High Flyers career commentary by leaders, for leaders On Target talks to Peter Murphy, Divisional Manager for Paul Hartmann Ltd, about the secrets of his success. What do you do? I manage the Wound Management Division at Hartmann. This covers both Primary and Acute sectors, with overall responsibility for sales and marketing and contract development for the ranges of Advanced and Traditional dressings plus Bandages within the group portfolio. How did you get your job? I started with Hartmann, selling Continence Management products to the Care Home Sector before being tasked with developing wider sales to the NHS. What is your biggest achievement? To successfully manage sales development and penetration in a rapidly-changing market. What’s the best decision you ever made? To remain focused in the industry I know best with a company that I enjoy working for. Describe yourself in one word. Thorough. What was your biggest break? Having the opportunity to expand my career experience without great disruption. The company move into the field of Wound Management a few years ago allowed me to build a new team, coupled with a whole new set of business relationships and skills. What does management mean to you? The effective development of people and business by utilising fully the resources at your disposal. What is the biggest challenge facing you in your role today? To ensure that the services and products we offer continue to meet the needs of our customers. The healthcare market is still rapidly evolving, and we have to work strategically to ensure that we have the best chance of meeting the market need for ever-higher service levels at everlower costs! What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given? Beware of sales too easily won, as they can be easily lost too. Real partnerships are the foundation of long-lasting business.

Work and families CAREER COMMENT FROM ELLIS FAIRBANK “A MONTH BEFORE the Work and Families Act 2006 comes into force, many medical device companies are not clear about the implications of this legislation,” says Claire Vandenburg, Head of Ellis Fairbank Medical. “The Act, to be introduced on 6th April, will affect the retention and attraction of senior-level candidates, and will place demands on organisations to ensure that their HR and recruitment strategies are aligned with the overall business objectives of the company. “The majority of senior commercial positions within medical device companies are held by people in their 30s, the age range most likely to be affected by the increase in statutory maternity leave from 6 to 9 months and the increased flexible working rights that the Work and Families Act will introduce. “At Ellis Fairbank we understand the effect that new legislation can have on the recruitment of candidates, and utilise our vast experience and sophisticated recruitment techniques to guarantee a higher return on investment when placing candidates. “The legislation could see a shift in employee expectations, affecting both current employees and candidates for whom achieving a work-life balance is increasingly important. Employers should not allow the potential impact of any legislation to dictate their recruitment needs. They should select the right person for the role, who can deliver against the required skills and the company’s ambitions. “With more than 15 years’ experience of recruiting middle and senior managers, we ensure the candidate encompasses the key competencies for the role rather than addressing the detrimental influence of external factors, such as legislation. “Through working with HR departments, we can alleviate concerns by addressing company policies and customs. Benchmarking against other companies through market profiling will give an in-depth snapshot of key players, market trends and growth forecasts within the sector, which will allow a strategy and corporate culture to be evolved that will attract and retain quality candidates.”

 

 

Being a healthcare sales professional places demands on your ability to negotiate routes, drive and park safely. Now, as Steve Johnson of the Fleet Safety Association explains, new legislation makes safety on the road a still higher priority.

The car is now an essential business tool that is effectively, if not formally in law, an extension of the workplace. As far as the UK Health and Safety Executive is concerned, the duty of care that all employers have for their staff’s welfare in the workplace extends to driving for work purposes.

Depending on which set of Government figures you believe, somewhere between 800 and 1000 drivers are killed ‘at work’ every year on Britain’s roads, and in excess of 8000 are seriously injured. The circumstances of every road fatality will now be investigated by the police as a matter of course, as if it were a criminal investigation. If it is felt that any contributory factor to the crash relates to the employer’s policies, procedures or general business management, the police will investigate further.

The implications, particularly for any wellknown and successful brand, should send a shiver down the collective spine of all those in senior management.

New road safety legislation

Though legislation is currently in place (see www.fleetsafetyassociation.co.uk/ Legislation.asp) to bring about a successful prosecution in the event of corporate failings, the situation is about to become still more serious with the introduction of the 2006 Road Safety Bill. From a vehicle fleet point of view, there are several new penalties that could impact on your business:
• A new offence of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving will carry a custodial sentence of up to five years.
• The penalty for careless or inconsiderate driving increases from £2500 to £5000. • Using a hand-held phone while driving and, as a result, failing to have proper control of the vehicle will attract three penalty points and a £60 fixed penalty fine.
• There will be graduated fines for speeding offences, depending on the actual vehicle speed recorded within a specific distance (though the parameters for these have yet to be finalised).

Although it is obviously the individual driver who will be most directly affected by these punitive measures, potentially there will be a negative impact on the business as a result. It is therefore vital that companies managing drivers have robust policies in place that demonstrate to any investigating authority that they have taken all reasonable steps to mitigate the risk that employees are exposed to.

At the least, this should comprise a set of guidelines that are issued to every driver so that employees know exactly what is expected of them when driving. This could be a hard copy driving manual or a document in electronic form on a company intranet. Either way, it is vital that the employee signs for it, or at least commits to having read and understood the contents.

Driver risk management

All members of the Fleet Safety Association are able to provide help, advice and even document templates to meet these requirements; but some commercial sectors, by virtue of their operating conditions, require additional specific advice. One company that specialises in the healthcare sales sector is Bloxham-based Drive & Survive, which has in place driver risk management programmes for about a dozen different healthcare-orientated companies. Although the type of driving-related risk that employees of healthcare companies are exposed to is comparable with the majority of other commercial organisations, there are quite a few special considerations to take into account. For instance, it is necessary to be aware of the threatening behaviour of certain animal rights activists towards healthcare representatives, and there are ways to anticipate certain vehicle-related actions they might take. Drivers carrying high-value items of medical equipment are clearly a target also, and they need to remain vigilant both while driving and while parked.

