The US subsidiary of advanced wound care and dermatology company Crawford Healthcare has signed a national distribution agreement with group purchasing organisation (GPO) Premier.

As part of the deal, Premier's 3,600 hospitals and 120,000 other healthcare facilities will have access to Crawford Healthcare's product portfolio.  

The contract further bolsters Knutsford-headquartered Crawford's reach into the US following an announcement in February that it was now able to supply its products to an estimated nine million US veterans.

"Being able to sell and supply via the large GPOs like Premier will enable a truly meaningful impact on the way wound care is delivered in the US, where growing international health issues such as diabetes continue to trouble healthcare providers," said chief executive Richard Anderson.

"Advanced wound care in the United States is estimated to be worth $25bn per year to the healthcare industry, the largest market globally.  

"The success of Crawford Healthcare's UK-developed products means that US healthcare providers are increasingly recognising the positive impact Crawford's products can have on their clinical and economic outcomes."