On Monday 28th July we warmly welcomed Kate Dearden MP, Member of Parliament for Halifax, to our Holmfield manufacturing site.

During her visit, Ms Dearden was given a guided tour of our manufacturing centre, where she saw the production of our range of beds and equipment that we supply to the Hospital and Community Sectors. She also met with management and held discussions on the mounting pressures facing the Community Equipment Services (CES) sector. CES plays a vital role in enabling people to live safely and independently at home, supporting everything from hospital discharges to ongoing rehabilitation and palliative care.

The sector is increasingly under strain from a combination of financial pressures, outdated commissioning models, and growing regulatory complexity. These challenges are undermining the reliability and responsiveness of the system, placing stress on the entire supply chain, from manufacturers and service providers to frontline clinical staff. The impact is already being felt in the form of delayed hospital discharges, slower response times for urgent community care needs, and reduced access to essential equipment for patients who depend on it for daily living. CES providers are warning that without urgent attention, these pressures risk deepening, putting vulnerable patients at risk and disrupting the smooth functioning of health and care services across the UK.

Kate Dearden MP, MP for Halifax, said:

“It was a pleasure to visit Drive DeVilbiss today and see first-hand how this vital equipment is being manufactured right here in Halifax. It’s essential that businesses like Drive are able to function reliably to meet the needs of patients both here and across the country. What I’ve learned about the wider sector today is concerning, and I look forward to working with Drive and others to ensure Community Equipment Services can continue to be delivered to patients reliably and without disruption.”

Richard McGleenan, Group Managing Director of Drive DeVilbiss, said:

“We’re very grateful to Kate for taking the time to visit us today and for showing such a strong interest in the challenges facing our sector. Our team is committed to delivering high-quality equipment that supports patient safety and wellbeing. Having our work and concerns recognised at a parliamentary level is invaluable.”

David Stockdale, CEO of the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA), said:

“It’s vital that our members delivering these essential services get this kind of exposure, especially as this hidden crisis in healthcare continues to worsen. We welcome Kate’s engagement and hope today’s visit will help shine a light on the urgent need to safeguard Community Equipment Services nationwide.”