Managers must take a responsible attitude to what is achievable in a working day that involves driving. Fatigue is now a major contributory cause of crashes for business drivers, and they should be able to take at least a 15- minute break every two hours without feeling guilty.

While advice for dealing with these scenarios is accommodated within Drive & Survive courses, there is plenty of other guidance to ensure that healthcare representatives – who arguably use their cars as an extension of the office more than anyone else – avoid trouble:

• Mobile phones. Despite it being illegal anyway, employers should mandate that the use of hand-held phones while driving is a disciplinary offence. Even using a mobile phone with a legal hands-free kit is equivalent to being over the drink-drive limit in terms of effect on driving, so usage should be restricted to emergencies – and even then only when road conditions are very low-risk (motorway, light traffic, good weather, out of rush hour). • Hours of work. Managers must take a responsible attitude to what is achievable in a working day that involves driving. The act of driving takes a far greater toll on the body, both physiologically and mentally, than working in an office, and a realistic number of calls to customers must be agreed. Fatigue is now a major contributory cause of crashes for business drivers, and they should be able to take at least a 15-minute break every two hours without feeling guilty. • Journey planning. There is no substitute for proper journey planning using a map, weather forecasts and traffic predictions. In-vehicle information systems should be used with great care to reduce potential distraction, and never adjusted while on the move. Drivers should be permitted to use overnight accommodation if delayed for any reason. • Drink and drugs. Nobody is suggesting that those working in the healthcare industry are any worse than the rest of the driving population – but this market sector does tend to attract young, ambitious high achievers with a zest for life, so it stands to reason that some will take a chance with the ‘morning after’ effect. Again, such behaviour should be flagged as being totally unacceptable and subject to disciplinary action. • Choice of vehicle. In the healthcare sales sector, the choice of vehicle can have a significant effect on the potential for becoming involved in a road incident. High-value, highperformance cars seem to be an essential ingredient of a tempting package to attract the best-qualified staff. Often the blend of a powerful car and an ambitious, single-minded high achiever can create a potent cocktail, and this invariably leads them to be designated as highrisk. Companies really should target this group for some form of preventative training if they are going to avoid profit-denting outcomes.

The endless road

If employers look after the welfare of their drivers, they will be protecting a vital incomeearning asset and potentially their brand reputation. Also, any road safety programme delivered by a member of the Fleet Safety Association will be not only effective but also self-funding in terms of the consequent savings on fuel, insurance outgoings and general wear and tear. It really is a classic ‘win-win’ situation.

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Steve Johnson is Press Officer of the Fleet Safety Association and Marketing Manager of Drive & Survive. For more information, visit www.fleetsafetyassociation.co.uk.

 

 

The Other Side 8:

 

Interview with an Ambulance Services Manager

Euan Connell is Purchasing and Contracts Manager (Regional) for West Midlands Ambulance Services. On Target talked to him about the clinical and commercial issues involved in purchasing ambulance equipment.

1. Can you summarise your purchasing responsibilities?
I’m one of a team of managers who decide which of a range of medical products will be used in the West Midlands Ambulance Services. We consider a range of equipment options, assess their suitability in the field and decide which options to commission.

2. What priorities influence your purchasing decisions?
The primary concern is fitness for the intended use: specific medical applications within ambulances. We have to look at how well a product will function in those conditions. It has to be transportable within a moving vehicle. It has to be easily stored and accessed within the ambulance, so you don’t have to get up and cross the vehicle when you’re travelling at speed. It has to be compact and robust, so that being repeatedly moved or being dropped won’t harm it. It doesn’t matter how ideal an item of equipment might be for clinical use in a hospital ward: if it can’t be used effectively and reliably in an ambulance, we won’t buy it.

3. What aspects of medical equipment sales and marketing do you find helpful? What aspects do you find unhelpful?
I see a lot of medical device representatives, and the ones who sell to us are the ones who research their market and make sure that what they are trying to sell us is actually suitable for the specific purpose we need it for.

They can tell me that their product is compatible with the other equipment we are using, is suitably priced and has some additional benefits. What is not helpful to us is representatives trying to sell an idea rather than a product. Often they turn up with nothing but a leaflet or a catalogue – no actual item for us to examine and test. Instead of explaining and demonstrating how their product meets our needs, they try and make us agree with a marketing agenda that was never conceived with ambulance services in mind.

4. Is there anything in particular that sales professionals could do to meet your needs better?
Specifically, it would be helpful if representatives were aware of other product areas, not just the one product line they have come to sell. If they could tell us about the whole range of products available from their company, then we could talk about another product than the one they’re detailing without having to wait for another representative. This would help us to purchase equipment systems rather than one-off items, and save us time in sorting out compatibility and availability issues. It would make the whole customer service process much simpler.

5. What new medical technologies are you particularly keen to see in the future?
Believe it or not, an ambulance! There is no NHS standard for purpose-built ambulance vehicles, and a paramedic trained in one trust cannot rely on being able to use ambulances in another trust without additional training.

Medical equipment conforms to national standards, but ambulances vary from region to region and service to service. Sending paramedics out in a vehicle not really designed for clinical use means they are not fully equipped.

