Herida Healthcare works non-stop to supply vital equipment to ExCel NHS Nightingale Hospital
As the NHS races to create a makeshift hospital inside London’s ExCel Centre, Herida Healthcare has joined the mammoth effort by mobilising its entire production facility to rapidly-produce desperately needed specialist mattresses.
Announced on the 24th March by Health and Social Care Secretary Matthew Hancock, the NHS Nightingale Hospital is a field hospital based at London’s ExCel conference centre in East London established to help deal with the rising number of cases in the capital.
Set to be launched this week for the first 500 COVID-19 patients, the project has seen the military called in to help create the temporary healthcare facility.
Aiding in the gargantuan effort to create the large-scale hospital, Leeds-based manufacturer Herida Healthcare has been working around the clock to make thousands of specialist mattresses, completing its first initial delivery on the 27th March.
The air-pump mattresses provided by the UK manufacturer are designed to reduce the chance of critically-ill patients developing pressure ulcers.
Usually sold to NHS trusts and long-term care homes across the UK and globally, the company has now ramped up its production rapidly in order to help the NHS during the coronavirus crisis.
Emphasising the willingness of his team to go above and beyond, Neil Smith, Founder and Chairman of Herida Healthcare, said: “While we all really appreciate the work the NHS does at its centre, the response to Covid-19 needs a chain of suppliers who provide critical links. This includes delivery drivers taking it there, packers, mattress welders, cutters, administrative staff working from home and all others in between.
“Our staff are working so hard and we are all a bit exhausted as we have turned this round in 72 hours, but morale is very high as they are so proud to take part.”
According to Neil, the staff at Herida Healthcare worked in shifts over 24 hours to fulfil the initial order, with more orders coming in.
The Yorkshire manufacturer also confirmed that all 42 staff are wearing PPE and carrying out social distancing whilst working flat out to help the NHS ramp up its capacity.
Leader of Leeds City Council Cllr Judith Blake said: “This is great news for Herida Healthcare and I am really proud to see a local up-and-coming company doing its bit to help the national effort.
“UK manufacturing will be a crucial part of tackling this crisis and it shows how the whole country is pulling together to help each other in a time of need.”
At the beginning of the year, THIIS covered Herida healthcare’s new production facility launch and discovered more about the relative newcomer to the market, having only been established in 2016 – read the full interview here.
Roger Marsh OBE, Deputy Lieutenant and chair of Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and NP11, said: “The swift response by Herida Healthcare to this national call for such an urgent national need is real testament to the region’s manufacturing capability. They are just one of many local businesses who are fundamentally changing their operations to assist at this difficult time, and we must all thank all of those smart people who are driving forward solutions for the national effort.”
It is hoped that the ExCel facility will include 4,000 beds to care for those with COVID-19 once the facility is running at full capacity.
On 27th March, Sir Simon Stevens confirmed that popular trade exhibition venues the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham and the Central Convention Centre in Manchester are set to also become Nightingale hospitals in the coming weeks.