Category Archives: Healthcare News

Construction, Construction News, Health, Healthcare, Healthcare News, News, South East

Morgan Sindall Construction completes hat-trick of hospital refurbishment in Norfolk

Morgan Sindall Construction has completed a new refurbishment scheme at the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust following the successful delivery of two previous upgrade projects, signalling its total commitment to working with them long term.  

The Great Yarmouth-based hospital now benefits from refurbishment work to Ophthalmic Theatre 8, the latest in a series of three upgrades at the site totalling £3.8m.  

The Morgan Sindall Construction Eastern Counties business had previously formed a strong partnership with the NHS Foundation Trust throughout two previous projects during the pandemic. The 872 sq. ft. refurbished operating theatre includes a separate prep and scrub room. 

Relying on its strong partnership with the hospital, Morgan Sindall Construction have ensured that the construction activity has not impacted the vital work of the live hospital site.   

Taking into account key considerations, such as the worksite being located in the middle of an active hospital where there are no out-of-office hours and that intricate surgery can take place just metres away, has been an important aspect of the project’s design and build.  

As part of the refurbishment, the pre-existing theatre was demolished, converted and refitted. In order to not disrupt the flow of the hospital, Morgan Sindall Construction built and utilised an external entry point. 

Alister Broadberry, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Eastern Counties, said: “This is now the third project we have completed on behalf of James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and it has been a privilege to build upon our previous partnership formed with the hospital.  

“Through this long-standing project we have formed a close relationship with the team and key stakeholders at the hospital. This, in addition to our experience constructing in delicate surroundings, has been beneficial for the whole project team when delivering the intricate refitting work required for the project. 

“It is not only the refurbished hospital theatre that the community will now benefit from, as Morgan Sindall Construction’s commitment to using local contractors and employing local people has generated additional value for the Great Yarmouth area.” 

Richard Varvel, Estates Capital Programme Manager at the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Located above and adjacent to the ‘live’ clinical areas, refurbishment work to create a new Ophthalmic Theatre has been particularly challenging.  

“Working closely with hospital staff, Morgan Sindall Construction managed the work with minimal disruption to patients, keeping to a tight project programme and within budget. Feedback from staff using the new Theatre has been great, allowing the hospital to increase surgical capacity for cataract operations and other eye surgery going forward.” 

Healthcare, Healthcare News

Distec Partners with US Computing Giant Tangent

New partnership adds a host of new products to Distec’s portfolio of medical-grade solutions

Healthcare technology solutions provider, Distec, has partnered with leading US-based medical and industrial computing specialist, Tangent, to expand and complement its existing portfolio of medical-grade solutions.

Based in San Francisco, California, Tangent is a leading manufacturer of medical and industrial computers and tablets. Through its agreement with Distec, Tangent is aiming to further grow its presence within the European marketplace.

Tangent specifically engineers computers for industries that are not served by traditional PC manufacturers, and their products include medical grade and industrial grade all-in-one computers and tablets, as well as rugged minicomputers. Their competitive pricing structure makes them an affordable option for both private and NHS healthcare providers.

Dean Challinor, General Manager of Distec, said: “Technology within the healthcare industry is constantly changing. By agreeing to this new partnership with Tangent, we have the opportunity to offer medical professionals cutting-edge technology solutions that can help transform how they treat and care for patients. It is an exciting step for our business and I look forward to working closely with the team at Tangent.”

Missy Ostendorf, Vice-President of Healthcare Sales for Tangent, said: “Tangent, as the medical grade computer visionary and world leader in industrial computing solutions, is always excited to expand our portfolio of valued partners. By collaborating with Distec we have an opportunity to not only grow our brand and presence within Europe, but also transform how the healthcare and industrial sectors leverage technology within their workflows. This is a significant move for us, and I believe this partnership will help both of our organisations deliver more for the UK.”

For further information visit www.distec.co.uk

—

About Distec:

Distec Ltd is a specialist hybrid technology solutions provider, offering a range of industrial hardware and software solutions to sectors including healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and transportation. Distec works with industry-leading global vendors to provide customers with cutting-edge hardware and software solutions.

