Executive chairman of Blackpool-based medical device pioneers CME Medical, Stephen Thorpe, scooped Entrepreneur of the Year (in the category of Business Products & Services) in the Ernst and Young “North of England Entrepreneur Of The Year”. Business leaders from a breadth of categories including manufacturing, technology and social enterprise were selected from 29 finalists from across the North West, North East and Yorkshire and were honoured at the event.
CME Medical - which employs 76 members of staff – provides specialist infusion products that are used for pain management, palliative care, oncology and nutrition as well as a growing range of clinical applications. Founded in 2001 by Thorpe, CME Medical distributes portable infusion products to over 300 NHS trusts as well as private hospitals, homecare providers and GP surgeries across the UK and Ireland.
Thorpe commented: “I was honoured to receive this award not just for myself but on behalf of the entire company. It’s a reflection of the hard work and commitment of our team both here in Blackpool and across the UK. This level of teamwork and a dedication to developing an impressive portfolio of medical devices for patients in hospitals and in the community, has seen our turnover grow to £14m”.
He added; “Here at CME Medical, we are driven by a desire to meet the needs of our customers and to bring real - often life-changing – benefits to patients. We engage clinicians in the design of our products and feedback from healthcare professionals and patients who use our devices on a daily basis (whether for conditions such as asthma, nutrition, cancer therapy or in the care of the elderly) underlines the significant improvements in safety and quality of life that our work here in the North West delivers.”
Speaking after the awards, Robert Crooks, partner and North of England Entrepreneur Of The Year Leader at Ernst & Young, commented: "Entrepreneurs form the foundations of our economy, so it’s important that we continue to support their ambitions and celebrate their successes. Rebalancing the economy back in favour of the regions outside of London and the South East will be critical in securing a recovery for the whole of the UK. With entrepreneurs like our finalists creating jobs and wealth right across the North, we can feel confident that this rebalancing will be achieved over the coming years."