield – Drawing on years of experience in nursing homes, both in care and management, Jamie has deep insight into patient handling and tissue viability. She will support clients across the South and East of England.
👤 Justin McBride – With decades of healthcare experience, including senior sales roles and as a Manual Handling Training Manager, Justin is representing us in the North as Regional Sales Manager.

In the past couple of weeks, our new team members attended training sessions at HD Headquarters in Clun led by Helen and Bruce Gutteridge, gaining extensive insight into our key products and visited different events like Rise4Disability in Essex and Kent.

We’re confident these appointments will help us expand the distribution of our patient positioning solutions—both old and new—while driving the positive changes Hospital Direct was founded to deliver. 🤝

This expansion aligns with our broader goals: sharing not only our equipment but the combined knowledge of over three decades in healthcare.

Looking ahead, Hospital Direct is putting more emphasis on training through our evolving HD Knowledge Zone, building on our CPD-accredited manual handling programs for staff ranging from surgical theatre teams to home carers.

Together, Jay, Jamie, and Justin—the J-Squad—strengthen our ability to support healthcare professionals and families nationwide.

We’re delighted to welcome them to the Hospital Direct family. 💙

23/09/2025

Rise4Disability Essex — we’re here and ready!💃🕺

We’re all set for a great day and look forward to meeting everyone — whether you’re a professional or a service user.
Come say hello, discover expert insights, explore the latest innovative equipment in action and learn about our training opportunities.💙

17/09/2025

✨ Hospital Direct x Rise4Disability ✨

We’re proud to stand together and drive a positive change in healthcare.

✅ Representing innovation
✅ Sharing expertise
✅ Supporting carers and cared-for
✅ Empowering all involved

📍 Join us in Essex next Tuesday at Rise4Disability.
💡 Read more in our feature on the website and see what we’re bringing to the future of care.

Supporting individuals who spend long periods in bed can be demanding for caregivers, as tasks like bathing, dressing, and repositioning often require heavy lifting. While the repetitive work is time-consuming and physic...

12/09/2025

In healthcare, some of the most powerful progress happens when manufacturers, suppliers, and care professionals come together.💙
We share experiences, insights and solutions to real-life challenges.

For the past 28 years, we’ve been proud to listen and learn from carers, shaping our products to truly make a difference for the people who rely on them.

This week was a brilliant reminder of the value of collaboration. From Rise4Disability in Essex to a Medequip Community Equipment Service workshop near Sheffield, we had the chance to exchange ideas, connect with passionate professionals and gain fresh perspectives.

A big thank you to everyone we met! 🙌
Our growing sales team had a busy and inspiring few days and now we’re gearing up for an exciting Autumn season of shows.

But first… a well-deserved weekend recharge.
Happy Friday!!!✨

10/09/2025

With the first breeze of September, our favourite season of shows is officially underway! 🙌

This week, part of the HD team is near Sheffield at the regional Medequip Community Equipment Service event, while the other half is down in Kent at the fantastic Rise4Disability show.

Helen and Justin had a brilliant time at New York Stadium in Rotherham, reconnecting with OTs and community care staff. After a full day of demonstrations, they were delighted with the positive response.

Care professionals found our SIBA Sheets, HD Deluxe Wedges, Bed Loops, and Anti-Slip Foot Pads especially valuable. 💙

09/09/2025

Kent, here we come!🚘

Our exhibition team is already en route to the south for the amazing Rise4Disability show.
We’re showcasing a diverse range of assistive equipment and breakthrough innovations, all crafted to make everyday living easier and meet genuine needs. 💙

One of these magical equipment is the Morphematic. A truly ingenious tool that allows a single caregiver to reposition a patient with the power of air in under a minute.
Yes, you read it right! Under 1 minute. Visit us at our stand and try it yourself! 🙌

✨ Less strain, more comfort ✨

Supporting the comfort and dignity of people who spend long periods in bed is vital, though it can be physically demanding for caregivers.

The Morphematic allows a single caregiver to reposition a patient with the power of air in under a minute!

Yes, you read it right! Under a minute.

🌟 Key benefits of the innovative systems are:
✅ Quick, single-carer repositioning
✅ Perfect fit on any standard bed and mattress (foam or 3D)
✅ Customisable comfort with memory function
✅ Biocompatible cover that is safe for skin
✅ 100% hygienic and machine washable at 60°C

See the Morphematic in action at RISE4Disability, Kent, only at the stand of Hospital Direct!



Image description: Bruce Gutteridge, Director of Sales and Marketing for Hospital Direct, smiles to the camera with his arms outstretched welcoming us to his exhibition stand.

