23rd Aug 2006 07:01
Synergy Healthcare PLC23 August 2006 For Immediate Release 23 August 2006 The Central Lancashire and North Sefton Decontamination Partnership selectsShiloh, a subsidiary of Synergy Healthcare plc, as its preferred bidder for the development of two new, decontamination processing centres in Preston and Kirkby. The Central Lancashire and North Sefton Decontamination Partnership ("thePartnership") consisting of: Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre NHS Trust St Helens and Knowsley NHS Trust has selected Shiloh as their preferred bidder for the construction and operationof two decontamination processing centres of a total value of £6 million inPreston and Kirkby. The new decontamination centres are the outcome of anational initiative by the Department of Health to improve the quality ofpatient care by reducing the risks associated with the decontamination andre-sterilisation of surgical instruments and equipment. It will enable NHShospitals to meet and maintain the latest European standards for thedecontamination of surgical instruments. The fifteen year contract, which will reach financial close towards the end of2006, is expected to begin operations some nine months following financial closebringing to the local health economy: - state of the art processing equipment and environment; - full instrument traceability; - investment in knowledge and skills development for the sterile services technicians; - improved availability of instrumentation; and most importantly - improved protection against infection. For further information please contact: Dr Geoff Andrews, Projects Director, Shiloh plc, 01332 387170 Dr Richard M Steeves, CEO, Synergy Healthcare plc 01332 387107 Ivan Jacques, Group Finance Director, Synergy Healthcare plc 01332 387140 Isabel Podda, Buchanan Communications 020 7466 5000 For further information about the Partnership please contact: Jonathan Parry, Chief Executive Southport & Ormskirk NHS Trust, 01704 704781 Chris Cheetham, Project Manager, CPC Limited, 0161 819 6500 This and previous releases can be found at synergyhealthcare.plc.uk Synergy Healthcare is one of leading providers of support services to the UK andDutch healthcare markets. The group is one of the most experienced providers ofdecontamination services operating fifteen facilities in the UK and processingc.40 million instruments this year. A new Dutch facility in Amsterdam beganoperations earlier this month. The group currently has 2500 employees, a forwardorder book of £0.6 billion and annualised sales of £135 million. Note for Editors Decontamination is a combination of processes, including cleaning, disinfectionand/or sterilization, used to render reusable surgical instruments safe forfurther use. A sample survey of decontamination services in the NHS in England - the firstsuch for over 40 years - carried out in 1999/2000 and published in December2001, found instances where decontamination processes fell short of currentstandards. Analysis of the findings of this initial survey highlighted the needto undertake a comprehensive review of decontamination services across the wholeof the NHS. NHS Estates carried out such a comprehensive survey of the NHS fromOctober 2000. In January 2001, John Denham MP, the then Minister of Healthannounced that the Government would invest £200 million in improvingdecontamination in the NHS in England. The NHS needs state-of-the-artdecontamination "locked in" as part of its culture - having achievedsatisfactory performance at a point in time, that performance must be maintainedindefinitely, with a mechanism for ensuring that future technical advances aremonitored and incorporated. The Department launched its national strategy fordoing this in June 2003. A further three Projects, involving 16 Trusts, are expected to announce theirpreferred bidders later this year. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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