Bedford Business Update 11.7.22

Global Access Health (GAH), a social enterprise dedicated to providing affordable medical products for global health recently introduced its first portfolio company, Global Access Diagnostics (GADx). GADx has been created to address gaps in the global provision of diagnostics with a focus on expanding affordable access to quality tests. The Company combines expertise in rapid diagnostics development from Bedford based Mologic Ltd, with low-cost manufacturing and scale-up capability of sister company, Global Access Diagnostics (GAD).

GADx is a social enterprise where all surplus is re-invested to deliver quality and affordable diagnostics to those in most need. This includes transferring diagnostic technology to low-middle income countries, delivering tests such as COVID-19 to communities in need, and developing tests for neglected diseases such as dengue, bilharzia, and river blindness.

It is a unique initiative set up and supported by GAH which was formed in 2021 by a group of philanthropic funds and investors led by the Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF), with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation¹. Through this transaction, the group acquired Mologic and GAD to harness industry-leading expertise in developing and manufacture of rapid diagnostic technologies. Combining this expertise under the GADx single brand advances the organisation’s philanthropic goals to maximise its contribution to global healthcare.

Read more at : Global Access Diagnostics (globalaccessdx.com)

Employees are a businesses’ best asset and there has never been a more important time to prioritise workplace health and wellbeing. Promoting a happy, healthy workforce through a positive culture and supportive environment guarantees improved productivity and staff retention, reduced sickness absence and recruitment costs, not to mention the reputational benefits of being a good employer. Did you know that there is a return of between £2 and £34 for every £1 spent on workplace health interventions?

The Public Health Workplace Health Team are proud to announce the launch of the Healthy Workplace Standards; a free best practice framework to help workplaces support the health and wellbeing of their workforce, across Milton Keynes, Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire.

Register for the Standards now and they will support you to achieve the Standards at your own pace and at a level that’s right for you! The Healthy Workplace Standards have been developed in collaboration with The Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (Public Health England).

For further information about the Healthy Workplace Standards and details of the offer of support to workplaces within Milton Keynes, Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire, please visit workplace health webpages.

If you would rather speak to a member of the Public Health Workplace Health Team, please email Public.Health@Milton-keynes.gov.uk.

Please share this information with relevant colleagues within your workplace.

Great crested newts are a protected species in the UK but often come with a reputation for causing significant delays to development. NatureSpace administers a ‘district licensing’ scheme on behalf of participant local planning authorities, legally authorised by Natural England, which removes risk and uncertainty for planners and developers and dramatically speeds up the licensing process.

NatureSpace Partnership has been working alongside the local planning authorities in Bedfordshire since 2018 to enable them to authorise developments in their region under their district licences.

The scheme provides a streamlined approach to licensing that is available all year-round and is risk-free for developers of all sizes and types. Through the scheme, developers can speed up their delivery, avoiding survey season restrictions, ensuring legal certainty, and futureproofing mitigation costs.

Compensatory habitats are created in optimum locations for newts, away from the pressures of development. The Newt Conservation Partnership create, and monitor these aquatic and terrestrial habitats, and secure long-term management, guaranteeing a sustainable future for newts.

An endowment fund has been set up as part of the scheme, which is one of the first of its kind set up for great crested newt conservation. It ensures that all of the aquatic and terrestrial habitat that is delivered as compensation can be managed and monitored in perpetuity.

To learn more about the NatureSpace scheme and how it can help support your development, please visit: naturespaceuk/district-licensing-scheme

This guide provides small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with a pathway to Net Zero. It introduces the simple options available to SMEs beginning their Net Zero journey and highlights the challenges in the long term.

The journey to Net Zero for SMEs | The Carbon Trust