The BBH awards ceremony which is held annually, was hosted on November 1st at The Brewery, London and saw over 600 industry professionals from all over the UK in attendance, anticipating the announcement of the 2017 winners.
The healthcare sector is facing two key challenges – improving access to the range of services on offer and trimming its prodigious budget. This more-for-less approach relies on innovation in services and products and has seen a call to arms within the supplier base to step forward with new solutions.
The resulting products, were put under the spotlight at the annual awards, which attracted nearly 200 entries this year.
Jo Makosinski, editor of Building Better Healthcare Magazine and organiser of the awards, said: “The Product category always attracts entries from a wide spectrum of companies.
“Companies, when creating and marketing products to the NHS, in particular, must prove that they meet current health priorities, and at present these revolve around making financial and operational efficiencies, improving outcomes and the environment for patients, helping to reduce healthcare associated infections, reducing carbon emissions, and reducing reliance on paper notes and records, which is how we have chosen this year’s categories.”
Renfrew Group International was named the winner in the ‘Interior Product Design – Furniture & Fixtures’ category.
Initiated by NHS National Innovation Centre (NIC) in 2009, RGi worked in close partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant in the successful, user-centered design and implementation of the new phlebotomy chair and trolley system. It enhances the donation experience and improves the whole process for support staff. The result is a product that is lightweight, easily transportable, robust, comfortable and easy for staff to set up, clean and operate. It’s also suitable for use in a variety of environments.
The judges said “Blood donation is crucial to healthcare services and anything that can make life easier for donors and the staff who are working with them is to be welcomed. We were particularly impressed by what seemed like a simple design, but, in reality, meets the need of a wide variety of users, not least the staff who run the services, who are fundamental to its overall success.”
Renfrew Group’s Donor Chair also took away one of two special trophies – the ‘Clinician’s Choice Award’.
Mike Phillips, Design Director said of the win: “We are thrilled to have won the Clinician’s Choice Award. Not only does it show how much of a need there is for innovation within the Blood and Transplant sector, it also points to the faith clinicians have in the chair. To be chosen alongside the New Cancer Centre at Guys Hospital is fantastic.”
“What’s exciting is the potential this product has now, not only to continue improving the experience of blood donations, but also to expand into other healthcare sectors as a Therapy Chair – consultations, delivering medicines intravenously or even chemotherapy are just a few examples.”
To read the full story on the Renfrew Group website, please click here.
