What's the future for Calder Royal Hospital?

As a company based in Yorkshire we take an active interest in what is happening with the various NHS Trusts in the region. So we were intrigued by the recent news in the Halifax Courier about the possible closure of the accident and emergency department at Calderdale Royal Hospital. Here’s the piece in full below:

Calderdale Royal Hospital’s accident and emergency department could be set for closure as part of an NHS review.
An oral report on the Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield Health and Social Care Strategic Review revealed five options for its the preferred option of the Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield Health and Social Care Strategic Review to see Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI) provide 24 hour A&E while Calderdale would be left as a centre for ‘planned’ care losing its A&E unit.
Councillors on the Adults, Health and Social Care Scrutiny Panel, expressed their concerns about the potential loss of the department during the presentation at Halifax Town Hall.
Councillor Adam Wilkinson (Lab, Skircoat) said: “These proposals are more about government cuts than better outcomes for patients.”
The proposal is one of five that will go out for public engagement in the summer and could be decided upon by the end of the year.
The five proposals are:
1. Continue with the existing hospital and community service model and configuration
2. Implement the community and hospital service model with Huddersfield Royal Infirmary as the site for acute and emergency care and Calderdale Royal Hospital as the site for planned hospital care
3. Implement the community and hospital service model with Calderdale Royal Hospital as the site for acute and emergency care and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary as the site for planned hospital care
4. Implement the Keogh review which suggests a dramatic reduction of hospitals across Yorkshire
5. Continue with the existing community service model and change emergency hospital care provided locally so that those people needing specialist treatments are transferred to a major emergency centre outside the local area. Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Calderdale Royal Hospital would offer ‘see and initiate treatment’ services with people needing specialist treatments transferred to specialist centres.
Dr Barbara Crosse told councillors that the preferred option to provide emergency care only in Huddersfield was based around improved community services with the emphasis on people taking “more responsibility for their health”.
Health chiefs say the plan will save around £50 million although Todmorden Health Centre would be enhanced to cope with the changes as residents would have the furthest to travel if the A&E unit moved to Huddersfield.
The options will now go through a public engagement process with Dr Matt Walsh keen to point out that although they had a preferred option the decision hasn’t been made.
“It is reasonable for the provider to have a preferred option but, hand on heart, commissioners haven’t made a decision yet.”

It looks like this debate is going to run for a while. What do you think? Leave a comment below…

We're finalists in the Tomorrow's FM Awards

We have just received confirmation that Ferno’s Saver Safe Evacuation Chair has been nominated as a finalist in the Tomorrow’s FM awards. Many thanks to everyone who voted for us. Voting for the overall competition winner closes on Friday 28th March 2014.You can still support us further by visiting this website and casting your vote. Thanks once again for your support of our products.

On the Spot: Luigi Vernazza

On The Spot gives us an opportunity to get to know something about our colleagues. Today it is Commercial Director Luigi Vernazza.

What was your first job?
Working at my dad’s ice cream factory whilst at school. If I wanted extra pocket money, I had to do all the menial jobs no one else wanted to do!

In less than 200 words describe your job at Ferno?
As Commercial Director, my role is to lead the sales, marketing and service teams to even greater success in our markets. Working closely with all our colleagues in Ferno as a whole, we will strive to continually improve our products, processes, services, systems and skills to ensure we offer our customers’ solutions which meet their needs over and above what our competitors can offer.
It is my responsibility to ensure that everything we do commercially is as effective as possible to grow our company’s revenue and profitability whilst meeting our customers’ needs.

What would be your ideal day out of the office?
Chilling out on a secluded, tropical beach with Scarlett Johansson and a couple of bottles of good champagne!

Name one person you would like to have dinner with and why?
Nigella Lawson as long as she cooks dinner - because she comes across as funny and interesting , she is nice to look at and most importantly……. the food would be great! ?

What was your best subject at school?
Physics and PE.

What would you do if you won the national lottery?
Be very happy!

What is your favourite garment and why?
My stripy Paul Smith dressing gown. I can be completely chilled whilst still looking dapper and fashionable.

What was your worst mistake and why?
Buying a betamax video recorder when everyone else was buying VHS. The betamax may have been more aesthetically pleasing, but six months down the line I couldn’t buy any movies to play on it! Professionally, I believe that we all learn all the time and can always improve, so I probably haven’t made my worst mistake yet.

What is your favourite time of day and why?
Early morning because I can look forward to another full and exciting day at Ferno (Do I get extra brownie points for that answer? ?)

Top five favourite songs of all time?
Just click on the links to see more…
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Can’t Stop
Coldplay: Fix You
The Calling: Wherever You Will Go
Bruce Springsteen: Born To Run
Elbow: One Day Like This

Happy Birthday John Mac

Here’s John Mac from our Goods In department who secretly celebrated his 40th Birthday on the 7th February. He nearly got away without Ferno marking the occasion until a close colleague found out. A small collection took place and raised just under £90.00 which was presented to him along with a PS3 birthday cake. John will be putting his birthday money towards his part time hobby of repairing Play Stations!
John thanked his friends and colleagues at Ferno by cutting the cake for afternoon break!

The memorabilia hunt

We are on a mission to find old ambulance and funeral service memorabilia as we seek to put in place a historic timeline to the hard working people in the ambulance and funeral sectors we have served for many years.
The timeline will be a key feature in the company’s Customer Experience Centre which will open later this year.
We are now calling on those who work or who have worked in the ambulance service and the funeral sector to send us pictures of their memorabilia and the stories behind them as we  aim to capture some key landmarks and innovations in the history of the ambulance and funeral service sector.
We would love to hear from you to arrange to collect your memorabilia, story or anything related or it would be very generous of you to send your timeline memorabilia in the post to Victoria Woodford, Ferno (UK) Limited, Ferno House, Stubbs Beck Lane, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, BD19 4TZ.