Part of KAMIC Group

Distec is part of the Electronics business area in KAMIC Group, a privately held corporate group based in Sweden and with a common aim to be a leading supplier of technical products and services in a number of well-defined market niches.

Healthcare News, Wellbeing at Work

Westfield Health Appoints Kate Platts as Head of Research and Innovation

Kate Platts will head up research and innovation at Westfield Health to keep businesses ahead amid fast-paced, changing employee wellbeing demands.

Kate comes with a wealth of expertise in the wellbeing space. She is a Researcher at the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, studying workplace health and wellbeing interventions.

She has previously worked with Westfield Health as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), where she explored and evaluated the impact of workplace interventions on employee wellbeing with multiple organisations, from SMEs to large corporates, and has recently published research on the impacts of home-working under lockdown on employee mental health.

Commenting on this appointment, Dave Capper, CEO at Westfield Health, says: “Wellbeing is more than a buzzword. The actions businesses take to look after their employees are important.

“It’s encouraging to see more organisations showing a commitment to health and wellbeing, with many taking a strategic approach and being more proactive than reactive.”

“Offering blanket advice will no longer help businesses that want to make a difference to their employee’s wellbeing and mental health. With the pandemic enabling more open discussions around mental health, employers need solutions that offer the support their people need.

“For us to be able to offer innovative, problem-solving solutions for businesses that are looking to enhance their wellbeing programmes, we wanted to utilise the latest research and expertise. We felt Kate was the perfect match – her vast knowledge in the wellbeing space will allow us to offer the best, refined advice for our clients”, adds Dave.

Poor organisational leadership at work and working after hours are often associated with occupational stress, anxiety, and depression. Both of these factors are more common in the workplace than we think. Commenting on her appointment at Westfield, Kate Platts says, “In the UK, around 1 in 5 adults reported feelings of depression in early 2021 – over double pre-pandemic levels.

“Following all of the changes that we have experienced across the past two years, workplaces need to be innovative in their approaches when handling wellbeing in the workplace.

“By joining Westfield Health, a pioneer in workplace wellbeing solutions, I will be able to apply the research I have conducted over the past three years to developing business solutions that positively impact individuals and organisations alike.

“I am looking forward to continuing my research into wellbeing alongside Westfield Health to ensure businesses across the UK get the best possible insights and programmes to support wellbeing at work”, concludes Kate.

 

Healthcare News, News

Waiting in GP queues could be a thing of the past with 61% of people preferring to manage health at home

But almost half of UK consumers (43%) don’t know their vital signs, and 1 in 3 don’t know their ideal body temperature

Kinetik Wellbeing launches health campaign to help educate the nation

Redhill, UK; 29th March 2022: A survey of 2,000 consumers by Kinetik Wellbeing has revealed that the majority of people prefer to measure their health at home (61%) rather than a healthcare setting.

However, when asked about ideal blood sugar and blood oxygen levels, 43% don’t know the answers. More concerningly, a third of us (35%) don’t know the ideal body temperature

1 in 4 people reported that they had been recommended the use of home medical devices by their GP, a growing phenomenon since the pandemic.

When it comes to how the perceptions of home healthcare have changed in recent years, 76% believe home health monitoring to be more important since the pandemic. 68% are more likely to purchase a home healthcare device now compared to a few years ago.

Dr. Katie Stephens, Resident GP at Kinetik Wellbeing, added: “Having done NHS GP work both pre- and post-pandemic, I can vouch for the reasons in-person appointments now take up much more time and need to be reserved for patients with conditions that can’t be managed remotely. The good news is that getting people interested in taking ownership of their health monitoring at home can actually be a good thing and doesn’t necessarily need medical expertise. By empowering people to actively monitor things like oxygen levels (especially during a Covid-19 infection) or blood pressure, we can help detect problems even before symptoms occur, leading to better outcomes for the individual and potentially reducing the strain on the NHS at the same time.”