6. Sir George Alberti’s recent report for the Department of Health, Emergency access, outlines an enhanced future role for Ambulance Services with an increased number of paramedics assessing and treating patients in the community. How can the medical technologies industry help to support the Ambulance Services in this enhanced role?
Again, it comes down to equipment being suitable for the context of use. Medical equipment manufacturers have to be aware of transport, carriage and access issues. The more urgent medical care takes place in people’s homes, in the street or while travelling on the road, the more vital it will be for medical equipment to be effective in these non-hospital environments.

When paramedics are called out to people’s homes, they need to act quickly. Sometimes they’re carrying major equipment like ECG monitors, as well as bags filled with other equipment, and they’re loaded down like pack horses. This in itself poses a health and safety risk to both the staff and the patient. If they leave equipment back in the ambulance, that has obvious risks as well. If the patient is on the 13th floor of a block of flats, whether the lift is working or not, the return to the ambulance could cost a life. So to sum up: it’s about fitness for the purpose and context of use. The equipment items need to be small, light and effective.

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The key to a successful sales meeting is getting the right people together for the right purpose at the right time. Anthony Blandford of DOCS International looks at how the same principles can be applied to recruitment.

When you are selling any products to a hospital, there is rarely just one person involved in the buying process. You may have convinced the surgeon, but is the theatre manager on board? The nurse may be desperate to start using your product, but what about the divisional manager who holds the budget? This is even before supplies have decided they want to be part of the action.

All together now

In an ideal world, the best solution would be to get all of the parties involved in the process sitting in one room together. This would provide a forum for the various different issues and viewpoints to be discussed. If your product is a good one, it would also lead to a sale, a satisfied customer and a successful sales team. How often does this situation ever occur? As most experienced healthcare sales people will tell you, practically never.

One person who has used this approach in his sales technique and achieved great success is Stuart Braggs. Starting life in orthopaedic trauma sales, Stuart would arrange meetings in his accounts involving the orthopaedic surgeons, the theatre nurses, the divisional management and the supplies department. These forums allowed all parties to voice their concerns and for these to be dealt with in a quick and efficient manner. The sales results this generated kick-started Stuart’s career, and led him to positions as Divisional Director at Boston Scientific and Managing Director at Wright Medical.

While healthcare companies strive to achieve this result when selling, they rarely look to mimic the process when procuring.

One of the key areas of procurement for healthcare companies is their staff. A sales team is not going to be successful in the long term with poor-quality recruits. How can the principles of productive selling be applied to the recruiting of staff?

Who decides?

The first step to making a sale is identifying the Decision Making Unit (DMU) within the customer. When you are selling to theatres, the DMU will probably be headed by the surgeon and the nursing team. In most cases it will also include the theatre manager, the divisional manager and maybe the clinical director. In large purchases, it is not inconceivable that the trust board will have an input.

There may well be other influencers en route that need attention. The flip side of this process when procuring is identifying your own DMU. You can be sure that your suppliers are trying to do this. Who is the manager for the vacancy? What will be the input from the HR team in your organisation? Are there other colleagues who will interact with the new recruit, and should they be seen as influencers in the process? Finally, will the senior management of your organisation want input into the process – and if so, at what point?

The experience of most recruiters is that their customers do not always know their own DMUs. If they are aware of them, they would still prefer the recruiter to do the legwork of speaking to them all. Which is exactly the situation that they would themselves find frustrating, time-consuming and ultimately less productive for all concerned. If companies were able to create the same environment they seek to achieve with their customers, the whole recruitment process could be shorter and considerably more effective.

The candidate’s needs

It is clear that the ideal recruitment meeting should mirror the ideal medical device sales meeting. If all of the parties needing an input into the recruitment process were present at a single meeting, many of the issues and niggles that arise during the process could be ironed out at the beginning.

A single job description could be agreed, following the input of all parties. The recruitment process, the number of interviews and who will be present at the interviews can also be determined – and, perhaps most importantly, the timescale for the project can be agreed. It is when it comes to timescales that the analogy outlined above gets a bit stretched. When selling products, a salesperson can be sure that the product will not refuse to be sold to an account. This is not the experience of recruiters, however.

When dealing with candidates, there is every chance that a candidate will say no to a job offer. Often this can be a consequence of how they have been treated during the recruitment process. The current job market is very much candidate-driven. There are more vacancies than there are good candidates, so the best ones are able to pick and choose.

One of the most common frustrations cited by candidates is the length of time taken by employers to interview and decide. When a set timetable is agreed at the beginning, this can reduce delays, frustrations and ultimately the likelihood of candidates withdrawing from the process. It should include specific times set aside for interviews, allowing the candidates to have realistic expectations of the timescale involved. For a timetable to work, there must be input from all parties involved in its implementation. Doing this at the beginning of the process can minimise later disruption and consternation.

Working in partnership

Like many of the issues that arise at work, recruitment should be seen as a process or a project rather than a single event. Time invested at the beginning of the project will lead to greater benefits at the end. Identifying the DMU and getting all the parties together in one meeting means that the process will run more smoothly and lead to better results.

The ideal recruitment meeting should mirror the ideal medical device sales meeting. If all of the parties needing an input into the recruitment process were present at a single meeting, many of the issues and niggles that arise during the process could be ironed out at the beginning.

Working with a recruitment company should be a partnership, in the same way that healthcare companies strive to build partnerships with their clients. Working together and being open and honest is a two-way street that will benefit both parties as the relationship develops.

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Anthony Blandford is Business Director, Medical Devices UK at Recruitment Company DOCS International. For more information, visit www.DOCS-int.com.

 

 

 

Health Technology Assessments are the gateway to validation for medical technologies in the UK. Naomi Stockley of NCCHTA explains the HTA programme and how the medtech industry can derive maximum benefit from it.

