Business News

The Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) have welcomed Qasim Majid as their new president for 2018-19. Qasim takes over from Saqib Bhatti, who served as ABCC president for four years.

Originally from Manchester, Qasim has been an active member of the ABCC since moving to Birmingham in 2002 when he founded his digital marketing agency Wow Zone.

He has previously served as the ABCC’s vice-president and is currently the vice-chairman of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Birmingham.

Qasim said: “My message is a simple one, the ABCC, first and foremost is a business organisation. We are here to support our members get better connected to opportunities and build their networks.

“If we focus on building long lasting, meaningful relationships, and add value to one another, we won’t go far wrong.

“I thank our members, sponsors and partners for supporting our organisation over the years. The ABCC wouldn’t be where it is today, without your unwavering support.”

Qasim will be joined by Haseena Lockhat and Lakhbir Singh, as the Chamber’s new vice-presidents.

Haseena currently works as a consultant clinical psychologist at Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, serves as a panel member for the West Midlands Police Independent Advisory Group and is the chair of Mosaic Network.

Haseena said: “At such an exciting time in Birmingham, where growth and development of the Second City is on an all-time high, I am looking forward to stepping up my involvement within the ABCC executive committee, in my role of VP.”

Currently working as a relationship director for Barclays, Lakhbir has held a number of managerial roles in the finance industry, including regional and business manager roles at BCRS Business Loans and Barclays. This is his first committee position, having served on the ABCC board since 2015.

Lakhbir said: “It's a great honour to be elected to be vice-president at the ABCC. I've been involved in the ABCC for the past three years now and I look forward to the new challenge of the vice-president’s role.

“The Chamber offer great support for businesses and I look forward to being a part of this.”

The new executive committee also includes Aftab Chughtai MBE, Gurmeet Jakhu, Dr Nasir Awan MBE, DL, Neelam Afzal, Omer Simjee, Prithpal Saimbi, Ravinder Masih, Ruzwan Boota, Sunny Araf, Amandeep Hyare and Steve Brittan.

Andy Street, West Midlands mayor, said: “I congratulate the ABCC on the election of Qasim Majid as their new president.

“The ABCC have a great track record of promoting business across the region and giving a voice to the vibrant Asian business community.

“I wish the ABCC all the best and hope they continue the great work they have been doing in promoting business and enterprise, in particular in encouraging diversity and more women to start up in business.”

As part of the Black Country Business Festival, Walsall College are inviting local businesses to attend its Skills Summit panel discussion on Monday 30th April to discuss the skills gaps both within their organisation and across the region.

The event, which includes an expert panel, will take place at Walsall College’s Business and Sports Hub between 4pm – 6pm.

The aim of the panel discussion is for local business to network and share where their organisations have experienced skills gaps. Delegates will be given the chance to influence the direction of the skills agenda and find solutions to recruitment challenges.

During the event, Walsall College will share results from their independently commissioned report on local labour market workforce, which also reveals predictions for key growth occupations.

The Skills Summit is also an opportunity for local businesses to hear from those who have successfully identified and mitigated skills gaps in their businesses, and how organisations are using the apprenticeship levy.

Headed by James Norris, the College’s Assistant Principal, the expert panel includes a wide range of apprentice recruitment professionals from a local organisations that have been significant business growth through apprenticeships.

The panel composed of Mark Stone (Apprentice Recruitment and CSR Manager at Perkins Engine), Helena Baxter (Project Officer for Walsall Council’s Apprenticeship Programme) and Rachel Andrew (Head of Learning and Development at Dudley Group of Hospitals)

Laura Myatt, a former Walsall College student who is now an apprentice engineer at Perkins Engines, will also join the panel to talk about how an apprenticeship has helped her start a career in a field she is passionate about.

Business of all sizes can attend the event, and will be of benefit to those with responsibility for training, such as financial director and training managers.

James Norris, Walsall College’s Assistant Principal in Commercial Development, said: “In the Black Country, 66 per cent of employers report that they have skills shortages, indicating that technical, practical and job specific skills are an issue with skilled trades the most difficult vacancies to fill.

The Skills Summit is a great opportunity for local businesses to work together to address the skills gap across the West Midlands, and discuss the benefits of apprenticeships.

