Inivos: The Invisible PPE Story

Inivos Limited, based in Kings Lynn, is owned by the Fentiman family — members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. The company was incorporated in 2010 as Specialist Hygiene Solutions Ltd, changing its name to Inivos in early 2020. Its core business is infection control: hydrogen peroxide vapour (HPV) decontamination machines, originally marketed under the Deprox brand and now as PrOxcide, and ultraviolet decontamination units.

From 2010 to 2019, the company grew steadily: NHS spending with them ranged from £592,000 (2016) to £505,000 (2019) across nine to ten trusts annually. At the end of 2019 the company had 63 employees, no declared profit for 2018 or 2019, and £32,000 in cash. The following year everything changed.

The Three PPE Contracts — 2020

In 2020, Inivos — newly renamed — was awarded three PPE contracts by the DHSC, all under the negotiated procedure without prior publication of a call for competition. The company had no prior experience as a PPE supplier.

What the 2020 Accounts Show

In twelve months Inivos went from £32,000 in the bank to £25.1 million. They then paid a £12 million dividend to the Fentiman family shareholders in February 2021. Despite posting a loss in 2021 as the contract revenues ended, shareholder funds still stood at £14.9 million — compared to £1.9 million two years earlier, with a £12 million dividend already paid out in between.

The 2020 accounts also note: a £5 million loan to a third party, and a £5 million provision for uncertain discussions with an international trade partner. By 2021, those discussions had concluded and £3.8 million of unused reserves were reversed.

The £117 Million Gown Contract — What Was Said in Parliament

The largest contract — £117 million for 24 million surgical gowns from a Chinese manufacturer — was the subject of detailed allegations in the House of Lords on 25 May 2022, during the second reading of the Procurement Bill. The peer relaying the account described the experience of Yorkshire businessman Adrian Buckley of Buckley Healthcare.

The contract delivery also took longer than specified — the 9-week schedule was not met, with DHSC payment data showing supply continued for 26 weeks. The gown supply was later the subject of separate parliamentary questions raised by Lord Alton regarding product quality.

PPE Quality — Lord Alton's Questions

During a debate on the Health and Care Bill on 31 January 2022, Lord Alton stated that £270 million had been spent on Zhende and Inivos products which were faulty and could not be used in the NHS. He questioned whether the government planned to sell these products to developing countries and demanded transparency on costs recovered. He continued to press for information on storage costs for faulty PPE held in China throughout 2022.

Separate Parliamentary questions were raised in the Commons in September 2020 by Deidrie Brock MP regarding previous contracts awarded to Inivos, and in December 2021 by Angela Rayner MP in relation to the disposal of surplus PPE.

Post-Pandemic: £9 Billion in Framework Contracts

The parliamentary scrutiny did not prevent Inivos from becoming a fixture in NHS supply chain framework agreements. Since November 2020, Inivos has been named on 27 contracts alongside other suppliers totalling approximately £9 billion — the majority awarded by NHS Supply Chain or NHS Shared Business Services. Notably, many are not decontamination-related.

Inivos is one of many suppliers on each of these frameworks — the total value shown is the framework ceiling, not Inivos's individual share. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that 33% of these awards came from NHS Supply Chain or NHS Shared Business Services, and that a significant number of the other suppliers listed on the same frameworks are also owned by PBCC members.

Paul Bristow MP and the Healthcomms Connection

Inivos has a further connection to Westminster via Paul Bristow, Conservative MP for Peterborough since 2019.

We are not suggesting anything untoward by any party. The Public Affairs Board register is a matter of public record. The timeline of Bristow's visits, the naming of Healthcomms as Inivos's PR firm, and the subsequent NHS contract awards are all documented facts. Their proximity is noted.

Court Cases

Deprox — The Safety Record

Before winning PPE contracts, Inivos under its former name was the subject of a four-year investigation by the Health and Safety Executive, which told the company to tighten safety measures around its Deprox hydrogen peroxide vapour machines. NHS staff reported nosebleeds and burning eyes following use of the machines. Two domestic managers who brought claims against their respective NHS trusts won a five-figure payout in 2019. The NHS subsequently moved to alternative decontamination methods.

Inivos's response, per press coverage at the time: Deprox "when used correctly, had been proven to be safe and effective" and that "it is important that the operator must perform the required steps correctly."

The Greg Hales / Australia Trademark Connection