Inditherm’s revolutionary range was singled out for praise in the Suppliers Delivering Sustainability category at the recently-held Community Partnerships Awards in London.

 

Sponsored by the Department of Health, the award recognises the contribution the systems are making to improving patient care, affordability and reducing environmental impact.

 

Inditherm's patient warming range has picked up a top industry award

A key aspect in the win was the ability of the warming systems to deliver outstanding clinical performance at a reduced cost. This is making it sustainable to warm all surgical patients and thus ensure better clinical outcomes at a time when NHS budgets are coming under increasing pressure.

 

Inditherm’s chief executive, Nick Bettles, said: “The advantages offered by these systems are already helping hospitals to meet and exceed the UK NICE guidelines on preventing unplanned perioperative hypothermia. These guidelines highlighted the reduction in infection rates, blood loss, recovery times and mortality associated with warming of patients during surgery.”

 

The award also recognised the environmental sustainability of the equipment as it is estimated that a change from traditional air warming to the patented carbon polymer technology will save more than 1,000kWh of electricity a year for every operating room. The annual reduction in clinical waste generated is further estimated to be in excess of 50kg per operation room, so even if only half the NHS adopted the technology, the saving is expected to me more than 1,500MWh of energy and 100 tonnes of waste.

 

 

Bettles said: “This award clearly recognises the contribution our patient warming systems can offer to the NHS.

 

“The judging panel was led by senior Department of Health and NHS managers and took into account the improved clinical care, dramatic reduction in expenditure and significant environmental contribution. The process leading to the award was rigorous and endorses the opportunity Inditherm technology provides for hospitals to meet NICE guidelines at the same time as reducing costs. This must be attractive to the NHS in the current economic climate.”

 

The launch of the range followed the issuing of NICE guidance in 2008 which relates to the prevention of hypothermia in patients undergoing surgery. The recommendations indicated the need for an increase in patients receiving active warming by around 150%.