Member Article

£8m boost for Peacocks Medical Group

Peacocks Medical Group is investing heavily in new training thanks to recent success in retaining two major contracts, worth £5m, and launching a new European project.

The Newcastle company has retained its contracts with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead and Airedale and Skipton Hospitals Trust to supply orthopaedic appliances, following competitive tenders. It has also secured £3m EU funding for a collaborative project with its European academic partners to develop innovative foot orthotics.

Peacocks has enlisted the help of Access Training to support nine of its staff through a range of training in customer service, team leading and manufacturing to support the business boost.

Tom Kelly, quality assurance manager at Peacocks, said: “We are constantly evolving and developing the way we do business and we know from experience that people development needs to go hand-in-hand with that. We can’t stay on top and retain and win major contracts like this unless our employees are trained to the highest standards. We find that the training Access provides is knowledge-driven, rather than just a case of trying to get the employees through a qualification. We see real, tangible benefits.”

Peacocks, which is still wholly owned and run by the Peacocks family after over 100 years in business, employs 110 people at its Benfield base.

Jordan Thompson, Gina Wade, Giovani Camillo, Sam Smith and Michelle Halford are working towards customer service NVQs. Karen Ferguson, Craig Dixon and Jason Rafelli are training to be team leaders and David Binns is doing management training.

Managing director, Malcolm Armstrong, said: “Peacocks is one of our many long-standing clients and we are very proud of this relationship because it is built on trust and longterm results. Our training makes a real difference to our clients’ businesses.”

Access Training is an award winning training provider. For over 25 years the company has helped over 5,000 people start and develop careers. It offers apprenticeships at intermediate, advanced and higher levels in a wide range of occupational areas. Access is only training provider in Tyne and Wear to achieve the Training Quality Standard.

For information call 0191 490 2377 or email info@accesstraining.org

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jill Farmer (Dobson) .