82% also admit to benefiting from access to more information about their readings. The top ways users understand their results currently include user manuals (65%), Google (44%), YouTube and other videos (33%), and social media (6%). To tackle misinformation and ensure that everyone knows their numbers, Kinetik Wellbeing is building a content and resource hub to empower users to understand their levels and what the results mean.

James Grover, Director at Kinetik Wellbeing, commented: “It’s great to see people taking a real interest in their own health rather than relying on the public health services. However, if the numbers aren’t meaningful, then how can they do something about their findings? That’s why we have come together with leading medical practitioners to provide education and content to help people understand their readings. This will help to close the UK’s knowledge gap and empower people to self-monitor their health.”

When asked why they were more likely to purchase a home healthcare device now, the top answers were the pandemic (59%) and existing health issues (22%). “The pandemic has undoubtedly made more people aware of the importance of monitoring their health at home, but knowing your numbers is important for everyone, whether they have an existing medical condition or feel fit and healthy” Grover concluded.

To learn more about Kinetik Wellbeing, click here: https://www.kinetikwellbeing.com/.

AI, Appointments, Business, Business News, CEO & Founder Stories, Europe, European News, FInance, Finance News, Health, Health Tech, Healthcare, Healthcare News, Healthcare Tech, International News, Investment News, News, News from England, NHS News, UK

UK Scaleup Navenio Hires New CEO To Drive US Expansion Following 153% Growth in 2021

  • Navenio strengthens senior team with the appointment of a new CEO to build out its global offering, after securing first two sites in the US
  • Follows December’s £9.5m series A top-up, £1.5m NHSX AI in Health and Care Award and new partnerships with platforms such as HERE Technologies

Oxford, UK; 3rd February 2022: Navenio, the UK health & location tech scale up, today announced plans for its next chapter of growth and expansion into the US, following a £9.5 million investment awarded last month. The company has appointed Connie Moser as CEO, who joins Navenio with more than 30 years of experience in healthcare strategy, sales and operations, including building large-scale businesses across global markets.

Navenio, which saw a 153% increase in revenue in 2021, has also appointed geospatial expert Andrew Loveless to drive innovation outside of healthcare in his role as VP of Business Development. The appointment comes after Navenio recently partnered with HERE Technologies, to power the Indoor Positioning element of its Indoor Map as a service: a one-stop shop for indoor mapping solutions.

As part of its plans for growth, Navenio’s US-based leadership will lead the charge from the largest health economy in the world, bringing the benefits of indoor location services to everyone, everywhere. Connie Moser, new CEO of Navenio, added: “I am joining at a pivotal time for Navenio and am delighted to drive our expansion in the US and beyond. I look forward to building strong global partnerships and believe passionately in the vast potential that Navenio can bring by ensuring ‘right person, right place, right time’ in healthcare settings. Artificial intelligence is one of many technologies making a real world impact in the healthcare sector, and I’m proud to lead a company spearheading digital transformation.”

Navenio is tackling the rising cost of healthcare with a tool that can increase workplace productivity by up to 100%, freeing up clinical resources for other high value tasks. The company’s mission is to get teams back to capacity post-pandemic by maximising patient flow in key departments such as imaging and logistics, a key issue limiting the ability of hospitals to improve both clinician and staff productivity, and patient throughput.

Martin Moran, Chairman at Navenio commented: “I’m delighted to announce our plans for growth and welcome both Connie and Andrew to the Navenio team. The possibility of indoor location technology is vast and we’re excited to be expanding into the US, providing the benefits of our technology to everyone, everywhere.”

Following recent funding from NHSX, as part of an AI in Health and Care Award, Navenio is also currently developing a proven and nationally scalable evidence based solution to further support improved patient flow across the NHS. The first live sites, as part of the 13 hospital Award programme, have already delivered a positive impact to Trusts, staff and patients, with the full results due to be published later in 2022.

