Thiis jan 2016 web by THIIS

THIIS Trade Magazine • Issue 208 • January 2016

Issue 208 • January 2016

Providing news and views in the trade since 1999

TRADE MAGAZINE

For everything new

Providing news and views in the trade since 1999

The battle to get noticed NEW PRODUCTS

ARE YOU BREAKING THE LAW?

JOBS ON OFFER

NEW YEAR… NEW IDEAS

BRAND DEVELOPMENT RETAILER FOCUS

making life better by design â&#x20AC;&#x153;We decided it was time to introduce contemporary design and new levels of comfort to furniture for the independent living sector. We also wanted to make it choosing style, functionality and fabric selection simple. We created accentu8 - British designed and made rise and recline chairs, engineered and crafted with care and so easy to select for every need. We look forward to the introducing you to accentu8, a world where we redefine motion furniture.â&#x20AC;? Angela Gidden MBE, Consultant Creative Director & Designer, accentu8

explore accentu8 today and receive our brochure www.accentu8.net t 01446 776111

…from the editor It might be a bit dull when you look out of the window and we have a few more months of cold, wet and sometimes miserable conditions ahead, but, as you will see from the front page this month, we are thinking ahead to warmer times. The image has been created by Brighton based Essential Aids as part of its ‘Quadrosenior’ campaign – a very different way of getting noticed!

Don’t be shy, why not get in touch...

Editor David N Russell Tel: 01536 710050 E-mail: info@thiis.co.uk

Conscious that some of our younger readers might not get the ‘Quadrosenior’ theme, Quadrophenia was a 1979 British film, based on the 1973 rock opera of the same name by The Who. It is set in 1964 and the lead character is a London Mod (they rode scooters) and Brighton is the scene for a battle with the rockers (motorbike riders). Doing something different is one of the themes of our New Year resolution item too. It’s not always easy to find a different way to sell or generate interest, but, for the companies that do take the time to create something ‘eye-catching’, then the rewards can be substantial.

Assistant Editor Calvin Barnett 01933 278086 newsroom@thiis.co.uk

David N Russell Editor

On the front... Getting noticed with a different approach. See page 6

Advertising Enquiries You can find THIIS on Twitter at: wwwthiiscouk

Ed, Jayne or Sue 01536 317000 advertising@thiis.co.uk

www.thiis.co.uk 3

“There are an increasing number of ‘silver surfers’, who are becoming internet savvy”

What a brand means to a business Page 10

“A monthly telephone survey of customers, resulted in an average of 95% saying that they would recommend the company”

“On websites, you must also have your address and email - even if you are not selling on the web”

“The company’s turnover in North America is now higher than in the UK”

Contributors this month...

David Bamber Cake Agency

Alastair Gibbs TPG Disableaids

Janet Seward DLF

Sarah Lepak BHTA

4 www.thiis.co.uk

InTHIISissue...

“It has cost my company in excess of £20,000 to achieve all of this compliance”

Trike distribution deal Page 16

Retailer attracts big numbers Page 20

Andrew Marr to give lecture Page 28

New to the team Page 36

Big offers catch the eye Page 38

A glimpse into the future Page 40

Frustration at jumping through hoops Page 44

25th - 26th September 2016 / NEC Birmingham

SAVE THE DATE!

Trade days reTurns on 25Th & 26Th sepTember To The neC

EPTEMBER SATuRDAy

SEPTEMBER

SunDAy

MOnDAy

25 25th - 26th September 2016 / NEC Birmingham

SEPTEMBER

TuESDAy

WEDnESDAy

25th - 26th September 2016 / NEC Birmingham

please find Trade Days ‘Save the date!’ stickers inserted into your ThIIs magazine. place these stickers on your wall calendars and in your diaries and make sure you attend europe’s sole trade only event for the mobility, living aids and assistive technology market; it could well be the most important date in your business calendar! “It’s been absolutely worth the visit from Scotland. We felt that the exhibitors have more time to talk to you than at other shows and the Sunday opening was a real hit with us. We will definitely be back next year.”

“This was my first time at Trade Days and it’s a great show. I am currently completing a marketing strategy for my business and so the seminars have been great for me. I will definitely be attending again.”

Maureen Cummings, The Mobility Depot

Tracey Hellowell, Just Care Products Ltd

To register your interest in Trade days 2016 visit www.tradedays.co.uk/register To book your space at Trade days 2016 contact Clare Johnson on +44 (0) 207 348 5766 or email c.johnson@closerstillmedia.com

Iconic film inspires creative campaign What are you doing that’s different to get noticed? Brighton based Essential Aids has produced images that are sure to stop people in their tracks. The company has put its own spin on the cult movie Quadrophenia with its very own ‘Quadrosenior’ by transforming walking frames in the style of Mods and Rockers. Polly Eden looks after the marketing and PR for company and we talked to her about the unusual campaign and her role in the business. “Essential Aids has its head office in Brighton and so we decided to capitalise on this by launching a campaign called Quadrosenior, which is a spin on the cult film Quadrophenia. We transformed walking frames in the style of Mods and Rockers and did the photo shoot in October using models aged 70 and 77, with the iconic Brighton beach as a backdrop. The premise is that we’re keen to show that no matter what your age or mobility, it’s important to celebrate individuality.” Alex Wrenn set up the company 12 years ago after a friend’s mother was struggling with Parkinsons and arthritis and found it difficult to buy the sort of products she needed. Alex, who was working as a journalist at the time for ITN, was keen to set up his own business and felt that our marketplace had plenty of potential to provide a service, rather than simply selling products. The company has developed considerably in that time and in 2015 Essential Aids went into partnership with the Stroke Association charity, supplying all the mobility products that are available through the Association’s website. Polly told us a little about her own role: “Alex thought it was worthwhile investing in someone who is just focused on marketing the business. He also feels that social media is an important platform, not only for promoting our company, but for communicating with existing customers and reaching out to potential customers too. Although a significant proportion of our customers are over the age of 60, there are an increasing number of 6 www.thiis.co.uk

‘silver surfers’, who are becoming internet savvy, not only shopping online but also active on social media. For those who aren’t so confident online, their younger carers often source and purchase the items required.” Polly says that the inspiration for Quadrosenior came in a team brainstorming session. “When you are a business selling mobility products, it’s a challenge to market yourself in interesting and new ways. We’re not trying to sell a mod-themed walker, but we are trying to engage people generally, and that’s really important to any business.” She added: “We believe our Quadrosenior images strike a real chord with people and make them smile. It’s about retaining your identity and aging with attitude, which I’m sure most of us aspire to or relate to. We did our research and the over 65s now make up almost 20% “There are an increasing of the population. They own a large number of ‘silver surfers’, who proportion of the nation’s disposable are becoming internet savvy” wealth and it seems advertisers are finally listening because Charlotte Rampling, Helen Mirren and Jessica Lange are now the faces of leading cosmetic brands and they’re all over 65. These days, age is not associated with a quiet retirement.” The company has had a good deal of coverage as you might imagine. “We’ve been in the local press, BBC local radio and were also interviewed on a national radio show that was broadcast to 35 counties. Phil Daniels, the star of the original ‘Quadrophenia’ film, re-tweeted us and Simon Day from the Fast Show commented

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that he couldn’t wait to use a mod-themed walking frame. It’s also had a huge amount of interest on Facebook, with the images shared repeatedly and requests for posters.” Polly gives a good example of the ‘reach’ of a promotion by telling us: “Amazingly, my friend’s teenage son even managed to find the campaign through Social Media. We’ve definitely seen an upturn in website traffic, a large number of

people joining our Facebook page and more followers on our Twitter feed.” Essential Aids will now be hoping to get the story into the mainstream press. It isn’t the first time that the company has generated a good deal of publicity as Polly explains. “Two years ago the Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel-Horwood “We’ve definitely seen an had undergone a upturn in website traffic, a hip operation. Our designer covered a large number of people joining crutch and walking our Facebook page and more frame with diamante and we gave the followers on our Twitter feed” items to his agent as a get-well gift for Craig. Craig used them twice on prime-time national TV which then meant the Daily Mail online ran a piece about it, so we were delighted.” She added: “My role is all about increasing the profile of the business and getting the name of Essential Aids circulating in the press and on Social Media. Our current ‘Quadrosenior’ campaign has definitely achieved that for us.” The website for the company is at www. essentialaids.com

IVANHOE HALF PAGE ADVERT 2014 V1_Layout 1 15/10/2015 12:08 Page 1

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Our passion for producing a quality, reliable product with outstanding customer service underlies the success which you can rely on every time.

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Please contact our sales team to find out more about the full Ivanhoe mobility range of products.

UK central sales line: Tel: 0845 555 55 11 Fax: 0845 555 55 22 Email: sales@ivanhoe.uk.com www.ivanhoe.uk.com

MOTIVATION THROUGH INNOVATIONTM

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Focus

Brand Development David Bamber, Founder and Creative Director of Cake Agency, talks about what a brand means to a business and how you can develop yours.