Responding to employer needs is one of our highest priorities here at Walsall College. The event is a chance for us to listen to employers about what they require from the next generation of workers. This will feed into our curriculum to ensure that students are equipped with the skills to not only build a successful future for themselves, but to also drive prosperity for West Midlands area.

A drastic fall in the number of people out of work and a surge in employment will hopefully signal the start of an upward trajectory for the region, business leaders said today.

The West Midlands unemployment rate fell by 0.5 per cent to 5 per cent between December and February – the largest decrease of any UK region.

During the same period, the employment rate increased by 0.5 per cent.

Nationally, unemployment fell by 0.1 per cent to 4.2 per cent, with employment rising from 0.1 per cent to 75.4 per cent.

New figures also revealed wage growth is up to 2.8 per cent, outstripping inflation for the first time in a year to ease the burden on households.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Paul Faulkner (pictured) said: “The regional labour market statistics this month are highly encouraging.

“We are proud to see that the West Midlands has had the largest decrease in unemployment rate estimates of any region between December and February, and we hope that the rise in our employment rate is the start of an upward trajectory.

“We are also pleased to see the national rise in nominal average weekly earnings surpassing February’s inflation figures, which will ease costs for those in employment.

“However, locally, employment rates trail behind the national figures, and there is still work to be done to ensure that employers have access to the skilled talent that they need, and that they are able to offer quality jobs that will drive increases in productivity and economic performance.

“Skills shortages in our region continue to affect employers’ ability to source the right people for key roles.”

Mr Faulkner said clarity from the government over funding for apprenticeships is vital to the region’s long-term prospects.

He added: “From the end of this month, apprenticeship-levy paying employers who are not using all of their levy funds themselves will be able to transfer 10 per cent of the funds to another organisation, and the Chamber hopes that this will boost apprenticeships and long-term, employment in the region.

“However, we are increasingly concerned by the caveats surrounding this and call on the government to address the growing complexity of apprenticeship funding.”

City of Wolverhampton Council and partners will help drive an exciting new Black Country initiative launching next week.

The Black Country Business Festival – an idea put forward by the Black Country Chamber of Commerce – will be held from Monday, April 23 to Friday, May 4.

It is based on an approach introduced in other parts of the country, such as Leicester and Coventry, and will provide a platform to showcase and celebrate innovation, culture and commerce across the Black Country.

The aim is to raise the profile of the strong investment opportunities the Black Country, including City of Wolverhampton, has to offer.

It will reach out to new business audiences, and encourage businesses and intermediaries, including sector and trade representatives, to visit the area and engage with partners and businesses.

City of Wolverhampton Council Head of Enterprise, Isobel Woods, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for city businesses to once again come together and showcase what they have to offer to a new audience.

“The council, supported by public and private sector partners, recently promoted Wolverhampton at MIPIM - the world’s leading property forum – as part of the Midlands Engine and people were impressed by what we have to offer.

“There is £3.7 billion of investment on site or in the pipeline in the city and an excellent support network to help businesses of all types thrive.”

More than 120 events across nine sectors are being held as part of the Black Country Business Festival. This includes over 60 events at City of Wolverhampton venues.

Examples are Black Country Growth Hub, WV Active, PLANit Global, and Wolverhampton Fairtrade events, plus forums such as ‘Master the Power of Influence’ at The Mount Hotel, ‘Protecting your Most Valuable Assets: Your Ideals!’ at Wolverhampton Science Park, and ‘Making Branded Merchandise Work’ at the Ramada Park Hotel.

City of Wolverhampton Council is staging its INVEST event at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, between 2pm and 3pm on Wednesday, April 25, to further promote opportunities for developers, investors and end occupiers that were showcased at MIPIM last month.

In just under two weeks’ time, the Walsall area will host fourteen exciting business events – all part of the Black Country Business Festival starting on 23 April.

In total,122 events will be taking place throughout the Black Country over the fortnight to 4 May, making the Festival – in its inaugural year, the biggest business event in the region.

There is everything from seminars, workshops, behind-the-scenes tours and speed networking to conferences, exhibitions, gala dinners and debates. Most events are completely free to attend.