Computed tomography screening for coronary artery disease’, ‘laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer’ and ‘the management of critically ill patients with pulmonary artery catheterisation’ are some of the latest research reports published by the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme to expand the NHS evidence base. The HTA programme, set up in 1993, is part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and is the largest and longest-running of the Department of Health’s national research programmes. It has invested more than £136m in filling gaps in the NHS’s evidence about the clinical and cost-effectiveness of different healthcare treatments and tests: devices, surgery, settings of care, drugs, screening and talking therapies.
The research funded by the HTA programme informs NHS decision-makers and supports clinicians and patients in choosing the most appropriate care.

Working with partners

Relationships with the NIHR, the National Institute for health & Clinical Excellence (NICE) and other decision makers such as the National Screening Committee (NSC) provide strong direction for the work of the HTA programme. Much of the programme’s work is aimed at supporting research priorities. This currently includes a study investigating the clinical effectiveness of PET imaging for selected cancers, commissioned for the National Clinical Director for Cancer; and a clinical trial to inform the NSC, which is assessing the use of automated technology for cervical screening. The HTA programme provides NICE with technology assessment reports that are the main source of information the NICE appraisals committee use in their decision-making process. A recent HTA research report that helped to inform NICE guidance investigated the clinical and cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer, and research has been commissioned to look into the effectiveness of cochlear implants for children and adults with severe to profound deafness.

Other HTA-funded research that will help to inform NHS purchasing decisions includes a trial into the clinical and cost-effectiveness of four different methods of mechanical support for severe ankle sprains: the Tubigrip, the Bledsoe boot, the below knee plaster cast and the Kendall Gel Brace. Research is also underway to compare two new continuous glucose monitoring devices, the GlucoWatch 2 and the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System, with conventional monitoring to see whether they improve diabetes control.

HTA-funded researchers are working directly with industry in a new clinical trial investigating whether water softeners help to reduce the severity of eczema in children. A team of water softener manufacturers led by the UK Water Treatment Association is providing technical and scientific advice, as well as meeting the costs of producing and supplying the water softeners.

New research pathways

The HTA programme has recently changed its approach to commissioning research.

Traditionally, it has commissioned work only where it has identified specific questions that the NHS needs answers to. Working through expert advisory panels, it has considered hundreds of suggestions for research that have come from the NHS, its users and other professional sources, deciding which are the most urgent and commissioning the best research team to carry out the work.

In addition to its existing commissioning route, the HTA programme has now launched a new HTA Clinical Trials stream of work. Set up following the establishment of the NIHR (a key element of the national strategy for NHS research), the new funding opportunity has resulted in a significant volume of research proposals being submitted for consideration. The programme provides research grants for clinical trials that address questions of direct relevance to clinical practice in the NHS and have outcomes that matter to patients. Researchers are invited to submit outline research proposals on an ongoing basis for consideration by the HTA Clinical Trials Commissioning Board.

Research being commissioned through this route includes an evaluation of PET for the detection of head and neck cancer, and different imaging techniques for lung cancer.

For more information, visit the funding opportunities page on the HTA website www.hta.ac.uk/calls.

A developing programme

The HTA programme has welcomed the recent publication of a review of health research funding by Sir David Cooksey, published in the Chancellor’s pre-Budget report at the beginning of December. The review notes the success of the HTA programme in providing the NHS with a high-quality evidence base, and suggests that the growing need of the NHS for such information could be met by expanding the programme further.

A key recommendation of the Cooksey Review is the establishment of an Office for Strategic Co-ordination of Health Research (OSCHR) to co-ordinate the efforts of both the NIHR and the Medical Research Council. The Review urges that as part of its new role, OSCHR should examine the case for further investment in Health Technology Assessment as part of a comprehensive spending review. Specifically, it says that the HTA programme could be expanded to strengthen its commissioning of primary research, clinical trials and research in themed health areas.

“The recommendations outlined in the Cooksey Review would allow us to build upon our important relationships with partners such as NICE and the National Screening Committee, as well as developing links further with NHS purchasing,” says Professor Tom Walley, Director of the HTA programme. “HTA research is a valuable resource for decision-makers, providing them with the information they need to consider, together with other factors such as values and resources, when deciding how to advise the NHS.”

HTAs and the medtech industry

All of the HTA programme’s research is generated by the needs of the NHS. Health Technology Assessments are only undertaken following the licensing or ‘kite marking’ of a device, and where there is uncertainty in the NHS about its clinical and cost-effectiveness. Suggestions for HTA research are assessed by our expert panels for their relevance to NHS practitioners, users and managers.

Health Technology Assessments are only undertaken following the licensing or ‘kite marking’ of a device, and where there is uncertainty in the NHS about its clinical and cost-effectiveness. Suggestions for HTA research are assessed by our expert panels for their relevance to NHS practitioners, users and managers.

The HTA programme works with industry through its relationships with the Centre for Evidence-based Purchasing (CEP), the Purchasing and Supplies Agency and the National Innovations Centre, with whom the HTA programme is working to improve assessment of rapidly evolving technologies. An HTA programme representative sits on the CEP prioritisation board, and the programme is currently commissioning research on the board’s behalf into new devices for monitoring heart performance during surgery.

The HTA programme looks at a wide range of technologies, and welcomes suggestions to help shape its research agenda. You can make a research suggestion via the HTA programme website www.hta.ac.uk/suggest.

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Communications Manager at the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment (NCCHTA), Wessex Institute for Health Research & Development, University of Southampton.