Understanding and communicating your brand identity Creating a strong and recognisable brand for your business is a smart move that doesn’t need to break the bank. It can become one of the most valuable assets of your business yet most small businesses do not stop to consider its value, nor how it can impact future business growth. The very essence of a brand is an identity that customers can trust. They understand what your brand means and believe that your service or product is right for them. In an industry where the products and services have such a significant impact on customers’ lives, this trust is extremely valuable. If you can connect with your customers on a more emotive level, your business or brand gains value more readily allowing people to believe in you. This is why when we say ‘strong brand identity’, we mean far more than a logo, some graphics and a snappy tagline. It is every single part of your business; from your website to your delivery driver and everything in-between. A strong brand identity is one that customers recognise, understand and believe in. For small businesses, it is the owners that are often the brand’s biggest advocate. It is essential to instill that passion into all staff and all messaging to make it clear to customers that your brand cares. Building a powerful brand does not require a huge budget; it requires time and effort. By presenting your business at it’s very best, you have the power to create a great brand and give your customers the confidence in everything you do. It is this confidence that will have them walking through your shop door or picking your product off the shelf.

To communicate your brand effectively, you need to answer three very simple questions: Who are you? What do you do? What is it that makes you special? Who are you? To answer this, you need to understand what it is your business truly stands for. Take some time to think what it was that first inspired you to open your mobility shop or develop that independent living aid? For many, it may have been that a friend, family member or yourself personally had something impact your mobility or independence and were inspired to offer a better service or solution. It is these original aspirations that sit at the core of your business and form the very foundations of your brand identity. Importantly, do your customers know who you are? It seems too simple to bother answering but your company and company name may be split into a series of subdivisions that could leave your customers confused. Do not overcomplicate how you present your business; even some of the most complex brands have some of the most simplest messaging... it is all about clarity.

“When we say ‘strong brand identity’, we mean far more than a logo, some graphics and a snappy tagline”

10 www.thiis.co.uk

What do you do? Keep it clean and keep it simple. Try to answer that in its simplest form and do not risk bombarding your potential

FIND OUT WHY SO MANY DEALERS VISITED FIRST SENIOR AT TRADE DAYS First Senior Finance provides competitive nance plans to the same market. There are many advantages to becoming part of the First Senior Dealer network and we invite you to nd out more.

customers with too much information in an attempt to explain everything at once. The more messages you try to tell, the more confused your communications and your customers will be. What is it that makes you special? Focus on being distinctive and memorable. Remember, there will be multiple brands all vying for your customers’ attention, so standing out from the crowd is important. What is it that makes you different? If you have been in the industry for a hundred years, it may be your heritage and experience. If you are new, it may be your energy and innovation that makes your brand special. Define what distinguishes you from the competition and use this to establish the strength of your brand. Try to create an emotional connection that will speak to the heart of your

target audience. Make it personal and make it authentic. Clarity and consistency are the key ingredients to communicating and developing your brand effectively so focus on making the right impression every time your brand interacts with a customer. Losing a customers’ trust in your brand happens far quicker than building it. It’s all about taking the personality of your business and communicating it in a clear and compelling way. It won’t happen overnight; it’s a journey that will move and change as your business grows, but give it time and it will definitely bear fruit. Cake Agency is a multidisciplinary design studio creating effective and captivating design solutions for companies large and small. Call 07970 985367. The website is at www.cakeagency.co.uk

Aussie kettle to be available through Drive Drive Medical has secured the UK distribution rights for the new ‘PowerPour’ Uccello Kettle. The kettle was conceived in Australia by Andy De Petra, after being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. The kettle, which has a unique arc of forward motion design, has been named Uccello, which means ‘bird’ in Italian, due to its appearance. According to the company, response in Australia has been positive. Uccello Designs Director, Jonathan Billington said: “We are delighted with the impact not only of the functional benefits, but also the style and aesthetic which have been so enthusiastically embraced.” Alan Sullivan, Sales & Marketing Manager, of Drive Medical said, “The Uccello PowerPour Kettle was launched in Australia in early 2015 and is already enjoying a great level of sales. We are confident that it will prove just as popular in the UK market. Throughout 2015 our Product Management team have been focused on expanding our range of Daily Living Aids and the Uccello Kettle is an excellent new innovative addition that will certainly complement our growing range.” The website for the product is at http:// uccellodesigns.com

12 www.thiis.co.uk

Total width: Total length: Seat width: Seat height: Armrest height: Wheelbase: Ground clearance: Total weight: User weight:

65 cm 146 cm 48½ cm 48 - 58 cm 24 - 30 cm 97 cm 13 cm 127 kg Max. 175 kg

‘Refined, Comfortable, Reliable’ All you need in a scooter

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Three awards for Lifestyle Home Lift Terry Lifts’ Lifestyle Home Lift has recently won a total of three awards at the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) Awards and the North East Cheshire Business Awards. The lift won an Independent Living Design Award and was highly commended for the Best Product / Service Innovation Award at the BHTA Awards. At the North East Cheshire Business Awards, the Lifestyle Lift won bronze in the Innovation and Design category. Marketing & Export Director, John McSweeney told us: “Several hundred units have been sold in the UK and overseas to date and the outlook for the current financial year is good, with strong

interest both in the domestic and in the export market. Following a successful previous year, we’re currently on track to meet or exceed this year’s targets.” The company also recently introduced the Vivendi Home Lift concept, a fully enclosed through floor lift model that can accommodate a wheelchair user and is suitable for the private market. The website is at www.lifestylelifts.co.uk

Does advertising in THIIS work? Does advertising work in THIIS magazine. This is what Julian Cobbledick of Assistive Partner thinks… “We supply a range of software for healthcare. Since our company’s formation in 2007, Assistive Partner has grown consistently and profitably each year. Somehow, all of that growth has been driven by word of mouth and referral (with the odd successful tender thrown in). Like any expanding organisation though, to continue the momentum, there has inevitably come a time when we have had to invest in some limited promotional activity. Our first attempt has been very successful and has yielded an excellent return on investment. And it’s thanks to THIIS magazine. Our first series of three advertisements has resulted in a number of high quality leads and several 14 www.thiis.co.uk

sales. So we have decided to extend the THIIS advertising campaign, try a few new offers in DealON! and generally embark on increasing our marketing efforts on several fronts. I can honestly say that our experience clearly shows that advertising to mobility retailers in THIIS gets results. Thank you.” Julian Cobbledick, Director, Assistive Partner

John McSweeney, Marketing & Export Director at Terry Lifts receives the BHTA award.

FIND OUT WHY SO MANY DEALERS VISITED FIRST SENIOR AT TRADE DAYS First Senior Insurance provides specialist insurance cover for the mobility sector. There are many advantages to becoming part of the First Senior Dealer network and we invite you to nd out more.

Trike distribution deal for Moorings Moorings Mediquip has announced an alliance with Freedom Concepts Inc, the leading innovators in adaptive therapy tricycles for people with special needs. The company, which has been trading for over 20 years in the UK and Ireland will serve as the exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland. Freedom Concepts specialises in custom building tricycles for children and adults with disabilities. Each tricycle is built around the riderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specific measurements and needs. Moorings Mediquip will be carrying the Discovery Series from Freedom Concepts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a

line of custom adaptive tricycles best suited for riders aged 4-15. Moving forward, the company says that it hopes to add more bikes to the range. There is a an experienced team of Area Consultants throughout the UK and Ireland and, as a result of the new deal, the sales team has been expanded. For more information, call 0800 031 6571 or visit www.mooringsmediquip.com

Unique Active Seat: only available from Handicare This easy to fit, user controlled feature can be used with Elegance and Alliance seats to give the user a little extra help and support when needed. Call your Business Development Manager to find out more. Trade Partner Support Team 0844 225 3121 enquiries@handicare.co.uk | www.handicare.co.uk 16 www.thiis.co.uk

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Awards recognise the best of 2015 The annual BHTA British Healthcare Awards took place in December. Now in their 20th year, a number of awards were presented, for a variety of categories from product design to effective marketing campaigns. The Independent Living Design Award went to Terry Group’s Lifestyle Home Lift with the judges being particularly impressed with the clean design and space saving features. Industry newcomer Ownfone was highly commended. Each handset is customised for the user who can chose from 2, 4, 8 or 12 contact names which are then programmed into the handset prior to dispatch. The Best Product/Service Innovation trophy went to the Linx, the world’s first fully integrated, microcompressor controlled lower limb system from Blatchford. The Best Marketing Award was awarded to Mobility Solutions and their effective ‘Life Made Easier’ campaign. In only its second year of operation, Mobility Solutions achieved a turnover of just over £2,000,000, while a monthly telephone survey of customers, resulted in an average of 95% saying that they would recommend the company.

