THE Secretary of State for Wales, David TC Davies, has commended IQ Endoscopes for the clear progress it is making on its ambitious growth journey and the value it is bringing to the local economy.

The Cabinet Minister turned the spotlight on the impact of private equity investment and venture capital following a fact-finding mission to the medical device manufacturer’s Chepstow HQ in South Wales.

The visit was organised by the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA), whose members, BGF – one of the largest and most experienced investors in the UK and Ireland – and the Development Bank of Wales, alongside a consortium of existing investors, boosted IQ Endoscopes’ expansion with a £5.2 million investment in 2022.

Mr Davies, the MP for Monmouth, commented: “IQ Endoscopes is an outstanding example of how a business can excel with the right support and investment, which has allowed the team to innovate, grow, create jobs and bring value to the community.

“IQ Endoscopes is a fantastic company on the brink of an extraordinary achievement as they push the boundaries of medical technology, but these pioneers could not have turned their bold vision into reality without the backing of BGF and Development Bank of Wales.”

Tim Rea, head of early stage investments at BGF, said: “IQ Endoscopes has been able to generate a great deal of momentum to date as the team navigates its way towards launching a truly innovative technology which will help ease the strain on our healthcare system and improve patient outcomes worldwide.

“We’re proud to support IQ Endoscopes, providing strategic guidance and funding at a crucial stage of the company’s journey.”

IQ Endoscopes has created a single-use endoscopy device which is not only cost-effective and scalable but also sustainable and has the potential to revolutionise early diagnosis of a range of cancers and gastro-intestinal conditions.

Matt Ginn, IQ Endoscopes Chief Executive Officer, said: “IQ Endoscopes has undergone rapid acceleration. Funds from our 2022 investment have enabled my team to focus on market access strategy ahead of product launch.

“We’re now pushing forward at speed to develop a device which will soon transform the way patients undergo vital treatments and procedures, as well as boosting the economy with up to 100 new jobs.

“To support this growth, we’re looking to raise further investment in the near future and as such, we’re keen to explore interest from further UK venture sources.”

Michael Moore, British Private Equity and Capital Venture Association Chief Executive, added: “We were delighted to arrange for the Welsh Secretary to visit IQ Endoscopes and demonstrate the real impact that private capital has in small and innovative businesses up and down the country.

“In 2022, 27.5bn was invested by private capital into UK businesses in sectors across the UK economy, ranging from consumer products to emerging technology.  There are over 12,000 UK companies backed by private capital which currently employ over 2.2 million people in the UK.  A majority of the businesses backed are outside London and 90% of the businesses receiving investment are small and medium-sized businesses.”

Dr Richard Thompson, Senior Investment Executive at the Development Bank of Wales, said: “We’ve worked closely with IQ Endoscopes since our initial investment in 2020 attracted them to Wales. Having secured regulatory approval in the UK and US, they’re making significant progress.

“The company is one of many that is helping to position Wales at the forefront of the health-tech sector and we’re proud to be playing a part in their global success story.  We’re looking forward to the difference their technology can make to help patients and to reduce the NHS waiting times for endoscopy services.”

A RECENT survey has revealed that Welsh medium sized businesses in the food and drink sector are performing above national and global averages in terms of employee satisfaction.

The Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Insight Programme, in partnership with Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales, commissioned and carried out the survey which delved into various areas of the workplace including job satisfaction, wellbeing, organisational culture, management feedback, facilities, training and employee engagement.

The survey’s findings were notably positive, including Welsh businesses achieving an engagement score of 73%, surpassing the industry average of 71%. For the purpose of the research, engagement is defined as the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work, with engaged and happy employees being more productive and profitable.

Additionally, a significant 81% of respondents agreed that living in Wales enhances their quality of life and work-life balance, with the ease of accessing nature outside of work hours scoring highly as one the factors for this.

For the newly-appointed Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, the survey’s findings are very encouraging and shows that Wales is an attractive location for food and drink businesses.

He said, “We are thrilled with the results of this survey, which show that Welsh food and drink businesses are leading the way in terms of employee satisfaction.

“The Welsh Government is committed to initiatives that bolster the food and drink sector and contribute to employee wellbeing. The insights from this survey are instrumental in fostering continuous improvement areas and skills development.”

The Food & Drink Skills Wales project has been a key partner in the work, with the project planning, and the intention to use the findings to help improve skills development within the food industry.

Nerys Davies from Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales said, “We are thrilled with the results of the survey, which shows that Welsh food and drink businesses are leading the way in terms of employee satisfaction.

“However, while the results are extremely positive it also serves as an invaluable tool in helping us identify key areas for improvement and gaps in skills provision. The Food & Drink Skills Wales programme looks forward to working with businesses and partners to support the industry become an even better place to work.”

