Emergency & Resuscitation

We supply a range of stretcher and patient movement solutions for pre-hospital and clinical settings:

Ambulance cots and trolley cots are the primary patient transport platform used in ambulances. They are height-adjustable, fold for loading into the vehicle and support the patient securely during transport. Manual, power-assisted and full-power loading models are available.

Scoop stretchers (orthopaedic stretchers) split longitudinally to be placed under the patient without log-rolling, minimising spinal movement. They are used in trauma, spinal injury management and confined space rescue.

Flexible stretchers (carry sheets and Paraguard-type devices) allow patients to be moved through narrow spaces or carried by multiple rescuers where a rigid stretcher cannot be used.

Carry chairs are compact folding chairs used to move ambulant or semi-ambulant patients through narrow domestic corridors, up stairs or in other restricted spaces before transfer to a trolley cot.

Contact our team to discuss the most appropriate stretcher configuration for your operational requirements.

Transfer boards are flat, rigid or semi-rigid boards used to slide patients laterally from one surface to another — for example from a bed to a trolley, from an ambulance stretcher to a hospital trolley, or between imaging tables and ward beds.

They reduce the manual handling load on carers and clinical staff by providing a smooth, low-friction surface over which the patient can be slid with minimal lift. When used in combination with slide sheets or roller systems, transfer boards allow two carers to safely move patients who would otherwise require four or more people to lift.

Rigid transfer boards are typically made from composite or high-density polyethylene and bridge the gap between two surfaces at the same height.

Flexible slide sheets are used underneath the patient on a mattress or stretcher to reduce friction during repositioning and lateral transfers.

Transfer boards must be used in accordance with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and your organisation's manual handling policy. Staff should receive appropriate training before use.

An evacuation chair is a specially designed chair that allows a non-ambulant person to be safely transported down stairs by one or two operators during an emergency evacuation. The chair uses a tracked or rubberised runner system on the underside that allows it to descend stairs in a controlled manner under the operator's guidance.

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, building owners and employers have a legal duty to ensure that all occupants can safely evacuate in an emergency, including those who cannot use stairs unaided. In multi-storey buildings, this typically requires evacuation chairs to be positioned at stairwell refuge points on upper floors.

Evacuation chairs are required in hospitals, care homes, hotels, offices, schools, universities and any other multi-storey premises where non-ambulant occupants or patients may be present.

Regular training drills for designated evacuation chair operators are strongly recommended. Most manufacturers offer training packages alongside the equipment purchase.

The number of evacuation chairs required depends on the number of floors, the number of stairwells serving each floor, and the assessed number of non-ambulant occupants likely to be present at any one time.

As a minimum, one evacuation chair should be positioned at each stairwell refuge point on every upper floor where non-ambulant occupants may be present. In healthcare settings with multiple patients or residents with mobility impairments, a higher ratio may be required.

A formal personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) should be in place for every identified non-ambulant building occupant, specifying the evacuation route, equipment to be used and the named staff responsible for their evacuation.

Your fire risk assessor or a qualified building safety consultant can advise on the appropriate number and placement of evacuation chairs for your specific premises. Contact our team if you need guidance on selecting the right model for your staircase configuration.

Yes. Selfimed UK supplies both new and professionally refurbished anaesthesia workstations. Refurbished anaesthesia machines are widely used in NHS Trusts, private hospitals, veterinary practices and international healthcare facilities as a cost-effective alternative to purchasing new equipment.

Our refurbishment process for anaesthesia machines includes:

Full strip-down and inspection of all mechanical, pneumatic and electronic components.

Replacement of high-wear components including seals, valves, breathing system components, vaporiser service kits and any parts found to be outside specification.

Vaporiser calibration to manufacturer specification using calibrated test equipment.

Leak testing of the entire breathing circuit, gas delivery system and scavenging connections.

Electrical safety testing to IEC 62353.

Full functional testing across all ventilation modes and alarms.

Each refurbished anaesthesia machine is supplied with a detailed service report, calibration certificate and warranty. Contact our team for current stock availability and to discuss your clinical specification requirements.

Anaesthesia machines are life-critical devices and require rigorous maintenance in accordance with the manufacturer's service schedule, MHRA Device Bulletin DB2006(05) and the Association of Anaesthetists guidelines on checking anaesthetic equipment.

Pre-use checks: a full pre-use check of the anaesthesia machine must be performed before every operating list, following the AAGBI/Association of Anaesthetists checklist. This includes checks of gas supplies, vaporisers, breathing circuit, ventilator, scavenging and monitoring.

Annual planned preventive maintenance (PPM): a full service by a qualified biomedical or anaesthesia equipment engineer is required annually. This includes vaporiser calibration, leak testing, valve and seal replacement as indicated, and full functional verification.

Vaporiser calibration: vaporisers must be calibrated at the intervals specified by the manufacturer, typically every 12 to 24 months, to ensure accurate agent delivery.

All service records must be maintained as part of the medical device management framework. Contact our team to discuss planned preventive maintenance arrangements.

Yes. Selfimed UK accepts ambulance stretchers, anaesthesia machines, evacuation chairs and other emergency equipment as part-exchange against new or refurbished purchases, subject to the condition and model of the equipment being traded in.

We also purchase decommissioned equipment outright from NHS Trusts, ambulance services, hospitals and private operators who are upgrading or rationalising their fleet. Equipment does not need to be in full working order to be of value — non-functional units may still have value as a source of spare parts or for refurbishment.

To obtain a valuation, contact our team with the make, model, serial number, approximate age and current condition of the equipment. We will respond promptly with an offer or part-exchange valuation.

Yes. Selfimed UK supplies NHS Trusts, ambulance services, air ambulance charities, private hospitals, care homes, GP practices and community first responder organisations. We accept purchase orders and provide full VAT invoices, delivery documentation and product certification.

For capital equipment such as anaesthesia machines and ambulance stretchers, we can provide formal quotations, UKCA/CE declarations of conformity, service reports and IFUs to support your procurement and clinical governance requirements.

Contact our clinical procurement team to discuss your requirements, arrange a demonstration or obtain a quotation.

Individual patients with a qualifying chronic illness or disability purchasing eligible medical devices for personal use may claim VAT Relief under Group 12 of Schedule 8 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994. Tick the declaration at checkout to apply the 20% reduction.

Most emergency and ambulance equipment is institutional in nature and purchased by organisations rather than individuals. NHS Trusts and certain other public bodies may be eligible for VAT relief on clinical equipment. Registered charities — including air ambulance charities and community first responder organisations — may qualify for zero-rating on equipment purchases in certain circumstances.

Contact our team before placing an institutional order to confirm the correct VAT treatment and receive a quotation with the appropriate VAT status applied.