Ramesh Patel was born in India and grew up in Zambia – Africa. In 1976 he moved to the UK. Ramesh read a degree in Pharmacology at Portsmouth Polytechnic before securing his first job with Ayerst Laboratories – a division of Wyeth. After Ayerst, Ramesh joined Smith Kline and French and helped to launch the first genetically engineered Hepatitis B vaccine. Following this he then moved to a new British company – Shire – specialising in osteoporosis. In 1990 Ramesh started BHR Pharmaceuticals with two colleagues and launched branded generics. In 1993 BHR switched to selling diagnostics in 1993 with the launch of a dip-strip pregnancy test followed by urinalysis tests and readers. 1994 saw the introduction of statins being sold over the counter, and BHR was in a strong position to provide cholesterol testing equipment to Boots. Since then, 7000 CardioCheks are in use in the UK, both in private and NHS facilities helping people get to know their cholesterol numbers in a rapid and cost-effective manner. Today BHR continues to launch innovative products to help people improve their own health.
1) What is your current position?
Managing Director of BHR PHARMACEUTICALS LTD – a medical point-of-care diagnostics marketing, support and distribution company
2) What are your proudest achievements?
Providing the CardioChek Cholesterol system to the UK market which we believe has saved the NHS a sum greater than £12 million over the last 10 years
3) What inspires you?
Helping people take control of their own health
4) What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?
The lack of funding and suitably qualified people in the area we are located
5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?
My cousin Dr Suresh Patel – who taught me to never give up!
6) What is the best aspect about your current role?
Looking for new products from all across the world that will enhance the life of people in the UK
7) And the worst?
Not being able to get through to commissioners of health services within the CCGs with ideas that could save them hundreds of thousands of pounds – if not millions
8) What are your long term goals?
To help keep NHS costs down by enabling more people to manage their own health, and with the help of the A1cNow Self-Check, the very latest in hand-held disposable technology, every diabetic can check their long term control by testing for HbA1c, the Gold standard monitoring diabetes.
9) If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?
Bring back Matron/Consultant control in hospitals and remove the multi-layered administrators
10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?
Nelson Mandela – I would hope to learn the art of tolerating and forgiving in order to achieve the bigger goals of life