04/09/2025

After an amazing time in Bedfordshire last month, we’re excited to be heading to Kent for the next Rise4Disability event! Come and meet us there! 🙌

Rise4Disability is all about solving complex manual handling challenges and driving professional development. It’s a brilliant platform that brings together suppliers, healthcare professionals, and end-users, united by a shared commitment to inclusivity. 💙

🚨 Better care, made simple 🚨

We’re excited to showcase Hospital Direct’s ultimate comfort solutions at RISE4Disability in Kent.

From innovative SIBA® Satin In-Bed Assistance Sheets to supportive HD Deluxe™ Bed Positioning Wedges, we design with dignity, independence, and real-world care in mind.

✅ Easier repositioning
✅ Safer posture support
✅ Greater comfort for patients
✅ Reduced strain for carers

Visit us at Rise4Disability and see how we’re redefining patient handling with innovation, compassion, and practicality. 💙

Register your FREE ticket: https://rise4disability.com/kent-2025-1



Image description: SIBA sheets and positioning wedges on show during a previous Rise4Disability workshop. The two presenters are gathered around a bed, and addressing an audience off camera.

29/08/2025

⚽ Proudly Supporting Local Football! 🇬🇧

As a British manufacturer, we’re passionate about backing our community. And nothing brings people together quite like football!

We’ve long supported local matches and good causes, with even some of our own team coaching young players in the area.
Now, we’re taking that commitment a step further…

We’re thrilled to announce our official sponsorship of Guilsfield FC - CPD Cegidfa, based just up the road from our HQ near Welshpool. The club competes in the Cymru North league, and we’re happy to stand behind them.

And what a start—it only took one game under our sponsorship for Sam Flory to score a stunning goal against Buckley Town FC! 🔥

Here’s to many more moments like this—come on, Guilsfield! 🙌

27/08/2025

🚑 The Right Move: Mastering Safe Lateral Transfers

Lateral transfers require careful consideration and often specialised knowledge.

Safely moving a lying person from one surface to another, often between a bed and a trolley, using specialised equipment like transfer boards and sheets to minimise lifting and reduce the risk of injury to both the patient and caregiver.

✅ Always risk assess (TILEO: Task, Individual, Load, Environment, Other factors)
✅ Use the right equipment & number of carers
✅ Prioritise safety, comfort & dignity
✅ Document every transfer

Unfortunately, many transfer boards (“Patslides”) used in healthcare are old, worn, and increasingly unreliable.

That’s why our HD Eezi-Transfer™ Board is the smarter choice!

✨ 500kg safe working load (world-leading)
✨ Lightweight (6kg) but ultra-strong
✨ Easy-clean, acid-resistant, anti-slip design
✨ Made in the UK

👉 Perform safer, smoother transfers with HD.

13/08/2025

Calling for insight! 📢
Occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and manual handling advisors — we’d love your input.

👨‍🦽‍➡️Our Glide and Lock one-way slide sheet helps reposition patients from a slouched to upright seated posture, reducing spinal injury risk.

🩻 While it’s effective for posture-related injury prevention, some specialists have raised concerns about potential skin shear in frail or high-risk patients (e.g. end-of-life care or spinal deformities).

🩹 Shear injuries occur when deep tissue layers move in opposite directions, causing skin damage.

💙 We believe padded variants and models that integrate with pressure cushions help reduce shear risks while maintaining comfort. Educating staff on these options and tailoring patient care plans are key to safe use and proportionate care.

🩼 Alternatives like manual repositioning or temporary glide sheets can increase staff injury risk and reduce efficiency. Research consistently shows patient handling aids lower musculoskeletal disorders in healthcare staff — and cut costs.

What’s your experience with Glide and Lock or similar systems? 💬

07/08/2025

As we head into the final month of summer, with its mix of sunshine and chill, things are busier than ever here!

Even so, we’re excited to share some great news with you: our team is growing! Please join us in welcoming our new Regional Sales Manager, Justin McBride. 🕺

Justin brings extensive experience from the medical field, having worked as both a sales and training manager. He’ll be representing us across the North of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

It’s been a pleasure having Justin with us for training this week—not only because he’s fully aligned with our commitment to best practices in patient handling, but also because hearing his awesome Scottish accent has been a great novelty here in the heart of Shropshire. 😊💙

06/08/2025

As a long-standing supplier to NRS Healthcare, we were saddened to learn of the collapse of the provider.

While this change will affect many, please rest assured that Hospital Direct remains fully able and committed to supporting all our acute, community, and home care clients—both direct and wholesale—through this transition. We are focused on ensuring continuity and making the best possible arrangements during this challenging time for all.

If you require any assistance or guidance regarding the situation, please feel free to contact our support team.

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