Walsall has a fantastic assortment of different topics which really showcase the diverse nature of its business community. Subject matters include healthier cakes, electric vehicles, hypnosis and art, whilst there are also practical events focussing on common industry themes such as health and safety, manufacturing, exporting, digital marketing and skills.

Business Festival initiator, the Black Country Chamber of Commerce is running a Manufacturing Roadshow at Walsall Football Club on 3 May. Corin Crane, chief executive said, “It’s amazing to see the colourful range of events in just this one part of the Black Country alone. The entire business community has pulled together to make this Festival the biggest business event in the region that contains something for everyone.

“Our Manufacturing Roadshow at Walsall Football Club is open to any business of any size in the manufacturing sector in particular. We will be providing bags of information specifically for manufacturing businesses such as funding, innovation support, training, staffing, planning and much more. As well as the exhibition, there will be short presentations and lots of opportunites to network, gather knowledge and make new connections. So it would be worth anyone in this sector coming along to find out more and see how they could tap into available help and support to grow their business.”

Leading environmental and engineering services company RSK Group Ltd has announced that it has acquired Non Destructive Testing Services Ltd (NDT Services), an independent pile testing engineering company contracting to the construction sector and based near Nottingham, and Copeland Wedge Associates (CWA), consulting civil and structural engineers based in central Birmingham.

NDT Services has been providing a wide range of testing services at construction sites throughout the UK for over 29 years. Its prestigious projects include various Airbus UK facilities, Wembley Stadium and the London Olympic Park.

CWA provides a range civil and structural engineering services for projects ranging from multimillion-pound developments to the niche engineering required to complement bespoke architectural designs. It has worked on a wide range of building projects across the UK, including schools, colleges, police and fire stations, health and care centres, and hotel, retail and leisure facilities.

Both businesses, including NDT Services’ 20 staff members and CWA’s 39, will join RSK’s geosciences and engineering division headed by divisional director George Tuckwell.

This is the latest in a major series of acquisitions by RSK, which is based in Helsby, Cheshire. It follows the acquisition of Central Alliance Pre Construction Services Ltd in March, CJ Associates and Up and Under Group, and the merger with RSKW in January, and the acquisition of acoustics, noise and vibration consultancy Cole Jarman and site investigation services firm Ian Farmer Associates in November 2017, all of which add to RSK’s growing portfolio. Acquiring NDT Services and CWA builds on RSK’s recent growth in civil and structural engineering capabilities.

Permira Debt Managers has backed RSK in making the acquisitions and the merger as part of a £140-million funding package agreed in 2017 that will include about 10 acquisitions for the group. RSK’s advisers on these latest purchases were Dow Schofield Watts Transaction Services LLP (due diligence), Dow Schofield Watts Corporate Finance Ltd (corporate finance) and Memery Crystal LLP (legal).

The acquisition of NDT Services and CWA brings RSK’s headcount to over 2300 in 85 offices worldwide. The NDT Services and CWA businesses will continue to operate under their existing brands. NDT Services directors John Purser and Andrew Martin will continue to head the company working alongside existing key NDT Services personnel. Directors David Copeland, Jim O’Donnell and Steve Wedge will continue to lead CWA.

According to the 2017 UK industry Market Trends report, RSK ranked as the eighth overall environmental consultancy, top for contaminated land/remediation and environmental/sustainability policy and strategy. Other top five places included third for regulated industries; third for environmental liabilities, risks and hazards; fourth for environmental management and compliance; and fifth for working infrastructure and development clients.

These latest acquisitions will likely see RSK’s profile grow in the industry’s

important rankings. RSK is listed in the New Civil Engineer’s top 100 engineering companies and has acquired 20 environmental and analysis companies across Europe and the Middle East in the past decade and seen impressive growth during that time that has helped to create a £150-million-turnover business.

Dr Alan Ryder, chief executive officer, RSK, said, “I am delighted to join forces with NDT Services and CWA. Both companies have extremely experienced and skilled people who share our common values. Our plan is to invest in the companies and help them to grow. RSK can now offer pile testing to complement our existing geotechnical and structural engineering expertise. And CWA will bring us better access to the Birmingham/West Midlands market and further enhance our engineering teams.”

