A bedside unit (1) for providing assistance and/or services to a patient in a bed (2). The unit includes a first vertical tubular shaft (11) fixed to the floor and a second tubular shaft (16) arranged around the first shaft (11) and moveable relative to the first shaft under the action of a height adjustment mechanism (21). The apparatus for providing assistance and/or services includes drawers (25,26), and overbed table (28) and an egress bar (28) which are arranged to be controllably pivotable about the second shaft (16). The unit (1) also includes a patient transfer arm (9) at the top of the first shaft (11) and rotatable thereabout.
