The story began before the COVID pandemic when the founder of Silis Group, John Rees, accompanied his wife to a hospital appointment. He noticed that only a small number of people used the hand sanitising stations. Further observation revealed that many of the dispensers were either empty or not functioning. Driven by curiosity and a desire to find a solution, John set to work and developed a simple, cost-effective method that could make a significant positive impact.

Through his research, John discovered some alarming statistics. Poor hand hygiene is responsible for 70% of all healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs). Each year, one in ten patients contracts an HAI, resulting in an average of 28,500 deaths annually. Patients who survive these infections often remain in hospital for an additional 10 to 25 days, causing various knock-on effects, such as occupying valuable bed spaces and incurring extra costs for the NHS. The total annual cost of HAIs is a staggering £5 billion.

To bring John’s ideas to life, Silis Group Ltd was established in June 2022, and significant progress has been made since. We have developed and enhanced our smart dispenser technology, which not only promotes hand sanitisation and monitors dispenser levels but also allows tracking through web applications and sophisticated monitoring systems. In addition, we have created a range of cost-effective technologies aimed at effectively supporting vulnerable individuals.

For more details about these advancements, please visit our Skylis and Smilis product pages.