Month: January 2021

Covid-19 and its impact on the world has redefined the idea of the word ‘luxury’ for Morningside Pharmaceuticals’ Chairman Dr Nik Kotecha OBE.

“I recently read a great piece of writing entitled ‘what is luxury’, which got me thinking.

It says that luxury was the rare, the expensive, everything that seemed unattainable. But we now realise that luxuries were those little things that we did not know how to value when we had them. And now that they are gone, we miss them most.

Luxury is now about being healthy, being able to walk around your local area whenever you like, breathing without wearing a mask and meeting with family and friends.

Life is precious and we should appreciate more the simple luxuries that we have.

With this in mind, from the beginning of the pandemic the welfare of our employees, as well as ensuring patient safety have been our top priorities.

We adapted quickly and brought in more people wellbeing policies such as flexible working and opened up a new building, earlier than planned, to ensure social distancing in our offices. Changes to our quality management system (QMS) and working processes were essential for ensuring that disruption was kept to a minimum.

New technology such as video conferencing has also been embedded throughout the company, and we have taken the opportunity to improve, such as investing in enhanced cyber security and increased digitisation.

We are also mindful that remote working can cause other issues, such as having a negative impact on people’s mental health. So we have brought in extra support to help people who are facing difficulties as a consequence of the ongoing social restrictions.”

On Christmas Eve 2020 the UK and the European Union managed to strike a deal before the end of the Transition Period on December 31st.

In response to the deal, our Chairman Dr Nik Kotecha OBE, said: “Uncertainty has dogged the UK’s business community and the wider economy since the referendum in 2016; so it’s great news that a deal has been agreed with the European Union just before the Christmas break.

“This deal delivers certainty and will enable companies to finally be able to make long term plans, as well as invest for the future, and what a bright future it could be. It also means that the UK will be able to continue to trade with minimal tariffs and disruption with the EU, which is by far our largest and closest trading partner. Saying this, the way we trade with the EU is changing and things will not be how they were, from the start of 2021.

“I am a great admirer of how UK businesses are able to adapt and innovate, as their operating environments evolve. As an independent sovereign nation there are likely to be many opportunities for businesses to grow into new markets, as the UK continues to sign trade deals around the world.

“Morningside was established as an 100% export-led business in the 1990s, supplying Aid to lower to middle income countries via international Aid Organisations. We have since become a leading manufacturer and supplier of generic medicines to the NHS, hospitals and pharmacies in the UK; so I have seen first-hand the opportunities which are out there, and the huge benefits on offer for UK Plc.

“On December 31^st 2020 the Transition Period will end and there will still be some big changes, which UK businesses must prepare for now. But they can be confident that the New Year will bring a fresh start and most importantly of all – certainty – for the first time in a long while.”