OPERATING THEATRE TECHNOLOGY
he continued, “installing the four smart assembly cells, and condensing our supply chain, has given us a major competitive edge. Some of our competitors have been quoting 24 weeks to deliver operating theatre lights, whereas we can often deliver them in a week.” Explaining that previously Brandon had typically offered delivery within 4-5 weeks, he added: “Many of our competitors are still having to source their parts from Asia, and if you’re building a new hospital, and discover that your theatre components may take six months to arrive, it’s hardly ideal.” In anticipation of Brexit, and as some parts became more difficult to obtain, Brandon Medical also increased the density of storage inside its main building, fitting additional high-bay racking. Nigel Davill said: “It’s not just on new parts where we have an edge, but also spares. We can deliver many of our spares the same day, whereas if you are dealing with a parts supplier in mainland Europe, it can take three weeks just to get a stock item here, including getting it through Customs.”
Significant investment Graeme Hall would not be drawn on the size of Brandon’s spend on streamlining its production through its use of smart assembly systems, and shortening its lead times, but admitted it had been ‘significant’. Returning to the wider issue of recruitment challenges, he said: “There is definitely a shortage of skilled people – due to the perfect storm of Brexit and COVID, and an ageing UK workforce. We’ve significantly reduced the number of people coming into the country for work, particularly from the EU, while since COVID, more people are deciding to retire early. We are firm believers in apprenticeships; we currently have three mechanical engineering apprentices here, all working in manufacturing, and are now seeking a commercial apprentice.”
Carbon reduction efforts Here Nigel Davill switched the focus a little, although returning to an earlier theme. He said: “The resilience of our supply chain has been key over the past 2-3 years, but the other side of the coin has been an increased focus on sustainability and carbon reduction. Obviously, one thing helps the other – i.e. shortening our supply chain has been good for our sustainability.” Brandon had also, he explained, been working on systematically working through where its main energy usage hotspots were, and how it could address them, as well as reducing embedded carbon in its manufacturing. Graeme Hall explained: “We’re currently preparing a comprehensive ‘Green Plan’ for Net Zero, and have signed up to some of the main Net Zero carbon schemes, including the Betterworld Solutions initiative (whose purpose is to encourage companies to
Integration of clinical devices and other capital equipment in the operating theatre is one of the key focuses for the Leeds-based medical technology specialist.
adopt, publish, and operate an Investment Policy to Prevent Global Warming), and a construction industry scheme called Pledge to Net Zero.”
Procrastinate, or do what you can now? As Graeme Hall sees it, there are currently two main potential approaches to the Net Zero Challenge. He elaborated: “You can either procrastinate, and do nothing, while trying to come up with perfect solutions, or – as we are doing – you can look hard at what you can do now, in terms of reducing the carbon footprint of your facilities, buildings, and transport. Product-wise,” he continued, “your existing products already have the carbon designed into them, but with any new ones, you can focus on reducing the embedded carbon.” Brandon is thus now ‘benchmarking’ the carbon in all its new products, and using special software to identify how it can cut the amount of embedded carbon incorporated – for example by using materials that can be recycled using low energy. It has also been investigating the potential to establish smart assembly overseas, ‘in key market locations close to where you want the product’. This is, however, ‘only at the planning stage’.
New considerations Graeme Hall said: “In the past, when
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selecting the materials for a new product, you typically looked mainly at properties such as strength, robustness, flexibility, and antimicrobial characteristics, but carbon wasn’t ever much considered. Now, however, we are always looking at reducing carbon first, although balanced against this is the fact that for products used in medical settings, characteristics such as robustness, strength, and cleanability, are key. The primary role of a medical device is – after all – to do its job properly and safely. While I think UK industry has quite a good grasp on the actions required to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions,” he continued, “it’s the Scope 3 emissions (defined under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol as ‘the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organisation, but that the organisation indirectly impacts in its value chain’) that are the bigger challenge.”
Reducing its EPC rating Alongside seeking to streamline and reduce the carbon impact of its manufacturing activities, Brandon had already brought its main building’s EPC rating up from G to B. Graeme Hall explained: “We have done this systematically and progressively over the past 10 years – for instance via thermal insulation, eliminating draughts, and
Executive Chairman, Graeme Hall: “If we can’t find a local supplier, we’ll try to design and manufacture the component ourselves”
January 2023 Health Estate Journal 57
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