The History Behind Oxford Hoist Over 60 years of dedication

The History Behind Oxford Hoist
In the early 1960s, two companies on opposite sides of the Atlantic were beginning
to make a name for themselves in the healthcare business.
In Wisconsin, in the United States, Joerns - the furniture manufacturing business
started by the brothers Charles, Paul and Frederick Joerns in 1889 - was
expanding rapidly into the long-term care market. For more details on Joerns
Healthcare in the United States visit www.joerns.com.
In Oxfordshire, England, engineer John Payne was successfully commercialising
the first mobile patient hoist. Working with Dr Ritchie Russell from the Headington
Hill Hospital, he had improved an existing bed hoist system which used
counterbalanced weights to assist nurses in the lifting and transferring of World
War Two veterans.
Use of wall lift (1954)
After installing the first wall-mounted patient lift at Headington Hall in 1954, the first
‘Oxford’ mobile patient hoist was commercialised and launched onto the general
market in 1955. It was sold directly through F.J. Payne. The brand name ‘Oxford’
was chosen because of the rich tradition of medical research and development
concentrated in the Oxford region.
Transporting a patient to
a chair
After the launch of Oxford’s first patient lift in 1955, many more new products
followed. In subsequent years, they helped to position Oxford as a leading brand in
patient handling products. Following a short collaboration, F. J. Payne sold Oxford
to Parker Bath in 1989.
In 1996, Sunrise Medical acquired the Oxford brand from Parker Bath and began
manufacturing Oxford patient hoists in the West Midlands. Sunrise Medical
continued to build on the Oxford brand and launched several leading lifts, including
the famous Mini, Midi, Major and Maxi patient hoists.
Then, in 2007, a global re-organisation within Sunrise Medical led to the launch of
a new separate company - Joerns Healthcare.
Lifting a patient into a
motor vehicle
Today, with operations in the United States, the UK, Canada and the Netherlands,
the Joerns business focuses primarily on the long-term care sector and
incorporates a number well-known and leading names including Oxford®, Hoyer®,
UltraCare®, Dolphin™, P.R.O. Matt and BioClinic.
Lifting a patient into a
wheelchair
Early Prototype Hoist
Oxford Hoist Today
Over 60 years of dedication, commitment and progress...
1917 - F J Payne Engineering Ltd is formed. Based in Oxford city centre, the business specialises in
the manufacture of hydraulics and light weight engineering for the automotive industry.
1954
- John Payne from F J Payne Engineering develops the first wall-mounted patient lift for
Headington Hill Military Hospital in Oxford.
1955 - Following the success at Headington Hill Military Hospital, the first ‘Oxford’ mobile hoist is
developed and launched onto the general market. The design incorporates six castor wheels
to navigate over uneven floors.
1975 -
F J Payne splits the company into two core businesses. One focussing primarily on the
manufacturing of patient hoists.
1975 - F J Payne develops a new compact style lift, the ISIS.
1980 - Oxford develops the Dipper pool hoist as well as the Mermaid bath hoist.
1988 - F J Payne’s patient handling business grows from strength to strength with a turnover running
into the £millions.
1989 - F J Payne sells the Oxford part of its business to Parker Bath following a short collaboration.
1989 - The revolutionary Oxford Standaid 120 is launched proving a great success.
1996 - Sunrise Medical Ltd, a leading global medical equipment manufacturer, acquires the Oxford
brand from Parker Bath and begins manufacturing Oxford patient hoists in the West Midlands.
1996 - Sunrise Medical continues to build on the established Oxford brand and further emphasis on
product development follows with the launch of the Mini, Midi, Major and Maxi patient hoists.
2005 - Oxford launch their Professional range of patient lifts to target the acute sector. The Advance
portable lift, Arise standaid and Presence mobile.
2006 - The Ascend compact standaid and Stature vertical lift are launched as part of Oxford’s
Professional range.
2007 - Joerns Healthcare acquires the Oxford brand as part of a re-organisation within the Sunrise
Medical group. With operations in the US, the UK, Canada and the Netherlands, the business
focuses primarily on the long-term care sector incorporating a number of market leading
brands.
2009 - The revolutionary Oxford Journey folding standaid is launched with great success.
2011 - Joerns Healthcare (UK) relocates to brand new purpose-built premises in Pershore,
Worcestershire. Joern’s new European headquarters is the global centre for lifting and
repositioning development and houses all commercial operations as well as R & D, testing and
assembly functions alongside a state of the art training facility.
2011 - The Oxford Calibre bariatric lift is launched. With a massive safe working load of 360 kgs, the
Calibre encapsulates the latest in patient lift design technologies.
2014 - Joerns Healthcare and RecoverCare jointly announce a definitive agreement to combine the two
companies in a merger-of-equals transaction. The merger creates one of the leading healthcare
equipment providers across the continuum of care, offering providers a full suite of products and
services through one of the most comprehensive distribution networks in the USA.
Today - Joerns Healthcare continue to improve patient and care-giver experiences, placing the
well-being of others at the centre of everything they do.
Joerns Healthcare Ltd Drakes Broughton Bus Pk Worcester Road Drakes Broughton Pershore Worcestershire WR10 2AG United Kingdom
(T) +44 (0) 844 811 1156
(F) +44 (0) 844 811 1157 (E) [email protected] Joerns.co.uk