British Medical Auctions welcomed Peter Swallow MP, Member of Parliament for Bracknell, to our headquarters on Friday 2nd October for a behind-the-scenes look at BMA and a discussion about the future of medical equipment within the NHS. Peter has represented the Bracknell constituency since July 2024.
The visit followed BMA's nomination by Berkshire Youth at this year's Pride of Bracknell Forest Awards, where we were delighted to be named Business of the Year.
Joined by Sally Edgington, CEO of AXREM, Peter toured our Bracknell operation, met members of the team and saw first-hand what happens to medical equipment once it is no longer required by a hospital or healthcare organisation.
From collection and cataloguing through to secure data management, sale and international logistics, the visit provided an opportunity to demonstrate the infrastructure behind BMA's global marketplace and the role the secondary market can play in keeping valuable medical equipment in circulation.
Looking beyond replacement
A key focus of the visit was the future of medical equipment across the NHS, including the importance of continued investment in modern technology and what happens to existing equipment when it is replaced.
BMA, Peter and AXREM discussed how circularity and whole-product lifecycle management could play a greater role in future procurement and investment decisions.
For BMA, these two conversations go hand in hand.
Investment in new medical technology is essential to support diagnostic capacity and patient care, but replacing equipment does not necessarily mean that the equipment being removed has reached the end of its useful life.
Where appropriate, surplus and decommissioned equipment can be remarketed and given a second life elsewhere, helping healthcare organisations recover financial value while reducing unnecessary waste.
It is the circular economy in action, and something BMA has been championing since the business was founded ten years ago.
Making medical equipment work harder
BMA now works with more than 500 healthcare organisations, including over 65% of NHS hospitals and 85% of NHS ambulance services, connecting surplus medical equipment with an international network of buyers. BMA's global marketplace attracts buyers from more than 120 countries.
That reach means equipment no longer required by one organisation has the opportunity to continue delivering value somewhere else.
Mat Davies, Managing Director at British Medical Auctions, said:
“We were delighted to welcome Peter to BMA and show him what happens behind the scenes once medical equipment enters the secondary market.
“There is a huge opportunity to think about medical equipment across its entire lifecycle. Continued investment in new technology is incredibly important, but we also need effective routes for equipment leaving healthcare settings.
“By remarketing equipment that still has a useful life, healthcare organisations can recover value, reduce waste and support a more circular approach to medical technology. We'd like to see that thinking become an increasingly important part of the wider conversation around equipment procurement and replacement.”
The visit also highlighted the role organisations across the medical technology sector can play in supporting a more circular approach to healthcare. AXREM described greater NHS investment and effective routes for repair, refurbishment, reuse and resale as complementary parts of whole-lifecycle equipment management.
A proud Bracknell business
As BMA celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2026, welcoming our local MP was also an opportunity to showcase how a business founded and headquartered in Bracknell has grown into a global marketplace for surplus medical equipment.
We're incredibly proud of that journey, and even prouder that the work taking place at BMA every day is contributing to a bigger conversation around value, sustainability and the future of medical equipment.
A huge thank you to Peter Swallow MP and Sally Edgington for taking the time to visit, meet the team and learn more about what we do.
