Ever since the LimbO Waterproof Protector was introduced to the UK market, we’ve always enjoyed a close working relationship with healthcare practitioners. Back in 1994, when our founders developed the first LimbO, they understood that clinicians offered valuable product development guidance and market insight; and were likely to become trusted advocates for this new invention. The LimbO was always developed and marketed as a medical device, rather than an accessory.
Fast forward to 2022 and those important professional relationships with clinicians continue to thrive and remain at the heart of our business. Whilst the faces may have changed, those early associations with fracture teams have flourished and expanded to a network of contacts including nursing, specialist care, tissue viability and wound care teams right across the UK.
Symbiotic Relationships
A key element in developing relationships with healthcare practitioners has been to nurture a reciprocal connection. In those early days, our founders were keen to learn and draw knowledge from the professionals they were working with. Now that we have an extremely successful product which has helped numerous patients worldwide, we not only continue to learn from practitioners, but have also been keen to acknowledge that success with those who champion it.
For over 20 years our telesales team and website always ask how customers heard about LimbO and if it has been recommended, where this recommendation has come from. As well as providing us with useful insight and sales data, there is a more fundamental reason behind the question - one of financial support for clinical education. For each LimbO sold as a result of a recommendation from an NHS team, we add a portion of the profit to a central educational fund which supports the work of our valued colleagues. This kitty is used by clinical teams for a variety of things, including paying for training and professional membership fees and conference attendance.
Events and Training
We also support healthcare practitioners by exhibiting at their college and association events, training days such as the Casting Course at The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore (picture above), CPD and conferences throughout the year. In fact, our own company calendar is built around those dates. These events offer us a great chance for some face-to-face time, to say thank you, provide support and discuss product development - the very origin of these relationships.
In 2022 alone, we will have attended more than 40 of these events including:
12 Journal of Community Nursing Regional Study Days
The Lower Limb Event in Birmingham
The British Lymphology Society Conference
Wounds Expo in Manchester
The Fundamentals of Wound Care launch and education day
The Nursing in Practice Training events in Birmingham and London
The 5th Medifoot CPD School Annual Conference and Exhibition
The Society of Tissue Viability Conference in Glasgow
Royal College of Nursing Congress
Primary Care and Public Health show at the Birmingham NEC
We owe a debt of gratitude to all of our colleagues across The NHS and private healthcare sector and will continue to support them however and whenever we can. Their recommendations of our products, commitment to our company, friendship and advice is the foundation of our great British business and we are proud to say that we could not have achieved our success without them.