Other awards went to the Simple Stuff Works Positioning System for the Best Established Product or Service while BHTA’s 2015 Individual of the Year was Ward Byrne of Mangar International, after one customer commented “he should wear a cape as we consider him to be superman.” The team of the Year was TGA “A monthly telephone survey Electric Leisure, of customers, resulted in an with no fewer than 29 individual average of 95% saying that members of the they would recommend the company being recognised for their company” customer service. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Ray Hodgkinson MBE, former Director General and current Director of Public Affairs for the Association. You can see more about the awards with the full list of winners at www.bhta.net/awards

Winncare Group acquires Ergolet The Winncare Group has announced the acquisition of Ergloet. Winncare Group is the largest French manufacturer and supplier of products used in elderly care. The company, which had a turnover of approx. €50m last year, is owned by the private equity fund IDI, which is listed on the Stock Exchange in Paris. The Winncare Group manufactures a wide range of products including mattresses, dynamic mattresses, nursing home beds, hospital beds, mobile hoists, positioning products, as well as nursing

18 www.thiis.co.uk

home furniture. The group has production sites in France, Spain, Tunisia and Denmark. Philippe Chêne, CEO pf Winncare Group SAS said: “By joining the Winncare Group, Ergolet will have access to not only a large knowledge base, but also the financial strength needed continue the rapid international growth, which the company has experienced over the last years.” The website for the group is at www. winncaregroup.com

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Retailer attracts big numbers at OT training event Given the ever-increasing workload of Occupational Therapists and other healthcare professionals, it’s no mean feat to bring 200 of them together at one place on one day. That’s what Yorkshire Care Equipment managed to achieve at the company’s third annual training day held at the Great Yorkshire Showground. We have covered the development of the ‘YORTRAIN GOLD’ event over the past couple of years and it seems that it has become a firm favourite in the professional’s diary. Tristan Hulbert, Training Coordinator at Yorkshire Care Equipment told us: “We’ve run the event for 3 years now and numbers have increased yearon-year. I think people are genuinely excited about the variety and quality of training, and obviously the word gets round. People love the fact that it’s completely free of charge for healthcare professionals – we fund the entire day – and the way it’s so relevant to their day-to-day caseloads. Last year, 100% of attendees rated the training as good or excellent, and we had some incredible feedback. We’ve not got feedback through for the 2015 event yet, but the comments we’ve had so far have been fantastic.” The day started with a motivational speech from a ‘mystery guest speaker’, Phil Hopkins and other speakers included Simon Love, a wellknown manual handling consultant, Anita Rush, a specialist on bariatric patient needs and OT Ellie Burcher. Single carer manual handling is a hot subject for Occupational Therapists these days and Gavin Wright, a familiar face to moving and handling coordinators for a number of years, gave his last speech of his career on the topic. He also released a handy Android app to assist professionals to make a decision on whether or not single carer patient handling is appropriate. The app is available for therapists to use for free and can be found by searching ‘Yorkshire Care 20 www.thiis.co.uk

Equipment’ on the Google Play store. As Tristan explained, the company added an exhibition area this time. “We included the exhibition stand idea, along with two smaller practical breakout training sessions, one on slings and one on manual handling in bed. They certainly went down very well.” It’s all about entertaining too and the company’s in-house physiotherapist, Padraig Finn, gave the audience a surprise when he performed an ‘Irish jig’ dance at “We’ve run the event for 3 the end of the day. years now and numbers have “All in all, it was a fantastic day”, increased year-on-year” Tristan added, “and we feel it’s a fantastic way of giving back to therapists. We work alongside 1500 healthcare professionals throughout the north of England, so we know just how busy they are. Holding an event like this enables us to say thank you for the fantastic work they do, gives people a chance to refresh their knowledge, be inspired, network and share Breakout sessions ideas.” and a range of The company launched a new mobile friendly products on display website and video which can be seen at www. added to a full programme of yorkshirecareequipment.com seminars

M A N U FAC TU R E D IN TH E U K

Providing comfort & care in medical healthcare Orchid Medicare are based in East Yorkshire, and owned by Kintech Ltd. We manufacture healthcare products such as High Back Chairs, Kitchen Stools, Disability Trolleys and Tables, Toilet Care Equipment, Commodes along with a range of Specialist Bathing Cradles and both Standard and Profiling Beds.

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round up Team of the year accolade TGA was awarded the BHTA Team of the Year prize at the annual Awards Dinner. The company has won the award twice in a matter of a few years. Daniel Stone, TGA Managing Director commented: “Winning the award means a great deal to us as it officially recognises our commitment to ensuring retailers and their customers are satisfied. By actively listening and talking to customers on a regular basis, we have been able to adapt and enhance our service so that a true ‘retailer-centric’ approach is delivered consistently and effectively.”

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St Luke’s Hospice in Basildon has just taken delivery of an initial six walking frames donated by Uniscan. In total, the company is donating 15 walking frames worth £4,000. The donation comes as the Hospice celebrates 25 years in operation. Uniscan’s Managing Director Geoff Morris is pictured with some of the staff and patients. The company can be contacted on 01268 419 288 or visit www. uniscan-walkers.co.uk

Morris Lecture 2016 A5 Ad.indd 1

24 www.thiis.co.uk

Shower manufacturer Redring’s Selectronic Premier range of thermostatic care showers use advanced thermostatic technology to maintain constant water temperatures. There are large, easy-to-press one-touch buttons, an LED display and audible feedback. Unique data logger technology tracks showering patterns and usage. Included in the range are models with extended riser rails and hoses for seated showering, and remote controls, allowing the shower to be operated at a distance by carers. More information at www.redring.co.uk

The Alf Morris Lecture 2016

with Jackie Ashley & Andrew Marr Thursday 17th March from 6.00pm The Shaw Theatre and the Pullman St Pancras Hotel, London NW1 2AJ

Stroke of fate: the politics of recovery The broadcasters and journalists, Jackie Ashley and Andrew Marr, will speak for the very first time about the impact on their shared lives of the major stroke that Andrew survived in 2013. In a discussion ranging from personal experience to national policy, they will address the importance of practical help in keeping people with disabilities independent. Ticket prices start at £25.00, or entry can be secured with a voluntary donation to The Alf Morris Fund for Independent Living. Book now at www.alf-morris-lecture.org.uk or call 020 7432 8006.

12/18/2015 12:22:38 PM

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Ankle Support S, M, L & XL SA-9500 £1.18

14” TV Screen Magnifier RA-6421 £8.75

3-Grid Pill Box HA-4137 36p

Sport Knee Support Free size SA-9512 £4.69

Wrist Support with Thumb Hole M & XL only SA-9303 98p Abdominal Binder L & XL only SA-960 £2.94

Knee Support M & XL SA-9510 £1.24

Elbow Support M, L & XL SA-9308 £1.08

Tennis Elbow Support SA-9401 £1.42

round up Mattress donation for homeless campaign Apex Medical donated 84 static foam mattresses to Crisis, the homeless charity for its ‘Crisis at Christmas’ campaign. Apex staff visited Crisis’ central warehouse in Bermondsey to donate the mattresses. Each year Crisis converts buildings across the UK to house homeless people over the Christmas and New Year period. Apex is one of the UK’s biggest providers of static foam mattress. The website for the company is at www.apexmedical.co.uk

New improved website for Drive Drive Medical UK has launched a new website. Improved product pages provide larger images and clearer information, using interactive features such as product videos, magic zoom and clickable colour swatches. There are also features such as a new, clearer and easier to navigate shopping cart experience combined with a new auto suggestion search facility. There’s a new stockist locator and for trade customers, in addition to special offers, reduced trade prices are available as well as additional promotions only available to trade customers with online accounts. Detailed ‘FAQ’ pages help the company deal with common customer service enquiries online and a technical page, incorporates a new search facility. The website is at www.drivemedical.co.uk

Selfie promotion for Repose When you exhibit at a show, it’s all about engaging with the visitors. Repose Furniture ran a competition to extend that engagement by getting professionals who visited them on their stand at the OT Show to take a photo of their giveaway, ‘Selfie Sid’ at various locations. The winner sent in a montage of images while another OT took Sid to the races. It clearly proved to be a low cost way of getting potential customers to interact.

26 www.thiis.co.uk

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NEW

BBC’s Andrew Marr to give Alf Morris Lecture The Disabled Living Foundation (DLF) has announce that the second Alf Morris Lecture will be given by Andrew Marr, journalist and TV presenter, and his wife, Guardian journalist Jackie Ashley. The lecture is being held on March 17th 2016 at the Shaw Theatre, London, and Andrew and Jackie will be discussing their experiences adapting to life after Marr’s stroke in 2013. This will be the first time they have publicly talked about their experiences, sharing their insights, views on rehabilitation and the need for better access to help and equipment. Andrew and Jackie will ‘interview’ one another during the evening. Jackie’s father is the late Lord Jack Ashley, MP for Stoke on Trent from 1966 to 1992 before sitting in the House of Lords. Following a routine ear operation in 1967 Jack became profoundly deaf and, together with Alf Morris, spent years campaigning for disability rights, founding the all-party parliamentary disability group and the Chronically Sick & Disabled Persons Act. He was also instrumental in getting the Disability Discrimination Act that was passed in 1995. Ticket prices start at £25 with concessions available. Guests can attend a drinks reception before the lecture at 6.00pm, with a celebratory dinner afterwards at 8.15pm in the Pullman St Pancras Hotel. All monies raised are donated to the Alf Morris Fund for Independent Living. To buy a ticket, please call 020 7432 8006, email: alfmorrislecture@dlf.org.uk or visit www.alf-morris-lecture.org.uk Andrew Marr will be speaking along with his wife, Jackie Ashley

