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Serchem acquires Serve Medical Cancer deaths expected to rise to over 18 million in 2050
A Telford-based global chemical manufacturer has strengthened its healthcare decontamination expertise by acquiring a respected provider of validation and servicing for hospital decontamination units. Serchem, based on Hortonwood 10, has acquired
Serve Medical, based at The Ercall Suite on Stafford Park, bringing together two trusted Telford businesses.
Since its founding in 2008, the company has built
a reputation for reliability and precision, supporting both NHS and private healthcare providers nationwide. Its services cover a wide range of critical functions including clean room testing, endoscope washer-disinfector validation, steriliser testing, drying cabinet validation and RO water analysis. Serve Medical is recognised across the sector for its high standards, technical expertise and commitment to compliance. Oliver Wadlow, Director at Serchem, said: “This is a significant step forward for Serchem, as we welcome the Serve Medical team into our family. The fit between the two organisations, in terms of both services and culture, is a natural one. “At the same time, it will remain very much business as usual for both companies, as we focus on the areas of knowledge our customers rely on us for.” Ean Andrews-Whalley, who will continue as Managing Director of Serve Medical, said: “Having worked very closely with the Serchem over many years it all feels very natural to be formally joining the family. “Our validation and servicing offering combined with the chemistry expertise at Serchem makes me very excited about the future, and what the two businesses can achieve together.”
Patients treated quicker as NHS productivity rises over year
New data shows NHS productivity for Acute Trusts increased by 2.7% over the past year - between April 2024 and March 2025 - exceeding the government’s 2% year-on-year target set in the 10 Year Health Plan. According to the Department of Health and
Social Care (DHSC), this has been achieved through more same-day discharges, shorter hospital stays, better use of technology, reduced reliance on agency staff, improved staff retention, and sending in crack teams of top clinicians to underperforming Trusts to drive rapid improvements. Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “I’ve always been clear that NHS staff should be spending their time caring for patients, not on bureaucracy and needless duplication. “We’re boosting productivity through a range
of measures - from sending in crack teams to underperforming trusts, clamping down on wasteful agency spend and increasing use of technology. This is having a real-life impact for patients - quicker access to tests and treatment. “We’re turning the NHS round after years of neglect, but I know too many people are still
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waiting too long. That’s why we’re combining record investment of £29 billion with tough reforms, making sure every pound is spent on cutting waiting times and improving care for patients through our Plan for Change.”
There has been a rapid increase in the global number of cancer cases and deaths between 1990 and 2023, despite advances in cancer treatment and efforts to tackle cancer risk factors over that same time period. Without urgent action and targeted funding, 30.5 million people are forecast to receive a new cancer diagnosis and 18.6 million are expected to die from cancer in 2050, with over half of new cases and two-thirds of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This is according to a major new analysis
from the Global Burden of Disease Study Cancer Collaborators, published in The Lancet. While the overall number of cancer cases and deaths is set to rise substantially from 2024 to 2050, encouragingly, when the global case and mortality rates are adjusted to account for differences in age, they are not forecast to increase. This suggests that most of the increases in cases and deaths will be due to population growth and the rise of ageing populations. Such improvement, however, is still far away
from the ambitious UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to reduce premature mortality due to non-communicable diseases, which include cancer, by a third by 2030. “Cancer remains an important contributor to disease burden globally and our study highlights how it is anticipated to grow substantially over the coming decades, with disproportionate growth in countries with limited resources,” said lead author Dr. Lisa Force from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, US. “Despite the clear need for action, cancer control policies and implementation remain underprioritised in global health, and there is insufficient funding to address this challenge in many settings.” She added, “Ensuring equitable cancer
outcomes globally will require greater efforts to reduce disparities in health service delivery such as access to accurate and timely diagnosis, and quality treatment and supportive care.” Lifestyle factors are also highlighted as significant risks in the report. The study estimates that 42% (4.3 million) of the estimated 10.4 million cancer deaths in 2023 were attributable to 44 potentially modifiable risk factors, presenting an opportunity for action. Tobacco use, for example, contributed to 21% of cancer deaths globally.
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