Ferno calls on ambulance and funeral service personnel to send them their memories

We are on a mission to find old ambulance and funeral service memorabilia as we seek to put in place a historic timeline to the hard working people in the ambulance and funeral sectors we have served for many years.
The timeline will be a key feature in the company’s Customer Experience Centre which will open later this year.
We are now calling on those who work or who have worked in the ambulance service and the funeral sector to send us pictures of their memorabilia and the stories behind them as we  aim to capture some key landmarks and innovations in the history of the ambulance and funeral service sector.
We have already captured some of Ferno’s history since it was set up by Les Harris in 1971 as F.W. Equipment Co Ltd in Wyke, Bradford, West Yorkshire to manufacture and develop patient transfer equipment for the ambulance and funeral Industries.
Ferno managing director Jon Ellis says: “We want to pay homage by way of developing a ‘historic timeline’ to the hard working people in the Ambulance service and to pay our respect to the founders of Ferno in the US and the UK.
“We are now calling on ambulance service personnel, past and present, to come forward with their souvenirs and the stories behind them. So if you have any memorabilia like a cap, uniform, badge, model or picture with a story and date or news clipping from earlier days up to present please get in touch.”
We will also recognise donors’ generosity by making donations to the Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund and The Natural Death Centre, the educational charity which gives free, impartial advice on all aspects of dying, bereavement and consumer rights.
Jon adds: “We would love to hear from you to arrange to collect your memorabilia, story or anything related or it would be very generous of you to send your timeline memorabilia in the post to Victoria Woodford, Ferno (UK) Limited, Ferno House, Stubbs Beck Lane, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, BD19 4TZ.”
Donors can also post pictures of their memorabilia and souvenirs to the Ferno Facebook page where the company will be running a competition and the winners will get a VIP invitation to the official opening of the new Customer Experience Centre.
Over the next three months Ferno will be uploading pictures of the equipment it has developed over the past 45 years on its Facebook page, Twitter (hashtag #fernocec), blog and other social media channels as well as some old documents marking key events in the company’s history.

Win a box of Microflex gloves

Win a box of Microflex gloves. We have three boxes of these fantastic gloves to give away to those who Like and Share this post on Facebook over the next 30 days.
We have teamed up with Microflex, the leading medical examination glove manufacturer, to offer a range of examination, handling and embalming gloves for the funeral and mortuary sector and hospital pathology units.
The Microflex range of gloves are all powder-free and manufactured to exacting levels of quality, performance and safety.
Safegrip® latex gloves are four times thicker than standard latex gloves, providing high levels of defense against high risk chemicals such as embalming fluid during the preparation of the deceased in the mortuary. The gloves have been specially designed to minimise allergy risk and enhance protective qualities.
For those who are allergic or sensitive to latex, the Supreno® Plus examination gloves provide robust and reliable barrier protection, with an extended cuff to give better coverage of the wrist and forearm for improved user protection. UltraSense® Plus nitrile gloves incorporate enhanced tactile sensitivity, which combined with their non-stick surface produces better grip and handling of instruments.
EXCEED® extra-fine nitrile gloves offer unparalleled comfort and tactile grip, whilst maintaining the levels of strength and protection required for regular every-day handling use.
So Like and Share today and your name will go through to the draw which will take place on March 12.

On the Spot: Andy Bould

On The Spot gives us an opportunity to get to know something about our colleagues and features irregularly on the blog. Today it is Production Operative Andy Bould

What was your first job?
Newspaper delivery boy

In less than 200 words describe your job at Ferno.
I lay up materials to required amounts, mark round with a pattern and cut out with electric cutters.

What would be your ideal day out of the office?
For a meal out and then out to my favorite cocktail bar with my girlfriend.

Name one person you would like to have dinner with and why?
My Mum (she could cook anything)

What was your best subject at school?
History

What would you do if you won the National Lottery?
Cruise the world and pay off family debts.

What is your favorite garment and why?
Ben Sherman Shirt (Class)

What was your worst mistake and why?
Not made it yet!

What is your favorite time of day and why?
When the alarm goes off on Saturday morning – I can go back to sleep!!

Top five favourite songs of all time?
Click on the links below for more...
Bruce Sprinsteen: Born to Run
The Eagles: Hotel California
T.Rex: Ride a White Swan
John Lennon: Imagine
David Bowie: Jean Geanie

Warm welcome to Luigi Vernazza - our new commercial director

We’re pleased to announce that Luigi Vernazza has joined Ferno (UK) today as our new Commercial Director and part of the Senior Management Team.
Luigi has a wealth of experience in many of our main markets, having worked in medical device sales for more than 15 years. During this time he has worked at companies including Guidant UK, Siemens Medical Solutions and, most recently, Merit Medical in a range of positions. He has spent three years as Director of Sales and Marketing and two years as the Regional Sales Director (UK & Ireland). 
He started his career as a medical practitioner, training and working as a radiographer before making the move into sales.
As well as determining and implementing strategy, Luigi’s role will be hands on. He will enhance the existing strong team by bringing in strong leadership and management skills, working closely with all commercial team members to ensure that they are able to work to their full potential.
Please join us at Ferno in welcoming Luigi to the Ferno team and we look forward to his contribution into continuing and enhancing Ferno ’s success.