28 www.thiis.co.uk

top trade deals

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30 www.thiis.co.uk

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Green award for warming product

At the Green Apple Awards, from left to right, Martin Lewis, Aleah Leigh and Angus Long

B-Warm inventor Martin Lewis and Embryonyx Managing Director have been presented with a Green Apple Environment Award from the Green Organisation. Martin told us: “It seems like a long time since I developed the B-Warm, initially to help my wife Audrey cope with being cold, and was always quietly confident it would prove a commercial hit. Winning a Green Apple Award is another welcome piece of good news following on the back of the recent communication from NICE that the B-Warm is congruent with their recent guideline aimed at preventing fatalities and illnesses associated with cold homes. Indeed, the latest published figures indicate some 43,900 deaths last winter were attributed to the effects of people living in cold homes, the highest number since 1999.” Angus added: “We gave significant prominence to the B-Warm at Trade Days in October in anticipation of the bad weather and it certainly paid off. We recruited several new dealers at the show with many more following the exhibition and we’ve even had garden centres contact us to become retailers.” For details of the product, call 0845-3008823 or visit the website at www.embryonyx.co.uk 32 www.thiis.co.uk

The B-Warm on sale at a Garden Centre

Freeway Easi-Change Range from Prism Medical UK

Moving, handling and bathing specialist Prism Medical UK has launched a new range of Freeway Easi-Change branded shower stretchers and changing benches.

The Freeway Easi-Change range features quality wall mounted, adjustable and fixed height showering and changing solutions. All designed for comfort and support for the end user and carer.

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Focus

Market Developments Janet Seward from DLF comments on the upcoming Alf Morris Lecture to be given by Jackie Ashley and Andrew Marr

Stroke of fate: the politics of recovery The title of this piece was crafted by Andrew Marr in a preliminary meeting we held with Jackie Ashley and Andrew in December in preparation for the unique interview they plan to deliver as a ‘conversation’ at the Alf Morris Lecture in March. Andrew Marr, journalist and TV presenter, and his wife, Guardian journalist Jackie Ashley will be discussing their experiences adapting to life after Marr’s stroke in 2013. This will be the first time they have publicly talked about their experiences, sharing their insights, views on rehabilitation and the need for better access to help and equipment. The experience that Andrew’s recalls from 2013 was of a much-improved first-line NHS response in which immediate emergency care vastly improved his chances of recovery. The main issues he faced then and now were in the postdischarge period and through rehabilitation where experiences vary from one area to another and restricted funding appears to significantly limit the extent to which a stroke sufferer can expect to recover. “This is an enormously under-reported, national problem. It does not require brilliant new scientific advances, just practical, joined-up help to transform numerous lives, which could be so much happier,’’ commented Andrew. And it is right in the middle of this typical scenario that DLF and so many commercial organisations in our

34 www.thiis.co.uk

industry operate on a daily basis handling enquiries from people who are in crisis and need practical advice now to allow them to come home, to enable them to stay in their home or to support them in maintaining their lifestyle choices. Andrew and Jackie are well aware that, thanks to their ability to pay privately and their confidence to constantly pursue the necessary support and information they are faring better than most. They are also well aware that change needs to be made, and they want to affect that change. The Lecture will further support the DLF’s campaign to ‘add life to years’ by changing the national attitude to equipment for independent living. To introduce equipment into families’ lives before it becomes critical and to position the practical aids as practical aids without the stigma and symbolism they all too often represent today. Tickets including concessionary tickets to the Lecture and tables to the post-Lecture Dinner are available to book at www.alf-morris-lecture.org.uk or by phoning 020 7432 8006.

Make 2016 stand out with Handicare Handicare offers you a number of unique, market leading features to help you and your business stand out from the crowd.

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The Team at Handicare would like to wish our Trade Partners a happy and prosperous New Year; we look forward to working with you again this year.

new to the team Do you have a new team member? Why not let the industry know? Just send us a short news item and photo. Rehabilitation Engineer for Wenman

Sarfraz Gulab with Ian Wenman

Wenman Healthcare has added experienced rehabilitation engineer, Sarfraz Gulab, to the team. Sarfraz completed a fouryear degree in Rehabilitation Engineering at Coventry University and is experienced in the prescription and building of bespoke mobility aids. Director Ian Wenman told us: “Having a Rehabilitation Engineer at our disposal will really help customers with specific conditions or who require equipment quickly. For example if they have just left hospital following a hip replacement.” The website for the company is at www. wenmanhealthcare.co.uk

New Midlands Area Dealer Manager With a number of major contract wins being delivered through retailer partners and a general growth in the company’s retailer business, Electric Mobility has added to its team for the first time in eight years. With an entire career spent in the mobility business, right from its earliest days, initially in technical service and more recently in sales and business management Dave Adams has joined as Midlands and Ireland Area Dealer Manager. Call 01460 258100. The website is at www.electricmobility.co.uk

New Chief Executive for ECL Health and wellbeing company ECL, which rebranded from Essex Cares in 2015 and is wholly owned by Essex County Council, has appointed Keir Lynch as their new Chief Executive. He takes on the role having spent the past six months as a non-executive director for the company. ECL has a range of services which support older adults and those with physical and learning disabilities to live independently and the company holds contracts in Essex and West Sussex. The rebrand to ECL this year followed a two-year transformation to address changes introduced by the Care Act and reshape services to be market driven. After joining Essex County Council in 2008 initially as Director for HR and Customer Excellence, his latest role at Essex County Council has seen him lead the authority’s transformation programme. This has seen over £450m in savings whilst also positioning the Council as a cutting edge public service commissioner. The website is at www.ecl.org.uk

36 www.thiis.co.uk

MD Jonathan Hearth welcomes Dave Adams

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Big offers as companies use Black Friday The Black Friday phenomenon continued at the end of November with the expectation that consumers will have spent over £1billion on the internet – up a third from last year. However, on the high street it was a different matter and it seems that customers ditched the crowds, instead opting for online shopping from their sofas. While it was reported that Curry’s PC World sold 30 TVs a minute online, retailers like Tesco were left disappointed as crowds were sparse when the company opened the doors at 5am. There were plenty of pictures of empty aisles and calm shoppers. Companies in our industry produced Black Friday promotions too, Van Os Medical being one of them. Director Scott Crabtree explained: “A quiet November is the norm for this industry so we had the idea of following some of the giant online retailers. We know that, to catch the eye, the deals can’t be just a few percent off the usual trade price, so we struck deals with our suppliers to enable us to finance this huge promotion. We expect to raise a few eyebrows with some of the prices.” Someone else who used the day to generate business was Mark Willcox of National Rehab, supplier of mailing databases. Mark told us: “I know there’s a lot of discussion about the relevance of Black Friday to our market and the UK in general. This year for the first time I

decided to test the waters and undertook Mark Willcox used a 16,000 email Black Friday to generate new campaign to the core business of the UK Rehab Sector. Like Scott, Mark understood that the offer had to be a big one. “There was no point in the exercise unless the offer was attractive so I offered 45% off everything for that one day. The emailing went out on the Tuesday before to allow clients to have the necessary internal discussions required to approve a purchase.” And Mark says that the results were very worthwhile. “The results were overwhelmingly positive and we took “The results were as much as we would overwhelmingly positive” in an average month. Obviously I had to give away margin but this is only relevant if those sales would have been made despite the offer, which is doubtful. 50% were new customers, which bodes well for repeat business in 2016.” Mark added: “I will definitely run the offer again in 2016 and expand it to a wider audience.” Another promotion that caught the eye was

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38 www.thiis.co.uk

AV NOW IN AILA WH BL ITE E !

The organisers of the IIC Show ran a busy twitter campaign to promote some big offers

produced by the organisers of the IIC (Inclusion, Independence and Choice) Show which takes place at the end of January in Manchester. The show ran in 2014 for the first time but wasn’t on the schedule last year. The company put plenty of messages out about the promotion through media such as Twitter and weren’t shy about the savings they were offering. One tweet said ‘Set your alarms to get your exhibition spaces as cheap as chips’. There’s no doubt that it caught the eye, but you have to wonder if it also caught the eye of any of the exhibitors who had already booked their stands for the show. The various messages throughout the day reinforced the level of savings, saying ‘Save over 40% today’ and another tweet told us that a company booking had the ‘First successful saving of over nearly £800’. There had clearly been a lot of thought put into the promotion, but there is a question as

to whether exhibition space is the right type of product to be marketed in this way. For example, will companies hold off committing to stand space in the future and wait to see whether they can get their space ‘as cheap as chips’ a couple of months away from the show the next time it is run? “Set your alarms to get your One of the big lessons from Black exhibition spaces as cheap as Friday though is that, chips” if you want to get yourself noticed, then you have to go ‘big’. Years ago you could get away with a ‘5% off’ deal, but that is unlikely to get anyone excited these days. As both Scott and Mark recognised, if you want to get the phones ringing, you have to play the game and that means producing the deal that is hard to say no to.