For further information, contact Naomi Stockley, tel. 02380 595646, e-mail ns5@soton.ac.uk; or Ruth Allen, Communications Manager, NCCHTA, tel. 02380 595584, e-mail ruth.allen@soton.ac.uk.

 

 

 

Cardiac device company Biotronik explains why its new ICD is setting the pace in home monitoring.

Imagine an implantable cardiac device that was able to monitor a patient’s heart condition at home so that they didn’t have to visit hospital as frequently. It sounds like a ‘Big Brother’ experience. The new family of Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators (ICDs) developed by Biotronik make this a reality. The Lumax family of ICDs are the only implants worldwide that are able to automatically send ECG data in case of heart rhythm disorders over the mobile phone network. This revolutionary technology enables the physician to safely monitor the device function, accurately confirm therapy appropriateness and detect dangerous co-morbidities.

The elegant simplicity and ease of use of this technology are not restricted to clinical practitioners: patients feel at ease with Biotronik Home Monitoring^® because they are not required to participate in sending information. Biotronik Home Monitoring^® is designed to be completely automatic – right down to the mobile transmitter the patient receives having an automatic activation function.

The beat goes on

These devices are now being implanted across the UK. Following his first implantation of this revolutionary technology, Dr. Stuart Harris of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, commented: “This appears to be another step forward in the optimal management of patients with implantable defibrillators. This latest development allows monitoring of device performance and arrhythmia burden, but can also help in the early detection of deteriorating cardiac function. Ultimately, this may prevent a hospital admission.”

Continuous monitoring of patients with heart rhythm disorders has already demonstrated its superiority in clinical practice. In a recent publication, the worldrenowned cardiologist Professor Pedro Brugada describes how Biotronik Home Monitoring^® can be used to reduce the number of routine in-hospital ICD follow-ups by 47%. In a resource-restricted NHS, and an environmental climate in which we are being encouraged to reduce our carbon footprints, this offers truly tangible benefits.

Rock steady

Biotronik Home Monitoring technology has been used in clinical practice for the past seven years. The launch of the Lumax ICD family and IEGM Online HD constitutes the third generation of Biotronik Home Monitoring^®. Each month, an additional 2,000 new patients benefit from the advantages of this life-changing technology.

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For more information about Biotronik and its products, e-mail d.barnes@biotronik.com or visit www.biotronik.com.

 

 

 

We could be heroes

On Target reports on the first National Medical Technology Awards, presented by MedilinkUK to five UK companies at the MDT Conference and Exhibition.

The first MedilinkUK National Medical Technology Awards were presented at the Medical Device Technology Conference and Exhibition in Birmingham on February 14th. These awards recognise the outstanding business achievements of healthcare companies across the UK, and are open to any company in the medical technologies and healthcare sector.

During 2006, each regional MedilinkUK organisation obtained nominations for companies within its area. The nominations were assessed by a national judging panel, with an award winner selected in each of five categories:

 The Award for Innovation was given to Aircraft Medical Ltd. This Edinburgh-based company has applied new technology to the laryngoscope, enhancing patient safety and ease of use. Since launching the McGrath^® Series 5 portable video laryngoscope in 2006, Aircraft Medical has signed a five-year US distribution deal that could generate the company more than £27m. The McGrath has been acclaimed as “the most significant advancement in laryngoscope design since the 1940s”. The company plans to apply its technology to the redesign of other hand-held medical devices.

The Award for Export Achievement was given to Brandon Medical. This Leeds-based company has developed its export business dramatically since 1993, and recently won its largest-ever contract with GE to supply every hospital in Sri Lanka with new operating lights. In 2005, it supplied operating lights to 39 hospitals throughout Ghana. Brandon Medical has targeted and been successful in markets not typically seen as ‘first-step’ for an SME, such as Libya, Colombia, Mexico and Bangladesh. The company has appointed new distributors in Hong Kong, Finland, Turkey, Poland, Romania and Libya.

The Award for Business Start-Up was given to Metrasens Ltd. This Malvern-based company, founded in 2005, had achieved its first 8 product sales within 15 months of startup. Metrasens Ltd is a supplier of innovative medical devices, exploiting its patented metal detection technology to improve safety and reduce costs in hospitals. One of its product lines improves safety in MRI facilities with an alarm system that alerts staff to the presence of ferromagnetic objects. Another precisely locates metallic objects or tagged instruments within the patient.

The Award for Growth in Sector was given to Clamason Industries Ltd. This Kingswinfordbased company began to target the medical sector in the mid-1990s. Winning two low-value contracts in this sector during 2000, the company educated its customers on the potential of metal parts. Following heavy investment in manufacturing capability, the company has built its healthcare sales to a projected near-35% for 2007. Clamason has long-term projects in place and a growing export market.

The Award for Partnership with the NHS was given to Safe Surgery Systems Ltd. This Birmingham-based company started from an experience of witnessing medical errors due to patient misidentification and staff miscommunication in a surgical specialty. The company began to design and develop a system to prevent such errors. Working with a local Foundation Trust, with input from specialty clinicians and patients, the Safe Surgery System^™ was piloted. The Trust has now procured this system for two specialities as a precursor to rolling it out Trust-wide, which will continue the partnership process.

Kevin Wilson, Chairman of MedilinkUK and CEO of Medical Devices in Scotland, commented: “The inaugural MedilinkUK National Medical Technology Awards gives national recognition to the excellent work being carried out by companies within our regions, and demonstrates that the medical technology community continues to contribute significantly to the UK economy.”