Health Tech, Healthcare News, News, Technology

Biotech start-up SolasCure has begun clinical trials of its investigational wound cleaning product, Aurase Wound Gel

Cambridge-based biologics company SolasCure has received authorisation to conduct clinical trials for its investigational product, Aurase Wound Gel, from the UK’s Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and approval to open its Investigational New Drug (IND) application by the FDA in the US.

The first-in-human trial has begun in the UK and will take place in centres across the UK, US and Hungary. This is a Phase IIa study and follows an extensive preclinical research programme carried out between 2018 and 2020.

The news follows the recent announcement of the completion of the Series A investment round, in which the start-up secured a total of £15 million investment from a collaboration of industry veterans, institutional venture and strategic investors.

Aurase Wound Gel is SolasCure’s first investigational product, a biologic leveraging an enzyme cloned from medical maggots combined with a hydrogel. Aurase Wound Gel aims effectively to clean wounds, a process known as debridement, which is a crucial prerequisite for a wound to heal.

The initiation of clinical trials for Aurase Wound Gel represents a significant milestone for SolasCure and its partners, with the company having managed to make strong progress despite the highly challenging circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study is expected to yield results in 2022. Should it be successful in showing a safe, effective product, the team will then proceed to Phase IIb studies, the next critical stage in Aurase Wound Gel’s clinical development programme.

SolasCure’s US Medical Advisory Chair, Dr. Robert Kirsner, Chairman and Harvey Blank Professor of Dermatology at the University of Miami, said: “Leg ulcers are costly in terms of morbidity to patients and health care costs. Having more well researched and better therapies available to patients is critical. The wound care community is excited by the recent granting of an IND by the FDA for SolasCure’s Aurase Wound Gel and the enrolment of first patients in clinical trials. The opportunity to potentially modernise debridement with enzymes cloned from medical maggots leading to faster healing exists.

Appointments, Healthcare News, News

Recruiting for Growth: Westfield Health appoint

Sheffield-based health and wellbeing firm, Westfield Health, have announced the appointment of Tony Mucci as Chief Growth Officer.

Following the organisation’s 2020 acquisition of High Five and expansion into Europe, the new position is designed to enable the company to capitalise on and accelerate the group’s growth.

With more than 15 years’ experience in a range of organisations across the health and wellbeing sector, Mr Mucci joined Westfield Health in 2016, accepting his previous role of Commercial Director for the UK in 2020.

In his new role as Chief Growth Officer, he’ll retain responsibility for the overall commercial activities of the group, such as product development, market research and strategic partnerships and acquisitions, but will extend his focus to Europe, taking an active role in long-term business planning across the group.

The strategic importance of the role to the Westfield Health group is marked by Mr Mucci also joining the Board in his capacity as Chief Growth Officer subject to regulatory approval.

Talking about the significance of his new role in the current market, Tony Mucci said: “The pandemic has shown individuals, businesses and governments just how critical health and wellbeing is. People are starting to think more proactively about their health and expecting employers to reflect these priorities.

“With demand for wellbeing support at work higher than ever after such a difficult year, the opportunity for growth in both the UK insurance and international corporate wellbeing markets is significant. I’m excited to take on this new role to find and capitalise on these opportunities to lead Westfield Health on its next phase of expansion and growth.”

The appointment was effective as of 1st September 2021.

Group CEO, Dave Capper, said: “Our mission to make a healthy difference has remained constant throughout our 100-year history, but we’re always looking for new, better ways to make that difference to more and more people both in the UK and beyond.

“Over the past five years, Tony has been a key influence in helping Westfield Health look ahead and plan how to reach our strategic goals. His new role will enable him to continue to do this, but across a much wider geography and time period, increasing the impact he can have and the results we can expect.

“I’m excited to see how Tony and his team will help prepare Westfield Health for the next 100 years”.

Westfield Health group works with more than 9,000 clients across Europe to transform people’s mental and physical wellbeing.

With solutions ranging from health insurance to state-of-the-art gyms, the company creates bespoke wellbeing programmes that are tailored to companies, their goals and their people.

