Business Diary: February 26

The 26-year-old singer, who was forced to cancel her latest tour because of the surgery, could also have provided an unexpected boost for a Yorkshire-based medical firm.

Leeds-based Surgical Innovations’ clinical advisory board member Jon Conroy believes that Lady Gaga has helped to raise the profile of minimally invasive – or keyhole – hip surgery.

According to Mr Conroy, it is believed that Lady Gaga’s hip problem was caused by a labral tear.

The pop star’s misfortune could, at least, raise awareness about hip arthroscopy, which is currently only performed by a small number of orthopaedic surgeons.

Mr Conroy, who specialises in hip arthroscopy, believes Lady Gaga’s status will help to promote the technique as a practical option for both patients and surgeons, ensuring it becomes “the future hip surgery of choice”.

Mr Conroy told Diary: “The labrum is a cartilage structure attached to the rim of the hip socket. It creates a seal around the ball of the hip and often tears will occur in athletes or dancers who have repetitive injuries to the hip, as in the case of Lady Gaga.

“The tear won’t heal itself, thus surgery is necessary to repair the labrum with stitches.”

Hip arthroscopy offers opportunities to preserve the hip, and potentially ensure there is no need for a hip replacement in the future.

Mr Conroy, along with other leading UK orthopaedic surgeons, has been working with SI’s design team to develop a new range of arthroscopic products and instrumentation.

He added: “The market for hip arthroscopy is rising every year, and this is expected to continue through technological advancements in orthopaedic instrumentation, increased patient demand and more surgeons adopting hip arthroscopy practices.”

It makes horse sense

THE horsemeat scandal has caused embarrassment to some of the biggest names in retailing.

But it has also created opportunities for their smaller rivals who can tell customers exactly where their meat has come from. Consumers, it seems, have been flocking to Huddersfield-based butchers Hinchliffe’s since the revelations about horsemeat started making headlines.

According to a release that landed on Diary’s desk, beef sales from Hinchliffe’s farm shop have risen by more than 10 per cent in recent weeks. “Since the horse meat scandal we’ve had customers from as far afield as London, Leeds and Northumbria,” said head butcher Craig Midwood.

Hinchliffe’s general manager, Simon Hirst added: “There’s a reason why meat is so cheap from certain sources and if something seems too good to be true – it probably is! Our customers trust us to provide them with pure Hinchliffe-reared beef, butchered on site.”

The Grimsby Fish Merchants’ Association is also calling on worried consumers to “switch to fish” following the horsemeat scandal.

Steve Norton, the association’s chief executive, said: “We believe that,for too long, fish has taken a back seat when it ought to be on everyone’s shopping list at least twice a week.”

A show of steel

YOU have to be made of steely stuff to rise to the top of an institution like the Metropolitan Police.

Fortunately, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe was born and raised in Sheffield and will be returning to his hometown in May to speak at the 377th Cutlers’ Feast at the magnificent Cutlers’ Hall.

Sir Bernard started his career as a police constable with South Yorkshire Police and rose through the ranks of regional forces to become HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in 2009.

He was appointed Commissioner of the Met in 2011, making him Britain’s top cop.

That’s long service

When Dennis Allman started his job at Hainsworth, King George VI was on the throne, Prime Minister Clement Atlee was clinging to power after a disastrous General Election and John Osborne’s defining play Look Back in Anger was changing British drama forever.

Sixty-three years later, Dennis has just retired as the longest-serving employee in the historic Pudsey textile mill’s history. “This was my first job and I didn’t want to go anywhere else,” said Mr Allman, 77.

Hainsworth’s managing director Tom Hainsworth presented Dennis with a card and power drill on the weaving floor of the mill where he has spent his working life.

Mr Hainsworth said: “I doubt that Dennis’ record of 63 years of service will be beaten.”