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www.thiis.co.uk 39

A glimpse into the future

A new smart care system is being trialled

Laser-emitting shoes which help people overcome ‘freezingof-gait’ and a Meccano-style walking aid kit are just two new inventions being developed. There is also a glove that steadies the hand of people with Parkinson’s, and an easy to use plug and socket designed for people with limited grip. The products were recently showcased at an inaugural pitching event. 10 winners will receive exclusive mentoring from some of the Design Council’s leading experts to develop and commercialise their products. Cara O’Sullivan has developed a DIY kit that allows people build their own bespoke walking aid. The industrial design and technology graduate has created the Evolvable Walking Aid Kit. She explained how living with her grandfather as he progressively lost mobility was one inspiration for the invention: “He started off using a stick, then transitioned to crutches and then a frame as he became less able to walk. Buying the different walking aids had a big financial impact, and I could also see that having to get used to a new device each time had a big impact on his confidence as well. For people getting older or going through rehabilitation, that tends to be the way it goes – you are either getting better or getting worse, and that means the type of walking aid you need changes.” 40 www.thiis.co.uk

Lise Pape has developed ‘Path Finder’ which aims to tackle ‘freezing of gait’ (FoG) – a common challenge for people with Parkinson’s, who describe it as the feeling that their feet are glued to the floor. The symptom is one of the main causes of falls in people with Parkinson’s, and “Early clinical trials have found significantly affects their confidence in users reported a decrease of attempting to walk. up to 55% in time spent frozen Simple visual cues such as lines on the compared to total walking floor to step over time” have been shown to improve mobility and reduce FoG, thought to be because they help the brain to visualise and focus on the act of walking. Lisa’s solution is a pair of shoes with lasers at the front which project green lines ahead as the person walks, activated by a sensor in each heel that monitors the user’s walking pattern and pace. Early clinical

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trials have found users reported a decrease of up to 55% in time spent frozen compared to total walking time. Other products that will be supported are the Integro Smart Box, a system to manage the need to take multiple drugs that sends an alert to family or carers via text or email when medication is late or missed, the Speak Set – video calling via the TV to help elderly people easily keep in touch with caregivers and family and Strawz, a fixed-dose medicine dispenser to ensure accurate doses The 10 winners now take part in an intensive accelerator programme led by design experts and medtech industry leaders. They will learn how to better plan, prototype and effectively communicate their products, maximising impact and managing risks. Also with future advances in mind, a pioneering new smart care system has been trialled successfully at a Blackwood care home in Stirling. Clever Cogs technology, which can be installed in various compatible touch screen devices, influences everything from the ability to open curtains and switch on TVs, to ordering shopping and ensuring a constant connection with family, friends and carers. It also provides extra security with features that allow users to see who it is at their door before they open it, as well as ‘alert’ and ‘help’ buttons which can connect residents to members of staff in seconds via the video link system. 42 www.thiis.co.uk

During this first trial, each resident had a personal communication device, tailored specially to their needs, installed in their room for each of them to use and familiarise themselves with. Each resident, in time, will also be able to personalise their devices to reflect all of their own requirements and interests. Edinburgh-based charity, Blackwood, has more than 1500 homes throughout the country.

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Focus

The Retailer’s View Alastair Gibbs of TPG Disableaids vents his frustration at the increasing number of hoops his company has to jump through to do business these days and suggests that it could well be counter-productive.

Self-Defeating Regulation? Is the time coming where over enthusiasm in regulations and control is actually preventing our NHS and Local Authorities from getting the best value? It would appear that to be a supplier to either Local Authority or CCG (NHS) there are so many prerequisites now put in place that many ‘Best Value’ suppliers are discouraged from seeking out that business. Indeed, if I were to look at how many different approvals we need, and the cost of those approvals, I suspect the return would be well down the list of contributors to our bottom line. As is often the case, there is very little ‘joined up thinking’ when it comes to the required safeguards that should be in place. One County may require Constructionline when a neighbour will require Trustmark. One may need CHAS registration where another will require an alternative SSIP organisation. We are now getting requests for individual registration of personnel onto trade registers to demonstrate competence such as HATS as well as registration with CITB and CSCS card holding. Add this to the DBS scheme and Asbestos awareness and ‘working at heights’ and ‘Equality and Diversity’ certification and the latest ‘must have’ is ‘Anti Radicalisation’ training. It doesn’t take long to realise that all of these elements add up to a significant cost to the business. All of that money can only come from one place – the customer.

In a quick summing up, it has cost my company in excess of £20,000 to achieve all of this compliance. So if I did £1m of LA business they would be covering this cost at a rate of 2% above the actual cost of the equipment or service. If only there was some sort of rationalisation that allowed us to put all of these credentials in one place, to be referred to by all that needed to know, then the costs would probably half. The problem here is that whole rafts of organisations have had exactly the same idea. We now have ‘Portals’ in which to register all of these nuggets of information. However, the likes of Proactis, Pro-Contract, Allito, Hanover, Fortis, Exor, etc have all set up their own format of central data along with unique requirements by just about every Housing Association. So, in summary, it is becoming too expensive to ‘tick the boxes’ and offer best value. I think the time has come to re-evaluate what is actually required and have a coordinated method for the reporting of that information. Just a thought!!

“It has cost my company in excess of £20,000 to achieve all of this compliance”

44 www.thiis.co.uk

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New Year… new opportunities Losing weight, stopping smoking, spending less time in front of a computer screen, going to the gym more – just a few of the New Year resolutions that will have been made a few days ago. But, what about the business? Have you made a few resolutions that will help you grow? If not, here are a few suggestions that could help… So, how about…. We are going to increase sales in 2016 by X% Having a target is important for everyone in the company. If you make this a resolution, then set concrete goals. Be precise but also, be realistic. There’s no point setting targets that are unachievable no matter how well you perform, that will only lead to frustration and could demoralise the team. Just look at the last few years growth and go for a bit more if you are unsure. We are going to be more productive There are plenty of easy ways to achieve this goal. For example, how about having fewer meetings that seem to take up loads of time but seem to achieve very little apart from everyone walking away with a ‘to do’ list as long as their arms and which will never get done as the day to day business gets in the way. How about using conferencing calls more – Skype etc? Managing time in a better way in 2016 will give you more opportunities to do things that will make a difference to the bottom line. We are going to use Social Media more to get noticed It’s likely to be on a number of business’ list this year. Setting simple goals such as tweeting at least once a day, or setting up a blog and publishing something once a month or adding 10 more followers to your Twitter account every week will help the business move forward. 46 www.thiis.co.uk

We are going to do something different As the saying goes – keep doing the same things and you’ll get the same results. It’s not that easy for smaller businesses to do something different. There’s usually a risk, a cost and it takes time too. However, doing something different to build the business that is wellconsidered, targeted and doesn’t cost a fortune will help to build momentum. Involving your team members in a discussion about what you might be able to do may well be one of the most fruitful things you can do. “It’s not that easy for smaller The people who are ‘close to the coalface’ businesses to do something will have some great different” ideas about how the business can go forward. We are going to update our website and make it more effective Taking time to ensure that the content on your website is as good as it can be will help to generate interest and sales. After all, your website is your shop window for many people and if your bricks and mortar shop window was looking tired, messy and out of date, you would want to do something about it. Step back and take a long hard look at your site and ask others to do so too. Does it encourage people to pick up the phone? Is there enough on there about new products? Are you doing things for customers that aren’t mentioned on the website? Do you have a couple of testimonials big and bold on the home page? Changing the website could just make the difference when a customer is thinking about which company they should contact.

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Tweet... Tweet... Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s there? This month we are taking a look at how Twitter was used to promote with a Christmas theme...

A bow and a bit of glitter gets noticed

Stannah get the Santa costumes out

The office tree gets in the picture at Bullens

Halton Stairlifts make a statement with a Santa chair

Mangar go down the humour route

Prizes on offer from Simplyhealth

Jiraffe hold a Xmas competition and get their customers to send in their festive pics

Consolor go back in time to the office party 12 months ago

Remember that you can follow THIIS at @wwwthiiscouk 48 www.thiis.co.uk

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Lifetime achievement award for sling company leader Pauline Guilfoyle, Managing Director of patient transfer slings and moving and handling product manufacturer Silvalea has been presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at a Devon Awards ceremony which has been dubbed the ‘Working Women’s Oscars’ by Channel 4. The Venus awards recognise, reward and celebrate local working women in business . Starting the business with her daughter from home 22 years ago and now employing over 60 people Silvalea continues to expand and exports are increasing year on year to over 25% of their turnover.

Pauline said “I was thrilled to be presented with this Lifetime Achievement Award and honoured to be amongst such strong and inspirational business women from across the south west.” The website for the company is at www. silvalea.com

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Clearwell sponsors walking football team

Duncan Gillett (left) with Jobe Berrington, Head Coach of Brighton & Hove Walking Football Club.