Healthcare, Healthcare News, Healthcare Tech

Medical Connections Ltd, a business in good health!

Medical Connections Ltd, the small innovative medical imaging software and consultancy company based at Axis Way, Llansamlet, Swansea has completed a £500,000 refinancing package from Barclays. The funding will support its continued growth and strengthen its position as a leading global provider of bespoke software toolkits to the healthcare sector.

Created with the aim of making medical image and record integration simpler, faster, cheaper and more reliable, the business now employs 7 staff and anticipates turnover to exceed the £1 million milestone this year.

Established over 20 years ago and establishing a client base in North and South America, Europe and Asia as well as Australia and India, this is a global niche sector leader with industry expertise and experience.

Philippa Webb, Director of Operations said, “We are a local innovative business passionate about delivering memorable customer experience. We are at the cutting edge of medical data transfer based in Swansea with a big product and big ambition as we continue to operate on a global scale. The pandemic has only heightened the demand for faster, more efficient medical data transfer and we are committed to using our expertise to support the healthcare sector.”

Steve Davies, Barclays Relationship Director said, “As a well-established and respected provider of software for the healthcare sector, the team benefits from a loyal customer portfolio in excess of 200 and is absolutely focussed on continued success as a trusted expert and partner in this specialist field of healthcare IT. Following a successful MBO in 2018 Barclays has maintained a close relationship with the management team and is delighted to support the next phase of the business life cycle. By really understanding the business and industry sector we were able to quickly put together a funding package to support this fantastic business based in Wales but operating across the globe.”

 

Business News, Healthcare News, Healthcare Tech, Investment News

SolasCure announces £15m Series A raise

Biotech start-up SolasCure has announced the completion of its Series A investment round, to support the development of their wound cleaning product, Aurase®.

The Cambridge based biotech company has successfully completed its Series A raise of £15m, with funding from industry veterans, institutional venture, and strategic investors.

SolasCure is developing proprietary technology leveraging biomimicry and evidence-based medicine to empower health care professionals to treat patients with chronic wounds. Their first investigational product, Aurase®, is a hydrogel containing an enzyme cloned from medical maggots that can be used to support healthcare professionals treating patients with chronic wounds.

Speaking upon the completion of the round, Dr Sam Bakri, Founder and CEO of SolasCure said:

“We are delighted to have completed our Series A round, which will help us to move onto the clinical trial stages of product development.  We are excited to be working with such knowledgeable and specialist investors, as they join us on our mission to support healthcare professionals with wound care products that significantly improve the health and wellbeing of patients with chronic wounds.”

The raise began with investment from BRAIN Biotech AG (Xetra:BNN), who are SolasCure’s largest shareholder.

Adriaan Moelker, CEO BRAIN Biotech AG, said:

“It has been an encouraging sign for all partners that SolasCure has been able to successfully close another financing round with rising pre-money valuation during the pandemic. We continue to be committed to support SolasCure on its way to market for the innovative wound debridement enzyme Aurase®.

The round was completed following investment by Seneca Partners, an investment management business based in the UK.

Speaking on their investment, Matt Currie, Investment Director at Seneca said:

“We are delighted to support SolasCure as part of this latest funding round. The team they have brought together are truly world-class, producing ground-breaking work in the wound care sector. Practitioners are crying out for a high-quality solution that can be transported, stored, and administered in an efficient and effective way, something severely lacking in the treatments available at present. We believe SolasCure’s Aurase product has the potential to become the go-to solution in this space”.

In addition to the investments from BRAIN Biotech AG and Seneca Partners, other notable investors to date include Bionova Capital, experienced entrepreneur and life sciences angel investor Jonathan Milner (founder of Abcam), strategic investor EVA Pharma, the Development Bank of Wales, as well as François Fournier (former lead of Smith & Nephew’s Advanced Wound Care division).    The GS Verde Group acted as advisors to the fundraise.

Eyecare, Manufacturing, News, PPE

International safety company Bollé announces partnership with Welsh manufacturer to drive international supply of protective eyewear equipment

Production of a new range of safety eyewear for one of the world’s leading names in the industry, Bollé, has begun at a site in Wales.