John Purser, managing director of NDT Services, said, “The prospect of NDT Services moving forward with the support of RSK is exciting for staff, suppliers and clients alike. We feel that adding our specialist pile testing services to the RSK portfolio is a perfect fit that will enable the company to fulfil its potential within the industry.”

Steve Wedge, director of CWA, said, “The announcement of RSK’s acquisition of CWA is very positive news for our business. Combining our expertise with RSK’s considerable engineering strengths means we can grow and deliver ever more powerful solutions to meet our clients’ needs.”

Sandwell Council’s taxi licensing team has picked up an award from West Midlands Police.

The award from Chief Superintendent David Sturman, Commander of West Midlands Police’s Operations department, praised the team for their role in preventing child sexual exploitation, fraud and traffic offences.

The team were praised for enforcing laws and regulations among Sandwell’s 1,500 registered taxi drivers, as well as helping detect, suspend or ban poor drivers.

The award also thanked the team for supporting the force’s camera enforcement unit and assisting when police officers interview taxi drivers.

Ch Supt Sturman said: “You continue to make the West Midlands, in particular the Sandwell area, a safer place to be and your tenacity, dedication to the role has resulted in you being part of the most successful licensing department in the West Midlands.”

As sellers became reluctant put their homes on the market in 2017, buyers became increasingly frustrated that they were unable to find their dream home and so the market slowed. But, with more stock on the market, those buyers are now more likely to find their dream home.

In order to move into their new home, buyers must first sell their existing home, adding even more stock to the market. With more stock on the market, transactions are likely to climb and confidence in the market will grow.

Antony Gibson, Romans’ Sales Managing Director comments; “One of the biggest frustrations being voiced by home hunters may be coming to an end. The absence of choice in the market place – and the cry that there are simply not enough homes on the market to satisfy demand.

This has in recent times caused many to give up hope of finding the right property or place searches on hold.”

Those buyers need to take another look as we are taking instructions from more sellers than this time last year and the choice of property to buy through Romans is up 15%!

With more stock available and less competition from landlords, first time buyers are also more likely to find a suitable first home. This, coupled with their exemption from stamp duty has resulted in a record number of first time buyer purchases being recorded by Halifax at the start of the year.

First time buyers are incredibly important to the overall housing market as they allow existing owners to sell up and take their second step.

Antony summarises, “Buyers want choice and we have sellers who want to move. Finding a property to buy this spring will be easier than in previous years – you just need to get out there.”

A new, free of charge service has just been launched to help local businesses. Business owners can come along to a business clinic where they can ask questions about their finances or about how to move their businesses forward.

The service has been set up by accountant, Anna Goodwin, of Anna Goodwin Accountancy in Walsall. Anna knows that business owners find aspects of accounting daunting and sometimes difficult to understand. She says,

“Business owners often have questions about their finances. I did a quick survey among my contacts and asked them whether they would be interested in a business clinic where they could come and ask me any questions they might have. The response was an overwhelming ‘yes’.”

Anna’s Business Clinic takes the form of 15-minute slots, which can be booked in advance with Anna and is open to both clients of Anna Goodwin Accountancy and non-clients.

Having been an accountant for over 30 years, and with more than 12 years’ experience of being in business herself, Anna knows how small businesses work and understands the highs and lows that come with self-employment. Small business owner, Tiffeny Hildick came to Anna for advice. She says,

“Anna is very approachable and understanding and offers a space of openness and honesty. With very little information she’s able to piece together the options with clarity and simplicity for the non-accountant!”

Anna’s Business Clinic takes place twice a month locally. The first is usually on the first Friday of the month in the coffee bar at the Village Hotel in Walsall (Tempus Drive, Walsall WS2 8TJ), near junction 10 of the M6. And the second is usually on the third Friday of the month at Burlington Hotel in Birmingham (Burlington Arcade, 126 New Street, Birmingham B2 4JQ) until further notice.

Anna also welcomes accountants who wish to explore new ways to develop the broader advisory services required by business owners today. She recognises that the role of accountants is changing due to new technology, increased competition and evolving client expectations.

“There is real concern among accountants that technology will literally take their jobs. I provide a mentoring service, which helps accountants to future-proof their practices. The business clinic is a good opportunity for accountants to find out more about my mentoring service.”