Explaining why they took part in the survey, Osian Deiniol of Llanrwst-based Blas ar Fwyd said, “We were keen to take part in this survey, as we believe that employee satisfaction plays an important role in the success of a business.

“It’s great to see the industry in Wales is on the right track, but just as important is the fact that the survey also provides us with valuable insights into how we can continue to improve and develop as a good employer. We look forward to working with Food & Drink Skills Wales on these areas over the coming months.”

Meanwhile, reflecting on the findings Doreen Donovan from WorkL, who conducted the survey said, “Our interviews with the businesses showed that people who choose a career in Welsh food and drink are, on the whole, very satisfied with their work, with the scores exceeding global averages.

“The engagement score was particularly positive, which is very good news for businesses as research consistently shows that companies with employees who are more engaged are typically more successful and profitable.”

For more information about the Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales project, visit https://menterabusnes.cymru/food-and-drink-skills-wales/

YSGOL Greenhill and Pembrokeshire County Council have welcomed a strong and very positive Estyn report for the school. 

Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, has released its findings following a full inspection of the school, based in Tenby, carried out in January 2024.

The report noted:

• Under the supportive leadership of the Headteacher, staff at Ysgol Greenhill work together effectively to secure a happy and respectful learning community. Together they have developed a culture of openness and collaboration and share an ambitious goal to become a self-improving school.
• Leaders have secured improvements in many important areas of the school’s work, such as pupils’ learning and attitudes and the provision of care and support for pupils’ wellbeing. 
• There is a suitably coordinated approach to improving pupils’ literacy, numeracy and digital skills, including support for pupils who have weak basic skills.
• Leaders seek pupils’ views regularly on the quality and suitability of its provision and make changes accordingly. This includes amendments to pupils’ learning experiences and to the provision for developing pupils’ personal and social education.
• Teachers plan their lessons well to ensure that pupils make good progress in their learning, subject knowledge and in developing relevant literacy and numeracy skills. Teaching assistants collaborate well with teachers to ensure that pupils who require support receive beneficial assistance as they work.
• The school has a broad and valuable range of provisions to support pupils’ well-being. These include individual, tailored resource centres that provide learning, behavioural and emotional support as well as a nurture centre for pupils with low attendance. The school also hosts a local authority learning centre for pupils with autistic spectrum conditions.
• The additional learning needs team work relentlessly to ensure that pupils who access these provisions are supported purposefully to enable them to make progress in their learning and social skills.
• Pupils have positive attitudes towards school and their learning. They feel safe and value the friendly and supportive nature of staff. They settle swiftly in lessons and engage well in activities.  Pupils value the ‘Ready to Learn’ system which rewards positive behaviour and provides relevant support for any pupil who displays negative behaviour.
• Sixth form pupils are strong ambassadors of the school. They are friendly and polite towards visitors, conduct themselves well and are good role models for the younger pupils. Nearly all sixth form pupils say they are well supported to make progress in their academic, personal and social development. Many benefit well from valuable opportunities to lead and influence aspects of the school’s work.
• Senior prefects run the school’s numerous pupil groups, house captains and deputy captains organise and manage house activities and trained peer mentors support younger pupils with their learning and social skills. Overall, sixth form pupils develop into mature, knowledgeable young people who speak highly of the valuable experiences they have had during their time at school.

Headteacher, David Haynes said: “I am delighted and immensely proud of this report. The school has made consistent progress over recent years and I very much look forward to Ysgol Greenhill being placed amongst the best schools in Wales.

“I must pay tribute to the outstanding staff and governors who have worked relentlessly to ensure that every pupil is valued and that their wellbeing and progress in their learning has been paramount.

“Ysgol Greenhill is a school that our pupils, families and wider community can be justifiably proud of.”

Councillor Guy Woodham, Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language, said: “The school has made good progress in the past two years and this is reflected in the inspection report.

“The strong and dedicated leadership of the Headteacher has contributed significantly to the inspection outcome. Alongside this the contribution of the governing body and the support from the local authority has also helped the school to achieve well. I am confident the school will continue to improve and thrive.”

Chair of the Governing Body, Mrs Heulwen Lear added: “I am thrilled that the report recognises that ‘building a supportive and positive working relationship with their pupils is a strong feature of teaching at Ysgol Greenhill’. Many pupils make secure progress in their learning and subject knowledge and understanding.

“Ysgol Greenhill’s values of kindness, respect, empathy and the celebration of diversity are reflected well in its strong commitment to pupils’ personal and social development. Staff care deeply about the well-being of their pupils and are sensitive to their individual circumstances.”

The full report is available online.