Clearwell Mobility has become the first official sponsors of the Brighton and Hove Walking Football Team, investing over £500 into Brighton’s first, dedicated walking football club to fund a new strip for the team, training equipment and other items such as a pitch side first aid kit. Clearwell’s Managing Director Duncan Gillett presented the new kit to the team at their regular Thursday training session. Duncan told us: “When we first came across the idea of walking football we saw the obvious connections to our own business and wanted to

get involved. Our ethos has always been to help people stay independent and active which is exactly what walking football is about.” The website for Clearwell Mobility is at www. clearwellmobility.co.uk

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Focus

Legal & Regulation Sarah Lepak, BHTA Director of Governance & Policy highlights a number of ways you could be falling foul of the law right now and explains how you can make sure you are doing the right things.

10 easy ways to break the law Drawing on changes introduced via the *Consumer Contracts regulations last year, and the new *Consumer Rights Act and *Alternative Dispute Resolution regulations which came into effect on 1st October 2015, here are some of the things that businesses may be getting wrong or need to think about to ensure they don’t hit problems as new contracts are entered into. Remember that a consumer is ‘an individual acting for purposes which are wholly or mainly outside that individual’s trade, business, craft or profession’: in other words, a member of the public buying something for their personal use. Here are 10 points that you might want to consider.

If there is something wrong with what a consumer has bought from you, you need to understand what the Consumer Rights Act says. If they have bought goods, their rights include the right to claim a refund, replacement, repair and/or compensation where the goods are faulty or –described incorrectly. If they bought a service from you, they have a right to ask you to repeat or fix it if it was not carried out with reasonable care and skill.

“On websites, you must also have your address and email - even if you are not selling on the web.”

Expectation: Goods must be of a satisfactory quality; be fit for a particular purpose; match the description, sample or model; be installed correctly. The consumer can reject the goods and ask for a refund in the first 30 days. The focus then moves to repair or replacement (once); they might seek a price reduction if they want

54 www.thiis.co.uk

to keep the goods. If the problem is discovered after 6 months and they reject the goods, a deduction may be made from the refund for use. Don’t forget - in England and Wales the consumer’s rights run up to 6 years; and in Scotland it is 5 years.

Expectation: With service, the consumer can rely on information given verbally as well as in writing. It must be done for a reasonable price and within a reasonable time. They can ask you to repeat or fix it and could ask for a price reduction or other remedy.

Manufacturers: Guarantees provided free of charge with goods must run from when the goods are delivered; you need to be clear in what

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you say about aspects such as the expected lifetime of the product (and under what conditions) to ensure consumers have realistic expectations relating to description and quality.

Complaints: you must have a complaint handling policy, available to the consumer. You need to tell them if you are signed up to a Code of Conduct such as BHTA’s Code of Practice; and you must tell them who they can approach for assistance if you are unable to resolve their complaint, and whether you will participate if they do. The bodies formally recognised for Alternative Dispute Resolution for consumers are listed at: http://www.tradingstandards.uk/advice/ ADRApprovedBodies.cfm

Who you are: you must provide clear information about your trader identity, geographical address, telephone number. On websites, you cannot just rely on a ‘contact us’ form - you must also have your address and email - even if you are not selling on the web.

Total price: Where a consumer has to pay VAT they must be shown the total price including VAT - you cannot leave them to work out the total for themselves. So where you have products that can be sold at 0% VAT to eligible consumers, use the phrase “you may not have to pay the VAT, please ask / follow the link for information about claiming VAT relief” and show the price as e.g. £10 (£12 inc VAT).

Right to change mind in a shop: Consumers do not have a legal right to simply change their mind if they have bought something in a shop. If you do choose to offer a returns policy the details must be visible at the till. You might say e.g. “In addition to your legal rights, we also allow you to return goods if you simply change your

mind. Please return the unused goods to us with the original till receipt within 14 days and we will offer you an exchange or a credit note.”

Cancellation rights where they can change their mind: For sales off premises or via distance means such as the internet or mail order, the consumer DOES have a right to change their mind. You MUST give them a cancellation form and tell them about their rights. They have 14 days from the day after they receive goods, or enter contract for service, in which to NOTIFY you they wish to cancel.

10 • • • • • • •

Refunds. If they are exercising their right to cancel: You cannot charge a re-stocking fee You must refund the product price plus standard delivery charge You must tell them they have to return at their cost You can only reduce the refund if the goods have been used / damaged If something is wrong with what they bought: The refund must include any delivery charge they paid AND the cost of returning the goods to you You can only reduce the refund if they want to keep the goods, or if more than 6 months has passed (to reflect usage)

www.businesscompanion.org has a series of guides which set out the headlines, and in-depth guides. * Full titles of the legislation mentioned above: Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation & Additional Charges) Regulations 2013; Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015; and the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

A big surprise for Ray The BHTA Lifetime Achievement Award this year was a real surprise to the recipient. Former Director General Ray Hodgkinson MBE found himself back on stage after he had thought he was in for a quiet night for a change – he headed up the event for many years. In a career that spans over five decades, Ray has been at the forefront of some of the biggest developments in healthcare and assistive technology, including being one of the first to introduce mobility scooters to the UK. Mike Lord, Chairman of the BHTA, said: “Ray is a legend of the industry. He has managed to build the reputation of the BHTA across the entire market with industry, but also with government too. There is a saying, ‘life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon’, but someone clearly forgot to let Ray know; he has been racing at breakneck speed Ray receives his award from his entire life.” TV presenter Bill Turnbull

56 www.thiis.co.uk

INTRODUCING THE NEW SOLITE PRO COMMUNITY BED FROM SIDHIL!!

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Rob takes up the reigns Rob Cooper, General Manager at Smitcare has been named as the new Chairman of the BHTA Independent Living Products & Services section. He takes over from Andrew Stevenson of NRS who was elected to the main BHTA Board recently. SmitCare had recently achieved ISO9001:2008 accreditation and Rob is pictured with the certificate. He told us: “We have always worked to a high quality ethic and have always had documented procedures in place to provide a high standard of customer. We were delighted to pass the ISO audit.” The other photograph shows Smitcare Area Manager,

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Kenny Brill, along with OT Gill Robinson. Gill won the prize draw at the Independent Living Scotland show to celebrate 10 years of the DreamMaster Mattress Elevator range. She won a £100 Virgin Experience Days voucher after her details were pulled out of the hat – actually, Rob tells us, it was a commode pot! Rob can be contacted on 01276 677888. The website is at www.smitcare.co.uk

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Research shows positive impact of adaptations An investigation by Foundations has revealed the impact that government support for home adaptations can have on supporting independent living and delaying a move into residential care. It shows that those who have had adaptations and later move into care do so some four years later than those who have not had adaptations carried out via Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). The average DFG costs less than £7,000 compared with a residential care place costing around £29,000 a year. The charity’s research found that local authorities are starting to recognise the impact that DFG makes on their wider care costs. This comes at the time when the absorption of DFG into the pooled NHS Better Care Fund, managed jointly by social services and NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups, could further show the huge social and economic benefits that home adaptations like a ramp, stairlift or level access shower can bring. Some £220m of DFG funding has been paid into the Fund for 2015-16 and while government guidance indicates adaptations should be considered in future spending plans, the research highlights the benefit of DFG-type work for increasingly pressured NHS and council budgets. Foundations submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to all local authorities in England with social care responsibilities. The request asked councils to look at the care

needs of people depending on whether they had previously applied for a DFG to pay for major adaptations. For people who have had to move into residential care, those who had previously received a DFG on average moved just before their 80th birthday and stayed there for two years. Those who hadn’t applied for a DFG moved when they were 76 and stayed in residential care for “The average DFG costs less another six years. than £7,000 compared with a The investigation also showed that residential care place costing people who need care at home require around £29,000 a year” fewer hours of home help following adaptations – saving around £1,300 per year on average. Paul Smith, Director of Foundations, said: “This research indicates that modifications such as stairlifts, level access showers and ramps really do help to delay people moving into care homes – by four years.” You can download the research from the Foundations website at www.foundations. uk.com

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Retailer helps ramp up Charity move The Mobility Aids Centre in Peterborough has helped the Caudwell Children Charity with a move to new premises. A regular supplier to the Charity, the company stepped in when it learnt that Caudwell Children needed a ramp to make the fire exits in the new property fully accessible for wheelchair users. They donated a PVI Solid Ramp to the charity, saving them over £200.00. The relocation to the new office will double the Charity’s current floor space. Elaine Revans, from Caudwell Children’s Applications Team said: “This is a fantastic

gesture and will ensure that our disabled staff and volunteers will have a safe exit from the building in the event of an emergency. Every penny that we save, whether on office furniture or accessories like this ramp, will go directly to supporting disabled children and young people. So this donation will make a genuine impact on a disabled child.” The website for the company is at www. themobilityaidscentre.co.uk

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Seen in all the best places! The BHTA logo has always been something important to look out for if you want to be sure that the company you are dealing with is setting and maintaining the right standards. Every BHTA member agrees to abide by a Code of Practice, part of the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme, which is run by The Trading Standards Institute. The BHTA code is the only one in this industry. Only BHTA member companies can display the two logos together and it means that you can be confident of enjoying high levels of care, courtesy and professionalism. To find out which companies can offer you that guaranteed level of confidence, go to the website and use the member search facility.