The mentoring service Anna provides covers the key issues that business owners face and how accountants can address them, how to reach out to new and existing clients via channels that are often overlooked, and how to build successful working relationships with clients. Jen Parker of J.P. Accountancy Services recognised the need to start her new accountancy practice on the right footing with some timely advice from Anna. Jen says,

“After meeting with Anna, I was given a fresh boost of confidence in how to make my business work. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when starting an accountancy practice but Anna’s advice has given me the clarity I was lacking. I would definitely consider using her as a mentor in the future.”

If you have a burning question about your business finances or are an accountant looking to future-proof your practice, book your place at Anna’s business Clinic by contacting Anna on 07711 805183 or by filling out the contact form on her website www.annagoodwinaccountancy.co.uk.

Intra-Commonwealth trade and productive greenfield investment is expected to reach US$1.6 trillion by 2020, in spite of the global trade slowdown caused by the 2008 financial crisis.

This rising share of intra-Commonwealth trade and investment underscores the growing significance of Commonwealth markets for member countries, according to a new report by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Commonwealth Trade Review 2018, which will be published this month, says proactive policy measures such as improving trade facilitation or tackling non-tariff barriers could trigger even greater gains for member countries.

In 2017, cumulative intra-Commonwealth greenfield foreign direct investment was estimated at $700 billion, creating 1.4 million jobs through 10,000 projects. The Secretariat projects intra-Commonwealth greenfield investment - when a parent company establishes its operations in a foreign country - could reach $870 billion by 2020.

Trade among Commonwealth countries grew to just under $600 billion in 2016 and is expected to increase by at least 17 per cent to around $700 billion by 2020. Together, intra-Commonwealth trade and greenfield investment is expected to surpass $1.5 trillion.

“This is a remarkable indication of the power of Commonwealth connection and of the benefits that accrue to member countries as a result of Commonwealth Advantage, particularly with world trade only now emerging from the unprecedented slowdown triggered by the financial crisis a decade ago,” said Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.

She added: “With rising protectionist sentiments and a backlash against globalisation in many countries, the role of the Commonwealth becomes increasingly important as a positive influence for strengthening trade links across boundaries and building prosperity in which all can share.”

The review found that Commonwealth countries, overall, are less protectionist and tend to apply fewer harmful measures against fellow member countries.

On average, Commonwealth members enforce commercial contracts much faster, taking 20 per cent less time compared to the world average. “This finding is a significant selling point for boosting investor confidence in the Commonwealth,” the report’s authors said.

Their research also explores how Commonwealth members can harness new technologies, especially digitisation, to strengthen their domestic trade governance, further reducing costs and fostering new trade and investment.

The new research reinforces earlier studies into ‘Commonwealth Advantage’ by which Commonwealth members tend to trade 20 per cent more, save around 19 per cent in costs and generate 10 per cent more foreign direct investment inflows.

Secretary-General Scotland said: “Our trade review shows that economic and governance ties in the Commonwealth provide ready and robust foundation fabric from which collectively as a family of nations we can tailor a future that is fairer, more sustainable, more prosperous and more secure”.

The new research was prepared ahead of this month’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, taking place in London. Intra-Commonwealth trade and investment will be a major issue under discussion with member countries seeking to expand markets and increase growth.

A Birmingham law firm is celebrating after having raised £20,534 for Alzheimer’s Society with a year-long charity partnership.

Squire Patton Boggs has been fundraising across 2017 with a number of activities such as an abseil, silent auction and taking part in Memory Walk.

The law firm united friends, colleagues and family members against dementia and raised awareness about the condition throughout their fundraising.

Neil Taylor, Partner at Squire Patton Boggs, said: “This fundraising has been very much a partnership between us and Alzheimer’s Society: we have been involved in some public events such as volunteering at the Memory Walk in Sutton Park last year. It was a very inspiring moment when the final figure was revealed and it is double the sum we raised last year.”

Squire Patton Boggs employees Rose Chaudry and Christina Georgiou, both Associate Solicitors, co-chaired the charity committee that oversaw the calendar of events dedicated to raising money and awareness.

Rose Chaudry said: “We are very proud to have raised so much money, with fantastic backing from across our office. The scale of the problem that dementia presents has become apparent as so many people have a connection to someone with dementia. Dementia doesn’t just affect the person, it affects everyone around that person.”

