Clinicians head west to promote regions’ healthcare business opportunities

The group, organised by the Sheffield and Leeds city regions, travel to Chicago this week to pitch to industry leaders at a world conference on orthopaedic care.

The trip is part of a push to make the most of clinical, academic and manufacturing expertise in Sheffield and Leeds to bring global business to the region.

Neil Garner, chair of the Sheffield city region healthcare sector group, said not only could they take expertise abroad, but they could also get companies to base themselves in Yorkshire.

“Our pitch is to market what the region can do in terms of healthcare technology,” he said. “This is an orthopaedic exhibition. Both Sheffield city region and Leeds city region have got many years of expertise, experience and skills in this area.

“Our plan is to market that expertise world wide, essentially we want to put what we do into their products.

“There is also the possibility of that investment involving either acquisitions in the UK of making our regions their UK base.

“It is using not just skills, but the universities, the academics and the clinicians to attract business and jobs.”

The two will be joining forces to pitch for business at Omtec in Chicago – the eighth orthopaedic manufacturing and technology exposition and conference.

The visit is backed by UK Trade and Investment and Medilink with support available for Yorkshire companies taking part.

Omtec is a key event for healthcare suppliers that want to expand or break into the international orthopaedic market.

Both city regions outlined healthcare as a key priority for driving growth, stating that a “critical mass of businesses and research expertise” has developed.

A report to the Leeds city region states: “These clusters have fostered enterprise and innovation in particular industries, creating the potential for international competitive advantage in life sciences and related industries - particularly biosciences and healthcare and medical technologies.

“There is a centre of excellence in regenerative medicine centred in Leeds but extending across the wider city region and significant biosciences expertise centred in York.”