www.bhta.net

new on the market One arm dressing solution Buckingham Healthcare has introduced the new Bra Buddy which has been designed as a solution for a woman to put on her bra if she only has the use of one arm. It’s easy to use with an online video to help customers and is suitable for almost all bra types. As with all Buckingham Healthcare products, it is packaged for retail. Call 01258 839122. The website is at www. buckinghamhealthcare. co.uk

Two new beds from Theraposture Narrowest option yet from Sunrise Sunrise Medical has introduced the latest model of the Salsa M2 – the Salsa M2mini The company says that it is its narrowest MWD powerchair to date. National Sales and Marketing Manager, Simon Collins says: “Many powerchairs that perform outdoors can be too large for people’s homes and small compact indoor only chairs just don’t perform outdoors. The Salsa M2mini blends indoor manoeuvrability with outdoor performance. Our R&D team has delivered the super narrow chassis by using smaller 36Ah batteries so the only compromise is range but with innovation in drive-from solutions we believe it will the go to chair for users who don’t demand large batteries.” The website is at www.sunrisemedical.co.uk

New bed rail from Drive The new Beaufort Bed Rail provides stable support when getting in or out of bed. Able to fit a divan or slatted bed, the metal handrail easily and comfortably enables the users to move from a lying to a sitting position, as well as from a sitting to standing position. Complete with an easy to fit strap to hold it securely in position, the rail is height adjustable to suit varying user requirements. Call 0844 855 4402. The website is at www.drivemedical.co.uk 64 www.thiis.co.uk

Theraposture, unveiled two new versions of its original Rotoflex turning bed system at the OT Show, a Super-bariatric and a Low Access version. Theraposture has supplied a 230kg SWL (Safe Working Load) bariatric Rotoflex since 2011 suitable for users weighing up to 190kg. The new extra heavy-duty version has a 300kg SWL. The new Low Access version represents the lowest rotating bed available today. It provides an ultra-low sleeping surface and powered rotational assistance ideal for smaller users and those requiring a lower seat height. The website is at www.theraposture.co.uk

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new on the market New Freeway EasiChange Range from Prism Medical UK Prism Medical UK has launched a new range of Freeway Easi-Change branded shower stretchers and changing benches. Targeted at the community and long term care sectors, The Freeway Easi- Change range features quality wall mounted, adjustable and fixed height showering and changing solutions and includes a range of electric and manual options. There is a two year manufacturer’s warranty as standard with wipe clean surfaces, fold away options to save on space, a range of sizes and colours. Call 0844 980 2296 or visit www.prismmedical. co.uk

Exhibition Diary January 25-28 2016 - Arab Health, Dubai. www.arabhealthonline.com January 31 – February 1 – IIC Show, Manchester -www.iicshow.co.uk February 2-3 2016 – Moving & Handling People, London. www. movingandhandlingpeople.co.uk February 29 – March 2 2016 – Medtrade Spring - Las Vegas www.medtrade.com March 10 2016 – Kidz In The Middle – Ricoh Arena, Coventry - www.disabledliving.co.uk/Kidz/ Middle April 26-28 2016 Naidex National – NEC – www.naidex.co.uk May 26-28 2016 – The Mobility Roadshow – Silverstone – www. mobilityroadshow.co.uk

66 www.thiis.co.uk

June 9 2016 - Kidz to Adultz South - www.disabledliving.co.uk/Kidz/ South

September 28 - October 1 2016 – Rehacare – Dusseldorf – www. rehacare.com

June 14-15 2016 – NAEP Annual Conference – Kenilworth – www. naep.org.uk

October 5-6 2016 – Independent Living Scotland – SECC - www. independentlivingscotland.org

June 28-30 2016 – OT Annual Conference – Harrogate – Call 020 8977 7997

October 11-12 2016 – The Care & Dementia Show – NEC. www. careshow.co.uk

June 29-30 2016 – Health+Care, Excel, London. www. healthpluscare.co.uk

November 1-3 2016 – Medtrade, Atlanta. www.medtrade.com

July 7 2016 – Kidz to Adultz Wales – Cardiff www.disabledliving.co.uk/ Kidz/Wales September 25-26 2016 – Trade Days – NEC – www.tradedays. co.uk

November 14-17 2016 – Medica – Dusseldorf. www.medica.de November 17 2016, EventCity, Manchester - Kidz to Adultz Up North -www.disabledliving.co.uk/ Kidz/North November 23-24 2016 – The OT Show – NEC – www.otshow.co.uk

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Mark of trust and awards for Acorn Acorn Stairlifts has announced a first for the industry as the only national stairlift company to be awarded the Trustmark accreditation for installation and customer care. The only Government-endorsed scheme for all trades in and around the home, TrustMark acts as a signpost to help homeowners find local firms and expert tradespeople. All TrustMark registered firms are onsite inspected, vetted and agree to work to Government-endorsed standards of technical competence and fairtrading prior to listing and are then monitored for continued compliance. TrustMark is also the only scheme that visits domestic premises to inspect the work done. Simon Ayers, Chief Executive of TrustMark said: “ Stairlifts is a new trade for TrustMark and consumers are now able to find good trusted and expert stairlift installers.” The Trustmark accreditation is not the only ‘first’ for Acorn as it also was the first stairlift company in the world to receive the ‘Easeof-Use Commendation’ from the Arthritis Foundation. The company also enjoyed a hat-trick after picking up three regional accolades The company has won a Business Growth Award, an Outstanding Export Award and was named as runner-up in a Smart Product category. The Business Growth Award, sponsored by DHL Global Forwarding celebrates the achievements of manufacturers that have achieved dynamic business growth. Acorn’s turnover in North America has trebled from £19.5m to £58.6m in the past four years and worldwide exports have more than doubled from £35.7m to almost £80m. The company

says that, every nine minutes, an Acorn stairlift is installed somewhere in the world. The company’s turnover in North America is now higher than in the UK. The website for Acorn is at www.acornstairlifts. co.uk. The TrustMark website is at www. trustmark.org.uk

From left to right, Jon Ives and Clive Vare of Trustmark with Dave Belmont and Paul Stockdill of Acorn.

68 www.thiis.co.uk

Andrew Longthorne, Steeton Factory Manager and Nick Wilson, Senior Operations Manager

Record sales for Sidhil Despite what the company describes as ‘challenging market conditions’, Sidhil achieved record sales in 2015, increasing turnover by £1.2m over 2014 figures. The company says that early indications in the shape of new contracts and forthcoming product launches enables it to give a confident prediction that 2016 should prove equally successful. According to Sidhil, growth has been underpinned by increasing sales into the acute hospital sector, complementing the company’s established position as the market leader for community and nursing care beds, whilst Sidhil has achieved significant gains in every operating sector. Sales and marketing director Graham Turner told us: “Sales of the company’s latest Innov8 ward beds have boomed, winning approval from NHS Trusts across the UK, with continued expansion in the service and maintenance sector further enhancing growth, supported by the British manufacturing base, access to technical

expertise and fast availability of spares.” He added: “We are the only remaining UKbased volume manufacturer of hospital beds, and we are totally committed to retaining production here in the UK. Our UK facility means we can ramp up production to meet short lead times, and also ensures we achieve the exacting levels of quality control required by our customers in the UK and further afield.” Call 01422 233 000. The website is at www. sidhil.com

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jobs on offer

Territory Sales Managers

Mobility and Seating Specialist

Southern England/Southern Central

Better Mobility are recruiting for the position of Mobility and Seating Specialist. You will be working closely with Adults and children with disabilities, their therapists, and carers to supply innovative customised mobility solutions that improve their lives. Better Mobility are ﬁrmly committed to providing top quality service at all times, and are recognised for our integrity, reliability and expertise. Based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, covering South East England, with a focus on Central London, we work with private as well as NHS run hospitals and clinics, Therapists and Case Managers, and individual private customers. Joining a diverse and experienced team, each with their own specialty focus, this is an exciting career opportunity for the right candidate. Ideally you will have a few years experience in assessing for and prescribing manual and powered wheelchairs, however, in our team, it is far more important that you are the right person for the position. Whether you have previous training, or not, our entire team undertakes regular training, from many different sources in order to ensure that we remain experts in our ﬁeld.