The NHS estimates that there are currently more than 13,000 people over-65 living with dementia in Birmingham and this number is set to increase.

Lisa Courtney, Community Fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society in Birmingham said: “This is a fantastic achievement on behalf of Squire Patton Boggs and Alzheimer’s Society is very grateful for all their fundraising. This money will help fund important research into dementia and valuable support such as our National Dementia Helpline for those currently living with the condition.”

Squire Patton Boggs has selected Prostate Cancer UK as their next charity partner of the year. To find out more about dementia or how people can access support in Birmingham, visit Alzheimers.org.uk or call 0121 706 4052.

The University of Wolverhampton is investing £1.6 million in a new Digital Library Platform - making significant improvements to its learning resources.

The investment will ensure that students have improved access to the print and electronic resources they need to support their studies.

As part of the investment, Ex Libris - a leading global provider of cloud-based solutions for higher education that helps institutions improve library impact, research outcomes, and student engagement - has been awarded the contract to deliver key elements of  the Digital Library Platform, including their state of the art Alma® Library Services Platform and Primo®Discovery solutions.

Ex-Libris will also supply their Resource List Solution (LEGANTO). LEGANTO will be integrated with the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and student portal to improve pathways to course reading. There is also a plan to implement Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to improve self-service of printed materials, streamline library tasks and enable extended library opening times.

James Anthony-Edwards, Directorate of Academic Support at the University, said:  “We have listened to student feedback on the learning resources that we provide and our new Digital Library Platform will lead to major improvements in resources and the student experience.

“Not only will this benefit all students and staff, it will make the library service more efficient. Currently we spend £1.7 million on books and journals every year and it is important that we are investing this in the resources that students, staff and researchers at the University really need.

“The new library platform will allow us to be much more responsive to demand and provide us with data to understand library use and ensure that investment is being targeted as effectively as possible. By providing a state-of-the-art cloud based Library Platform, students will be able to access the most recent and relevant reading material easily and ultimately will provide students with a responsive library service which recognises the need to constantly adapt to changing learning, teaching and research practices.”

Ofer Mosseri, General Manager and Vice President of Ex Libris Europe, said: “We are delighted that the University of Wolverhampton has selected Alma, Primo and Leganto for this important project. Our solutions will help the library services team to make even more significant contributions to the University of Wolverhampton’s priorities in teaching, learning and research.”

The Digital Library Project is underway. Alma, Primo and RFID will be in place by the 2018/19 Academic year with Leganto to follow in 2019/2020 Academic year.

A fall in inflation to its lowest rate since July 2017 should alleviate concerns over further interest rate rises, business leaders said today.

Consumer price inflation fell from 3 per cent to 2.7 per cent in February, with falling petrol prices and a slower rise in the cost of food cited as contributing factors.

It is hoped the fall will ease pressure on the Bank of England to raise interest rates.

There had been speculation it could raise rates at its meeting in May.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce chief executive Paul Faulkner (pictured) said: “While it was pleasing to see the rate of inflation fall to its lowest level in over six months, the figure for February is still way short of the Bank of England’s target rate of 2 per cent.

“Since the referendum result, households have struggled with a squeeze on living standards, so hopefully today’s results, coupled with the announcement that nominal wages have seen an uplift in the last few months, will start to lessen the pressure on consumers – however, it remains to be seen whether this will translate to an increase in real wages.

“Lower levels of inflation might also rein in the more hawkish sentiments from the Bank of England concerning a further interest rate rise later this year, a move which will no doubt please the city and see a spike in the value of the pound.

“Data from our latest Quarterly Business Report suggests that price pressures have slightly eased for local firms over the last few months and it will be interesting to see if this trend continues into the summer.”

The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s next Quarterly Business Report will be launched with an event at Birmingham City University on 17 April.

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham has today announced it is to further build upon its reputation as a pioneering centre of world-class surgical excellence by introducing robotic-arm assisted surgery for the first time.

The hospital, home to one of the largest and most respected specialist orthopaedic surgery units in Europe, has confirmed it has invested in new robotic-arm assisted hip and knee replacement technology.

