Medical device and heating specialists Inditherm plc recently welcomed His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO to their headquarters and factory near Rotherham.
The Duke heard how NICE has issued positive guidance regarding the use of Inditherm’s perioperative patient warming technology. Keeping patients warm significantly improves surgical outcomes and reduces the risk of post-operative complications. In addition to the direct health benefit for patients, there is a substantial cost saving for the NHS by switching from traditional hot air warming to Inditherm’s more advanced systems.
The Duke also learnt about Inditherm’s relationship with the armed services, and how the Company’s patient warming technology has been in use with the British Army in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan and other conflict zones. The system has also been adopted as the standard for critical care patient transport by the RAF and is also used by the New Zealand Air Force, Norwegian Navy and a number of other allied forces.
During a tour of the manufacturing areas, His Royal Highness was shown Inditherm’s new LifeStart neonatal resuscitation unit in production. Delayed cord clamping – leaving the umbilical cord attached for an extended period after birth - is recognised as providing life-long health advantages for the newborn baby. Inditherm’s specialist LifeStart system makes it possible for babies to receive urgent resuscitation at the delivery bedside with the umbilical cord still intact, where previously it would have been necessary to divide the cord and take the baby to a separate resuscitation trolley.
Commenting after The Duke’s visit, Inditherm CEO Nick Bettles said: “Inditherm is unique in that we are a small UK manufacturing company utilising our own carbon polymer heating technology to manufacture specialist products for the most demanding and diverse markets both at home and around the world. We are delighted to have been able to welcome His Royal Highness to see for himself something of what we are achieving here, both in terms of technological advancement and commercial success.”