Bollé Safety, a specialist in the development of personal protective equipment (PPE) eyewear, has announced a partnership with Welsh firm, RotoMedical, part of Rototherm Group, which has become the French company’s exclusive UK manufacturer of PPE eyewear for the healthcare industry.

More than three million PPE items are set to be produced a month at RotoMedical’s manufacturing base in Port Talbot, South Wales, following the launch of production at the beginning of June. The partnership, which has been praised by Life Sciences Hub Wales, will see products distributed across the UK and Ireland as well as exported to healthcare markets globally, with key regions including Europe, Australia and North America.

RotoMedical’s expansion into the life sciences sector has been supported by Life Sciences Hub Wales, which has worked to supply the business with access to contacts, expertise and advice to help with the expansion.

Ahead of the production launch, senior representatives at Bollé, which has its European headquarters based in Lyon, visited RotoMedical’s manufacturing base in the Welsh valleys to make final product checks and confirm certifications.

Ian Walbeoff, Vice President of Sales at Bollé Safety said: “At Bollé Safety, our mission has always been to protect the eyesight of healthcare professionals across the world, even in the most challenging environments, ensuring they are able to safely work on the frontline. At the heart of our brand is a genuine desire to continually innovate and use the best available technology to create the highest quality products, and our partnership with RotoMedical will play a key role in achieving this.

“Combining both our companies’ long-standing legacies and expertise will enable us to collaboratively design, manufacture and assemble products that put innovation at the fore and set a new global industry standard when it comes to performance, excellence and sustainability”.

Rototherm Group, a company dating back to the 1880s, specialises in the production of industrial measuring instruments. During the pandemic, the firm pivoted to also produce medical masks and protective face shields for health and care workers under the brand RotoMedical.

Since the pandemic’s arrival in the UK, the Port Talbot manufacturer has increased production capacity of plastic face visors from a 1,000 per day to 250,000 every week. That rapid success has catalysed further expansion into the life sciences sector, as RotoMedical has progressed to produce BSI certified Type IIR face masks, which are surgical grade and designed for use by healthcare professionals.

Tarkan Conger, Business Development Director at Rototherm Group said: “Our ambition has always been to continue to expand and develop the business, and in turn to create more jobs for the local economy. The partnership with Bollé will enable us to build on our industrial expertise and innovation as we embed ourselves in the life sciences sector, expanding into new manufacturing capabilities and markets.”

Following the supply contract with Bollé, the company added safety goggles to its remit, for which it has created a dedicated automated production line. The Bollé face shields will be manufactured by RotoMedical, Rototherm’s medical and protective equipment division, using locally sourced raw materials.

Oliver Conger, Managing Director at Rototherm Group said: “We’re proud to be an SME in Wales, and the drive is to continue securing partnerships with other companies in Wales and internationally. With the help of Life Sciences Hub Wales, we have been able to establish links throughout Welsh industry, and we’re committed to further growing our global presence. We’ve invested everything we’ve got into the local economy and into the business, which will continue as we expand internationally.”

Ian Walbeoff, Vice President of Sales at Bollé Safety added: “This partnership marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Bollé Safety in Wales and the UK as we continue to grow our presence in the country and invest in local communities. It will help us to further our capabilities developing products with sustainability at their core as we will work with locally sourced materials, proudly boasting the ‘Made in Britain’ stamp of excellence.

“The capabilities at Rototherm are testament to the highly skilled manufacturing workforce available here in Wales, and we look forward to playing a part in further driving manufacturing excellence from the region.”

Speaking about the new partnership between Rototherm and Bollé Safety, Cari-Anne Quinn, CEO at Life Sciences Hub Wales said: “Life Sciences Hub Wales is proud to be supporting Rototherm’s journey into the life sciences sector and welcome the expanding international connections. We congratulate them for the work they have done to support the UK during a time of great need and on securing this contract will Bollé which will see these successes continue.”