Vernacare Wins National Innovation Award
Vernacare in Innovation
The Vernacare Team
Bolton-based Vernacare has won a major healthcare industry award for its pioneering work in bringing valuable new infection prevention products to market.
The company, which has been innovating in Bolton since the early 1960s, started out using waste paper from the Bolton News to develop single-use pulp products that would save nurses time. This 'Vernacare System' of human waste management in healthcare is now a best practice method that is helping to prevent infection and boost environmental and cost performance at hospitals worldwide.
Staff were presented recently with the Healthcare Publications Infection Control Innovation Award for their continued record in new product development.
The company has its own in-house research and development team and continually invests in first-to-market new products. Latest innovations include the world's first detergent-proof washbowl and a pioneering new easy-clean porter's chair, which will be launched this year. Other new products set to launch include a single-use pulp anaesthetic tray.
The company also recently developed the new Vortex macerator, which includes advanced infection prevention features such as a hands free opening mechanism and built in deodoriser. The Vernacare Indicator tape is also being used at many hospitals to demonstrate when equipment has been cleaned.
From its state-of-the-art factory in Bolton, the company manufactures pulp bedpans, urinals and other containers from recycled over-issue news print - producing 150 million units per year. In Bolton, it also manufactures the market-leading macerator waste disposal machine that breaks down the biodegradable pulp into minute fragments that then wash down the drains with the waste water. This system provides a hygienic single-use system of patient toileting and washing, and avoids the environmental cost of chemically and thermally disinfecting plastic containers, and then ultimately landfill.
Vernacare UK is a top 30 supplier to the NHS and its cost efficient, environmentally friendly system is now used in over 90% of all UK Hospitals and more than 40 countries worldwide. The group's main markets are in UK,Canada, USA, Australia, South Africa, Middle East, and Europe where it operates a range of wholly owned and joint venture companies.
Significant investment has been made in Verna's factory in recent years, with the introduction of automated inspection and packing, which have further enhanced the efficiency of the manufacturing process. Further investment is committed over the next few years to increase the Group's manufacturing capacity to meet its international expansion plans.
Said Philip Bradley, UK Marketing Manager: "We are delighted to win this award which recognises the company's forward thinking approach and creativity. We constantly innovate and improve our products to stay one step ahead of the competition and this is fantastic recognition for our team."
Tracey Armitage, Editor of Healthcare Publications, said: "Vernacare have won the award in one of the most hotly contested categories - innovation in infection control. Healthcare Publications has an entire journal dedicated to infection control issues so the fact that Vernacare impressed our judges in a very broad and competitive area, is testimony to their product portfolio and expertise. In total, there were 12 categories and Vernacare were shortlisted to one of four via a selection of our readers before finally being judged the winner of the award by our editorial team."
