In the profile at The Herald Scotland, Allan Aikman, a product manager at Pinpoint, who provides staff safety systems to the British National Health Service (NHS), writes about current perils of profiteering in healthcare:
“As the cost of raw materials in the healthcare sector soars, manufacturers across the UK struggle to build much-needed products. Caused by the war in Ukraine coinciding with the aftermath of the pandemic and challenging market forces, the current inflation is to some extent beyond our control. However, it has become clear that some suppliers are taking advantage of the current climate by charging extortionate prices for basic raw materials. In so doing, these businesses are crippling an already-stressed market, stifling innovation, harming businesses, and devastating the sector.”
“When it comes to building new products, little can be done to protect against extortionate costs. Unable to anticipate the needs of future goods, and therefore unable to action the steps outlined above, manufacturers are held at ransom should they seek to design new products. The overt practice of profiteering in the sector is strangling the supply chain, impeding innovation, and consequently limiting the resources available to healthcare professionals – now and in the future. New hospital equipment, life-saving technology and protective systems are all placed on pause as costs multiply”.
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