Leading infection control specialist, GAMA Healthcare, has acquired the Clinell division of their Australian distributor, AMCLA Pty Ltd., in Victoria. This significant investment demonstrates GAMA’s continued commitment to infection prevention—providing outstanding education, training and clinical support to healthcare professionals across the world.
GAMA will take over the current office in Mornington, Victoria and will retain all AMCLA personnel. The business unveils ambitious investment plans to emulate success in the U.K., aiming to double the current workforce during the next 12 months. With headquarters in Watford, England, GAMA now has offices in six cities, across three continents.
“This is a very exciting time for us, as we enhance our service in Australia,” says Guy Braverman, managing director and cofounder of GAMA. “As world leaders in infection prevention we are committed to empowering healthcare professionals to make the right choices to achieve the best clinical outcomes. Through our growing team of experienced clinical nurse trainers and area managers, we can increase support and after-sales service to meet the individual needs of every hospital.”
In the U.K., GAMA provides bespoke, local training through group sessions, ward-based training and practitioner meetings—delivered by a team of infection control specialists. “Our organizational support training program is valued very highly by our U.K. customers and we look forward to implementing this in Australia,” says Martin Kiernan, clinical director at GAMA. “We have developed the most advanced and fully customizable tablet-based training suite that is free to all customers. In the last six months of 2016, we hosted over 250 training days."
GAMA Healthcare developed the first universal disinfectant wipe available in the U.K. under the Clinell brand and has since become one of the largest suppliers of wet wipes to the NHS in the U.K., exporting its products to more 50 countries worldwide.
In other news, Gama is underway with plans to build a two-story state-of-the-art research and development facility in the Greetland area of Halifax. The proposed development, spread across 11,765 square feet is projected to cost £2 million and comprises a contemporary open-office environment with advanced research laboratories and auxiliary space to produce and test product samples.
“Plans for the new R&D facility are geared towards facilitating an up-to-date environment for research and innovation breakthroughs with industry leading practices," Braverman says. "The laboratories will be capable of conducting detailed up-to-date research in all aspects of microbiology, infection control and analytical chemistry. A pilot plant is being incorporated to allow experimental small product runs enabling our teams to conduct trials and be proactive with quality assurance and internal testing. The facility will also incorporate a mock hospital room to replicate real life scenarios.”
GAMA Healthcare is aligning their new laboratories with standards set out in the ISO 17025 standards, although the facility won’t initially be accredited. The building will be an offspring to GAMA Healthcare’s head office in Watford and support its international presence, involving offices in six across three continents. Braverman explains, if approved, the research and development institute will be a paramount resource to GAMA Healthcare, as well as the professional community locally.
“ The new infrastructure, we’re proposing, provides a progressive permanent home and allots room for us to expand. In the first year of operation, GAMA Healthcare will be looking to recruit for at least 10 new positions for varied roles in microbiology, biomedical science, chemistry, quality control, analytical services, technician and administration.”
