Small Business of The Year Award 2009
Published 15/05/2009
Medical Services (North East) Limited have received the 'Small Business of The Year Award 2009' The awards were hosted at Ramside Hall hotel by Durham FM and Sun FM.
The company which started seven years ago providing all types of Health and Safety Training and operate a Private Ambulance Service across the north east is owned by Wayne and Joanne Hall of Newton Aycliffe.
Over the past few years they have achieved a number of awards and business is booming, but the Small Business of The Year Award has been the icing on the cake. "The first few years were really tough, but we have gradually built up a fantastic team who share our passion for providing first class patient care. We knew we were making a difference to people's lives and decided we had to make it work and give it everything we had, we don't just want to meet standards we want to exceed expectations" explains Wayne.
This high level of customer care is also reflected in the high standards of training staff receive in subjects such as, infection control, equality and diversity, dementia awareness and palliative care, with some of the qualifications equivalent to A level.
In January 2008 Shaun Stewart, chief executive of The Enterprise Agency for Wear Valley and Teesdale, put the company forward to take part in the Fastest 50 programme for high performing individuals and businesses.
"It was one of the best things I have ever done," said Wayne. "When you first start up in business there is a lot of help but when you are a few years in„ you are left to get on with it, you learn what you don't know to begin with and the Fastest 50 helps fill in the gaps and gives you the knowledge and confidence to grow the business further".
But the best experience for Wayne was meeting and working with his mentor Paul Storey, Managing Director of MRB Schumag, which is based on the South Church Enterprise Park, near to the Medical Services headquarters.
"Paul has taught me such a lot and I can't thank him enough, his experience and expertise have been invaluable in helping us grow this business and work on the business not in it. He has now become a really good friend," says Wayne.
In the last two financial years business rose by 93%, smashing the 3 year target they had originally set themselves. This financial year, in their first six months, they are 53% up on the previous year already, easily beating their three year goal for doubling the business."
"We couldn't have done it without the Fastest 50 and the help of the Enterprise Agency and Paul Storey," says Wayne. Medical Services (North East) Limited now work with seven Primary Care Trusts and operate from all the major hospitals in the region. The future looks bright for the business. Unlike other ambulance providers which require longer notice, their ambulances can be booked anytime.
They are often cheaper to operate, especially for long distances and their levels of staff training and customer care are second to none for patient transport.
"Now is a tough time for many businesses," notes Wayne. "And it can get you really down when you are working so hard and not seeing any reward at all. But our experience shows that you can turn things around and there is help out there. We are so glad now we didn't walk away from it all. Turning this business around has taken a lot of hard work but it's been one of the best things we've ever done."
