Torbay Pharmaceuticals, part of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, has responded to the current need for more hand sanitiser which is vital to infection control and is now producing and bottling it at its manufacturing unit in the fight against coronavirus.
The company has started making the sanitiser for the first time, which meets the World Health organisation approved formula, in large quantities at its manufacturing unit in Paignton (in addition to its normal production of drugs and medicines) when it first became apparent that there was a need for the hand rub which is vital to infection control.
Production of the alcohol-based sanitiser will continue while the pandemic lasts. Torbay Pharmaceuticals has already increased production to meet demand with up to 3,000 500ml bottles now produced a week and batches increased from 200 litres to 600 litres.
Leon Rudd, Torbay Pharmaceuticals’ Commercial and Strategy Director, said: “We are delighted to be playing a key role in supporting the Trust and our local population as well other health care providers across the country by bolstering the infection control effort to restrict the spread of COVID-19.
“We are playing to our strengths as a specialist supplier to the health care industry and on our reputation within the sector to react fast to the need for this sanitiser.
“We are grateful to all our colleagues for their support in these difficult times to meet the national effort to help keep health and care staff, patients and residents safe.”
Liz Davenport, Chief Executive of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are really proud of the team at Torbay Pharmaceuticals who have responded at pace to ensure supply of a product essential to maintaining safety for our patients, staff and our communities through this pandemic. This is a real tribute to the whole team who have once again demonstrated their capacity to innovate and adapt the business to supply the products required.”
Initially, the focus was on supplying hospitals in South West including Torbay Hospital, but supply has now expanded, with seven-day-a-week working and extra recruitment, to meet increasing demand further afield across the South of England to include London.
Torbay Pharmaceuticals is also increasing production of other critical medicines to support the frontline COVID-19 effort in intensive care units, which could see production increase by 40 per cent in some of its production lines.
Torbay Pharmaceuticals develops and makes a wide range of medicinal products sold to and used by all UK NHS hospitals and healthcare organisations across the world.
For more information about Torbay Pharmaceuticals, visit www.torbaypharmaceuticals.nhs.uk