The advanced Stryker Mako robotic-arm assisted surgery transforms the way joint replacement surgery is performed, enabling the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital’s team of highly-trained surgeons to operate with even more accuracy.

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital will introduce the revolutionary surgery in its newly launched Woodlands Suite.

The investment comes as demand for joint replacement surgery, especially among those aged under 60, has risen dramatically in the UK over last decade, according to statistics.

British hospitals saw a 76% increase in hip replacements for those aged 59 and under between 2004-5 and 2014-15. There was also a 47% increase in the number of hip replacements across all ages during this period.

More than 217,000 hip and knee replacement operations were carried out at NHS and independent hospitals in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man last year, with 1,325 hip procedures undertaken at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital alone.

Professor Edward Davis, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, said: “The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital has been pioneering care in the field of orthopaedics since its inception and this investment in leading-edge technology represents another exciting chapter in that story.

“With this technology we can provide each patient with a personalised surgical experience based on their specific diagnosis and anatomy.

“Using a virtual 3D model, Mako allows surgeons to create each patient’s surgical plan pre-operatively. During surgery, we can validate that plan and make any necessary adjustments while guiding the robotic-arm to execute that plan.

“It’s exciting to be able to offer this transformative technology to in our newly created Woodlands Suite offering state-of-the-art care to patients at every step of their journey through the process from planning to post-operative recuperation and care.”

Osteoarthritis was the main diagnosis for primary hip replacement and almost exclusively the diagnosis for primary knee replacement during the 2016 calendar year, in 90 per cent and 99 per cent of cases respectively.

The Mako Total Hip application is a treatment option for adults who suffer from degenerative joint disease of the hip. During surgery, the surgeon guides the robotic-arm during bone preparation to prepare the hip socket and position the implant according to the pre-determined surgical plan.  The tool aids precision surgery, helping reduce post-operative pain and speed patient recovery time”.

Mum-of-two Elaine Spencer, 69, was the first patient to undergo the treatment. And six weeks after the surgery, the mum-of-two has gone from strength to strength.

She said: “I have been keeping my own diary of my progress. After two weeks I was back swimming, after three weeks I was driving and could go up and down stairs normally, rather than a step at a time, and at four weeks I got rid of my walking stick altogether.

“Since then I have been to the theatre and I’ve got on the train, both of which involved lots of steps. I can now sleep on the side that was operated on and I am enjoying going for walks, in fact I am just in from a walk just now.”

“I am really really pleased with how things have gone. It has been a transformation.”

Professor Davis said: “We are proud to be the first NHS hospital to offer this highly advanced robotic technology in the UK.

“The addition of Mako to our orthopaedic service line further demonstrates our commitment to provide the community of Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond with outstanding healthcare.”

A series of masterclasses aimed at getting West Midlands businesses confident enough to export their goods and services is being launched in Birmingham.

Funded by ERDF SME International Growth Project and organised by the Department for International Trade (DIT) and West Midlands Chambers of Commerce, the three half-day masterclasses take place in the city centre and will be headed by a specialist trainer in international business strategies. There is no cost to eligible businesses attending.

The first takes place on April 19 and will focus on how to increase export sales. It will include techniques on how to upsell to existing international clients, how to identify new markets and build brand awareness, as well as mitigating risks and using a range of channels to sell.

The second takes place on May 22 and will examine how companies can pitch their business to an international audience, looking at business style, culture and market, using the gov.uk Export Opportunities platform, and how to make the most of Department for International Trade networks and overseas contacts.

The third masterclass on May 10 is about the eight steps to successful international negotiation skills, planning and how to improve the outcome of negotiations.

Patrick McCarron, business development manager at the Department for International Trade, said: “More often than not, businesses need a guiding hand when it comes to having a strategic plan for export growth because there’s a step up from being reactive when an enquiry comes in from really planning to grow the business’s overseas markets.

“Our masterclasses can put businesses on the right path towards exporting, give them the confidence they need and also provide vital information on where they can get DIT support.”

Eligible businesses can sign up for the masterclasses relevant to their needs and the sessions will be hosted by Richard Jeffrey, of Business Navigators, at KPMG, at One Snowhill, Snowhill Queensway, Birmingham.