 

 

Vascutek shunt approved for war zone use A UK MEDICAL DEVICE designed to save wounded arms and legs from amputation has become the first of its kind to gain US marketing clearance by the Food and Drug Association (FDA). The Temporary Limb Salvage Shunt, from Scottish company Vascutek Ltd, will be used in war zones to reduce the number of arm and leg amputations among the US military. The US is the first country to grant clearance for use of the device. “There was a critical need for this device,” said David Buckles, Chief of FDA’s peripheral device branch. “We think it has a chance of working very well and improving the chances of salvaging a limb that has suffered this sort of traumatic injury.” The device connects the ends of a severed blood vessel, providing a shunt around the damaged area and restoring blood flow to the injured limb. It can be implanted on the battlefield and other remote areas to maintain blood flow to the injured limb while the patient is transported to a surgical facility. Vascutek Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Terumo Corporation, is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of vascular devices for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. For more information, visit

SMC supports TachoSil® in wider surgical procedures The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has assessed TachoSil, a surgical patch from Nycomed designed to assist surgeons in controlling bleeding. SMC has advised NHS boards and Area Drug Therapeutic Committees to use TachoSil to improve secondary haemostasis in surgery where standard techniques are insufficient. TachoSil is a collagen sponge coated with the human coagulation factors fibrinogen and thrombin. These natural components react upon contact with blood and other body fluids to form a clot that glues TachoSil to the tissue surface, producing a haemostatic seal. “In my experience, achieving haemostasis quickly can make a considerable difference and provide a better outcome. We have already seen TachoSil bring these benefits to liver resection procedures. The advice from the Scottish Medicines Consortium is most welcome and will allow benefits in a wider range of equally challenging operations,” commented Professor James Garden, Regius Professor of Clinical Surgery at the University of Edinburgh. TachoSil has an emerging profile as an effective haemostatic agent in liver and kidney surgery, and its broader indication allows use in a wider clinical setting. It can protect against post-operative bleeding complications and so reduce hospital stays. For more information, visit www.tachosil.com

Oxoid improves its atmosphere generation system UK MICROBIOLOGY SPECIALIST Oxoid has released an improved product in its Atmosphere Generation Systems (AGS) range for clinical laboratories. AnaeroGen™ Compact now incorporates easy-to-use, self-seal W-Zip transparent pouches, designed for the incubation of microbiological culture plates. These convenient gas-tight pouches allow microbial growth to be observed at any time without disturbing the internal atmosphere, making them ideal for clinical laboratories engaged in culture of slower-growing anaerobic organisms. The new AnaeroGen W-Zip Compact product comprises 10 Anaero- Gen sachets and 10 W-Zip pouches. “W-Zip pouches have an integral seal which makes closure easy,” said Fiona Macrae, clinical applications manager, Oxoid. “Once sealed, the pouches maintain the required conditions for anaerobic growth throughout the incubation period.” AnaeroGen reacts with air to produce an atmosphere of <1% oxygen supplemented with carbon dioxide within 30 minutes, providing ideal conditions for growth of fastidious and obligate anaerobes. AnaeroGen enables prompt identification of cultured anaerobic micro-organisms and hence administration of therapies to aid patient recovery. For further information about the Oxoid AGS range, visit www.oxoid.com. Oxoid is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, a world leader in serving science.

 