The Company Sidhil are a leading UK manufacturer and supplier of clinical beds, pressure mattresses, treatment furniture and other supportive medical products to the social care, NHS, Private Hospitals, Care & Nursing home and distributor markets across the UK. The Role We are now looking to recruit a number of new sales roles to assist in the continued development of established sales into the social care, the NHS and the Care Home sectors. With a range of new innovative products, the opportunities for sales growth with Sidhil are substantial. The roles require highly organised individual who are focused on delivering results and meeting/exceeding sales targets and are able to adapt to the business needs; essentially you will be a self-driven, enthusiastic and dynamic sales professional who enjoys working in a rapidly growing environment. The Person Candidates for these roles will ideally have a background of working within the Healthcare industry; knowledge of specifying and being involved in the sales of clinical beds and pressure care equipment would be advantageous. The ability to manage existing accounts and continue to grow sales and profit is essential: we would expect you to come from a successful sales background where customer service was paramount and products and services were sold at a profit. These are all field based roles. Territory Sales Manager – Care & Nursing Home Sector: Southern England – this new additional position will work with our product range focused into the Care and Nursing Home market. The role will primarily cover the south of the UK. The successful candidate location would ideally be around the Luton/Northampton areas, but for the right person location is less important. Territory Sales Manager – Acute and Community: Southern Central – this is a new role within our current sales team to assist in the continued growth of our business and will focus on the sales of our full range of products to acute hospitals and community social care. The role will cover a sales territory in the southern central area; location for the territory is potentially flexible dependant on the home location, suitability and experience of the candidate. The Package • • • • • • •

A competitive rate will be paid to the successful applicant dependent on skills and experience A laptop and mobile A company car Auto-enrollment pension through Friends Provident with an employer contribution after a deferred period 34 days annual holidays including bank holidays Company sick pay after qualifying period A very generous Bonus Scheme

What to do next Please apply by submitting a covering letter stating current salary with CV through our careers page: http://www.sidhil.com/about/careers/ The closing date is planned for 31st January 2016 but may be closed earlier if there are enough applications received; applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment Please note that the successful candidate will be required to undergo an Enhanced DBS check. Sidhil is an Equal Opportunities and Age Positive Employer.

www.sidhil.com

You will report to the General Manager and will be responsible for proactive and thorough handling of sales, and subsequent customer contact with a strong focus on maintaining excellent customer relationships. Excellent communication & interpersonal skills are paramount, with strong empathy for the needs of the end users and their families/carers , you will not just be selling products, but will be thinking “outside of the box” to provide customised solutions to suit the individual. Flexibility and a great sense of humour are essential to working within in our small, but dedicated team. The reward being a good salary, ability to earn additional commission, late model company van, fuel card, work mobile, team building “fun days”, appreciative, committed, and supportive employers. To apply: If you believe you would make a valuable addition to our team please send your CV with a Covering Letter outlining your experience and current salary details to: Jeanette Warner, Better Mobility Limited, 12 Henry Wells Square, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 6BJ. Alternatively you can email: j.warner@bettermobility.co.uk

UK Technical Sales and Service Representative, Freerider – National Established in 1995 Freerider Corporation has grown to become one of the largest Mobility Scooter manufacturers. In line with our growth strategy we are looking at expanding our current team and welcome applicants from all parts of Great Britain. We are looking to recruit a UK Technical Sales and Service Representative to join our sales team. The role will be home based but with the need to cover the UK there will be a requirement for occasional nights away from home.

Skills & experience required:

Main duties & responsibilities are:

•

• • • • • •

Educate all stakeholders on the service and repair of our full range of products Carry out service repairs on products when called upon Making appointments to meet new potential customers Maintaining and developing existing customers Identifying new markets and business opportunities Increase market share in existing market Achieving sales targets for revenue, profitability and sales growth

•

• • •

•

A good level of electrical and mechanical engineering experience preferably gained within the mobility industry Proven communication and interpersonal skills The ability to establish and develop new and existing business Passion for quality and commitment to delivering a first class service Highly organised and able to plan and prioritise workload Success in achieving targets and producing results Driving licence essential

In return we offer: Basic wage + commission, expenses, company van, mobile phone. To apply for this position please send your CV along with a covering letter and salary expectations to sales@freerideruk.co.uk

Sales Consultant â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Local Authority Geographical area of Surrey We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and experienced Sales Consultant to join our team, working from the geographical area of Surrey. Reporting to our Regional Sales Manager, the successful candidate will be responsible for the profitable achievement of sales targets within the public sector of the Stairlift market. Resident in the sales area, you will be selling our products to end users in the public sector via the Local Authority structure. An essential requirement of the role is the ability to develop long-term relationships with public authority personnel.

Although a percentage of your leads will be by appointment, you will enhance our business by building new relationships and prospecting for opportunities. To succeed in this challenging role, you will require excellent communication skills and first class personal presentation. Good standards of numeracy and IT literacy are equally important within this role. An attractive benefits package will include the provision of a Company vehicle and a valid driving licence will always be essential.

Private Sales Consultant x3 Areas West Midlands area Staffordshire/Derbyshire/Cheshire area Dartford/London area Stannah, the Stairlift experts, are looking to recruit an experienced sales consultant to join our direct sales team, this role is home based. Selling throughout the surrounding regions into a potentially vulnerable market, we are looking for a top class sales professional who will respect and reflect the values of a market leader but who can positively contribute to the continuing success of our business. Working on qualified visits by our Telecentre you will need to be flexible enough to respond

to appointments as and when required by our potential customers. Often this can require weekend and evening working to accommodate the schedules of accompanying family members. We are looking for someone willing to commit to work frequent weekends and certain bank holidays in keeping with the demands of the market. For the successful candidate the rewards will reflect that commitment along with the usual benefits that you would expect from a company of Stannahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation.

Closing date 20 January 2016. In order to apply candidates will need to follow the link to our careers page which will take them to the role where they can then apply. In order to apply candidates need to upload their CV and an optional cover letter is recommended.

www.stannah.com

training diary

Doing any training? If you are providing training for the trade, then simply send us the details of the course, the date, any costs, the venue and the contact for booking places and we’ll include it in the Diary. Email info@thiis.co.uk with any details you have. JANUARY 2016 Global Training by Silvalea – Manual Handling Products - 20th January 2016 - Interactive Online Training. FOC. Global Training by Silvalea – Toileting Sling Solutions - 21st January 2016 Interactive Online Training. FOC. Pride Mobility – Introduction to Pride Mobility Products Technical Trouble Shooting – January 20/21 2016 - A deposit is required for each delegate that you wish to attend the Pride training. This will be returned to you once the specific training has been attended. JCM – Specialist Seating Workshop – 21st January 2016 – Peterborough – FOC

Global Training by Silvalea – Walking & Standing Harness Solutions - 17th February 2016 - Interactive Online Training. FOC. Global Training by Silvalea – Paediatric Sling Solutions - 18 February 2016 Interactive Online Training. FOC. JCM – Technical Training Workshop – February 18th 2016 – Peterborough – FOC Pride Mobility - February 24/25 2016 Introduction to Pride Mobility Products Technical Trouble Shooting - A deposit is required for each delegate that you wish to attend the Pride training. This will be returned to you once the specific training has been attended. Global Training by Silvalea – Sizing & How to Measure - 24th February 2016 Interactive Online Training. FOC.

Global Training by Silvalea – In-situ Sling Solutions - 27th January 2016 Interactive Online Training. FOC.

Global Training by Silvalea – Complex Sling Solutions 1 - 25th February 2016 Interactive Online Training. FOC.

Global Training by Silvalea – Amputee Sling Solutions - 28th January 2016 Interactive Online Training. FOC. JCM – Care Seat Clinic – 28th January 2016 – Peterborough - FOC

FEBRUARY 2016 Electric Mobility – Servicing / Maintenance & Fault finding for Rascal Mobility Products – February 3rd 2016 Ilminster. FOC including Lunch.

JCM - Car Seat Clinic – February 29th 2016 – Peterborough - FOC

MARCH 2016 JCM - Specialist Seating Workshop – March 22nd 2016 – Peterborough FOC

Pride Mobility – March 23/24 Introduction to Pride Mobility Products Technical Trouble Shooting - A deposit is required for each delegate that you wish to attend the Pride training. This will be returned to you once the specific training has been attended.

CONTACTS FOR BOOKINGS Electric Mobility – Contact Tiffany Mockridge on 01460 258100. Email: tiffany.mockridge@electricmobility.co.uk Global Training by Silvalea - +44 (0) 1626 331655 info@silvaleaglobaltraining.com or visit www. trainingbysilvalea.com Quantum Rehab – Call Hayley 01869 324600 or email sales@quantumrehab.co.uk Pride Mobility – Call Dave on 01869 324600 or email service@pride-mobility. co.uk JCM – Contact Rachel Davis on training@ jcmfactory. co.uk

JCM - Car Seat Clinic – March 24th 2016 – Peterborough - FOC

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Want to know more? Potential stockists should call John Negus on 01458 449075 or email: johnn@footshopltd.co.uk CF038_V2.indd 1

74 www.thiis.co.uk

www.cosyfeet.com 16/06/2011 09:58

Terry Lifts are No.1 Terry Lifts are independently certificated to the British Standard 5900:2012 and the EU Machinery Directive for a lift travel above 3 metres covering â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Through the floor fully enclosed Home Liftsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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A space-saving lift with a remarkably small footprint for a lift that can carry 2 people with a 250kg capacity

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Can be fitted neatly into a corner or against the wall

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1027TGAthiisJan16v1.indd 1

08/12/2015 17:05

THIIS is produced by BHTA Engage: 2-4 Meadow Close, Ise Valley Industrial Estate, Wellingborough, NN8 4BH Tel: 01933 278 086 E-mail: newsroom@thiis.co.uk Providing news and views in

the trade since 1999 BHTA Engage Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any way without the written permission of the publisher. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher and although every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate, the publishers take no responsibility for errors or omissions.