UK companies at Arab Health 2007 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MIDDLE EAST as a market for medical technologies has been underlined by an impressive UK presence at the largest healthcare exhibition in the region. 96 UK medical technology companies exhibited at Arab Health 2007 in Dubai last month, with many predicting future alliances as the market grows. Tony Davis, CEO of Medilink West Midlands, said: “The UAE market is flush with money and early adopters seeking high-quality but elite products to create a tourism healthcare destination. Alongside this is a robust distribution network servicing a high-need community.” Stephanie Reed, PR Officer for Medilink Yorkshire and Humber, said: “Companies showcasing their cutting-edge innovations with the support of Medilink Y&H included provider of medical lighting equipment Brandon Medical, leading supplier of operating theatre equipment Anetic Aid, designer and manufacturer of washer disinfectors Dawmed International, and manufacturer of a communicator aid for stroke patients Heeken House. The event proved to be a great success for many of the companies, acting as a fantastic platform for international partnerships.” Medilink WM member companies that attended Arab Health 2007 include Minivator and Nexus DMS. Tony Mercer, Sales & Marketing Director of Minivator, said: “Our experience of Arab Health was extremely rewarding. During our time we met some very useful contacts and are looking forward to fostering these relationships with a view to expanding our penetration in these regions.” John Robinson, Managing Director of Nexus DMS, said: “As aspiring exporters we are finding Arab Health a successful forum for networking, with the UAE a conduit to surrounding Middle Eastern markets. Arab attitudes to UK and European homecare and mobility products are very positive, and longer-term trading partnerships are welcomed.”	SpineVision establishes UK subsidiary SPECIALIST MEDICAL DEVICE company SpineVision® has established a wholly-owned direct sales subsidiary for the UK, based in Chester. Raymond Thomasen is Managing Director of the new sales operation. Raymond Thomasen was previously Vice President Europe, MEA, for Wright Medical Technology for three years, and made the UK Wright’s highest growth market for two of those years. Before that, in eight years with Stryker, he was twice named as ‘European Sales Manager of the Year’. “Ray Thomasen is a very experienced and successful sales-and-marketing executive with significant experience in the device market in general and in the UK territory in particular,” said Julian Mackenzie, CEO of SpineVision. “We expect Ray to hire at least 10 direct sales representatives or agents in the near term to begin calling on neurosurgeons and spine surgeons throughout the UK. Ray’s group will be looking for opportunities related to distributing other companies’ products if they are complementary. We believe that our PediGuard™ product, which has blockbuster potential, will open a lot of doors for Ray and his team.”
New offices for stoma care company Fittleworth Medical Ltd, a home delivery service for stoma and continence supplies, has moved to new offices. The company was originally based in the village of Ford, but has grown significantly in recent years. The 25 care centre staff have moved to the new offices in nearby Littlehampton. The new premises include a state of the art customer care centre and a clinic room. The new offices were officially opened by the Mayor of Littlehampton, Malcolm Belchamber, and the area’s MP, Nick Gibb. Julia Constable, Managing Director of Fittleworth Medical, said: “This move is a significant milestone for us and establishes us as a major local company.” Anne Demick, National Secretary of the Ileostomy Association, said: “We have enjoyed a close relationship with Fittleworth Medical for many years now and it is wonderful to see how they have expanded. This move to new offices will benefit their staff and customers and enable them to build on this progress.”
CIGA Healthcare wins Best of British Industry Award BELFAST-BASED DIAGNOSTICS company CIGA Healthcare has received the Best of British Industry Award for Small Companies. The Award was presented by Sir Digby Jones, who said that “CIGA were head and shoulders above the other entrants” and “They have taken on the giants of industry and won.” He continued: “This award celebrates smaller companies destined to go far. Our winner has few resources, few people, but still manages to compete successfully against multinationals, cornering some 15% of the pregnancy test market. The judges felt it was a model business of its kind.” Irwin Armstrong, CEO of CIGA, said: “This is a tribute to our staff and those of our partners, suppliers and customers who work closely with us. For a small Northern Ireland company to share awards with companies whose names are known not only in the UK but worldwide is a tremendous boost for our company as we expand into Europe.” CIGA was formed in 2005 to sell ‘Self Test’ rapid diagnostic tests. The company’s Suresign® product line includes tests for pregnancy, menopause, ovulation, cholesterol and diabetes. CIGA’s products are independently CE marked in the UK for retail sale. The company plans distribution in the larger EU countries within the next 12 months.	New baby screening programme ALL BABIES IN ENGLAND are to be screened for the inherited metabolic disease Medium Chain Acyl CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (MCADD) within two weeks of birth, Health Minister Ivan Lewis has announced. The check will be carried out as part of the standard ‘heelprick’ baby screening test. MCADD is a rare disease that affects the control of blood sugar level under metabolic stress. Screening should identify around 28 cases a year in England. If the disease is not identified and treated early, around a quarter of affected children die from the condition and one-third of survivors suffer neurological damage. Sheila Shribman, National Clinical Director for Children, said: “This is a very important screening programme. Evidence shows that screening newborn babies for this condition will not only save lives, but can significantly improve their quality of life. Simple treatment through dietary management will substantially reduce the risk of death and of acute, serious illness.” Following a pilot study of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of NHS screening for this disease, the UK National Screening Committee (NSC) has recommended screening for all newborn babies. A rollout of the screening programme is planned over the next two years.
Diagnostics sector shake-up continues 3M HAS EXPANDED its diagnostics platform with the acquisition of UK-based specialist Acolyte Biomedica Ltd. The news is the latest activity in the shake-up of the diagnostics sector, and follows Abbott’s decision to sell its core laboratory diagnostics and point-of-care businesses to GE. Based in Salisbury, Acolyte Biomedica develops, manufactures and markets rapid microbial detection products. Its rapid culture-based MRSA test, BacLite Rapid®, can detect the presence or absence of MRSA from clinical samples in less than five hours. It is the only rapid test that discriminates between live and dead bacteria, allowing clinicians to determine the risk of infection. The acquisition of Acolyte Biomedica allows 3M to expand into the growing market of infection prevention diagnostics – especially in Europe, where Acolyte has a commercial presence. Chuck Kummeth, Vice-President of 3M Medical Division, said: “Our vision is to continue expanding our platform to include diagnostic solutions ranging from simple, culture-based approaches to more advanced molecular diagnostics.” Abbott will sell its core laboratory diagnostics businesses – the Abbott Diagnostics Division and Abbott Point of Care – to GE for $8.13 billion in cash. The Molecular Diagnostics and Diabetes Care businesses will remain part of Abbott. The sale is expected to close in the first half of 2007. “The laboratory diagnostics market has changed considerably in the last decade. Innovation in this segment will be increasingly driven by automation, system integration and a host of skills that GE can offer,” said Miles D. White, Chairman and CEO of Abbott. “As part of GE, Abbott’s core diagnostics and point-of-care businesses will be powerfully positioned to extend their market success.”

 

 

Ray Hodgkinson, Director General of the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA), discusses the vital role of assistive technologies in today’s healthcare market.

An increasing number of people are living longer in the UK, but the future is stark for many elderly people. As mobility and other health problems develop, people worry that there may not be the help and support available to enable them to stay in their own homes. The population of over-50s is predicted to increase by 40% over the next 10 years. As age increases, so does the need for the products and services our member companies supply: ‘assistive technologies’.

Basically, these are any product or service designed to enable independence for disabled and older people, such as wheelchairs, stairlifts, hoists and continence products, special seating, orthotics and pressure care. They can range from simple products such as grab rails to complex pieces of electronic equipment such as speech aids and prosthetics. There are also some exciting developments coming from the nanotechnology sector that could have a big impact on the industry.

The Government is recognising the importance of caring for people in the community. Spiralling NHS costs have prompted it to carry out radical and comprehensive research into reforming services. As a result, it is now looking to shift much of the current 75% share of the total NHS spend that is focused on secondary (hospital) care to primary (GP and community) care. Our industry stands to benefit from this shift through recognition of the contribution our products and services can make to keeping people in the community.

Aids to independent living

The British Healthcare Trades Association is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, and we are proud to be the oldest healthcare trade association in the country. We have over 350 company members, employing over 17,000 people and representing a £2 billion turnover in the healthcare market. Some of these businesses are very large and some are sole operators, but the majority are SMEs. The BHTA’s 14 sections include mobility (wheelchairs and scooters), services for the visually impaired, stoma and continence products and prosthetics and orthotics.

We are closely involved with developing industry and product standards to maintain and improve product choice, quality and, above all, safety. The BHTA works tirelessly to protect its members’ interests through close liaison with government departments and agencies (particularly the Department of Health and the Department for Transport), as well as charities and other bodies involved in delivering healthcare services. As an organisation, by working with government and the NHS, with social services and directly with consumers, our aim is to enable as many people as possible to live independently in their own homes, whatever their age or condition.

New Code of Practice

In our industry, ‘cowboys’ – people who sell unsuitable and expensive equipment to vulnerable people – are a serious concern. To address this problem, three years ago we developed a new Code of Practice to which all our members must sign up. The Code sets out the standards our members must meet and aims to identify best practice, eliminate cowboy behaviour and ensure that member businesses are ones that consumers can trust to give good service.

The Code has now achieved Stage 1 of the Office of Fair Trading Consumer Codes Approval System, and is backed by organisations such as Age Concern, Disabled Living Foundation, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the NHS Purchasing & Supply Agency, the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) and Motability. Now the spotlight is on Internet selling and the pitfalls involved for unwary members of the public. We are preparing guidance on this topic.

The BHTA also has a Registrant’s Scheme for individuals who wish to sign up to the Code of Practice – they do not have to be BHTA members. This scheme is leading the medtech industry in promoting best practices.

Community equipment services

In the NHS, the current procurement model for assistive technologies is based on commodity procurement. The government is trying to aggregate these services in much the same way as in the pharmaceutical industry. This has worked well for that sector, where items are identical – but the BHTA and its members are trying to get across the idea that our products are not a ‘one size fits all’ prescription.

The needs of our customers are different, and we have to cope with the fact that these needs will change over time. A number of the products we deal with have a high input of training, servicing and education. Our members are dealing with the most vulnerable people in our communities. So we’re trying to safeguard the consumer’s right to choose the best option for their needs at any one time.

It is estimated that 7 million people in the UK could benefit from supportive equipment for independent living. Currently, the best estimate is that the state and private sector combined provide equipment to only around 2 million – a huge shortfall! We are currently working with the government to develop a model as to how this could be remedied across the country.

A recent pathfinder study on orthotics showed that for every £1 spent on assistive technology, approximately £4 is saved from that part of the NHS budget. It can be assumed that similar cost savings could be achieved in all areas of the NHS.

A shift in vision

The new system would represent the same fundamental shift in service provision that happened in the spectacles market over 30 years ago. The idea is to give people choices and help before they need to be treated in a hospital environment. If assistive technology is utilised before the patient requires medical intervention – for example, installing grab rails in an older person’s home to prevent falls – then the benefit to the person of preventing a hospital visit and being able to stay at home, coupled with the saving for community services, is immense. The market that this new model needs to encompass ranges from people with severe disabilities caused by congenital problems or accidents through to people with chronic illnesses, and people with failing health who simply need assistance to prevent further accidents or deterioration. At first glance, there already appear to be a vast number of solutions, with the number of existing products being well over 6,000. There will be a variety of solutions to address any given problem – e.g. walking stick, walking frame or walker – each with several different manufacturers and suppliers, whose products will be suited to some individuals and not to others.

This could work via a prescription model. The client will be assessed and given a prescription they can then ‘cash in’ for a product that fulfils the prescription requirements and suits their tastes. For example, using the spectacles market comparison again, someone could walk in with a prescription for glasses and take a pair of NHS specs. Alternatively, they could use the prescription to fund the lenses and top up using their own funds to choose the frames they like best. We could see a Dolce & Gabbana product in our market yet! We’ll have to wait and see how it will work if this process goes forward.

The vulnerable nature of the end user means that extra support is needed in terms of advice, instruction, demonstration and installation or commissioning (e.g. grab rails need to be sited and installed properly; an electric wheelchair means driving tuition is essential). Advice must improve and be more widely available, as there is a very significant risk attached to self-help without appropriate guidance. This is why BHTA strongly supports the introduction of a regulatory framework.

Quality of life

To take these radical plans forward, we are working closely with healthcare professionals and the industry to shape the necessary changes. I am sure it will prove to be a challenging time, but our members who have signed up to the Code of Practice will be at the leading edge of all these changes. The BHTA believes this to be a ‘win-win-win’ situation for the consumer, the supplier and the taxpayer. This could be a huge opportunity for the industry, and we will see a great deal of growth over the next 10 to 20 years.

Ultimately, these changes will take pressure off long-term care facilities, and will offer a much more efficient way to spend the taxpayer’s money. Our members will be in a position to supply the best solutions and service to the public.

It is estimated that 7 million people in the UK could benefit from supportive equipment for independent living. Currently, the best estimate is that the state and private sector combined provide equipment to only around 2 million – a huge shortfall!

The popular stigma attached to assistive technologies is rapidly going away. Stairlifts are now being advertised on TV. The public will start to seek out these products in order to help them achieve a better quality of life, and BHTA members will be ready to meet their needs.

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Ray Hodgkinson is Director General of the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA). For more information, visit www.bhta.com.