MEDICAL group Smith & Nephew, which employs more than 400 manufacturing gauze at its Brierfield site, gave the city a tonic with its latest results.

Pre-tax profits for the half year at the group came in at £173.4million, up from £131.1 million last time.

Total turnover rose to £592.2million, from £576million last time. The group said in its continuing businesses rose seven per cent in the six months to July 1.

And the group said it was confident the improving sales trends would continue.

In June the group sold its toiletries business, which makes Lil-lets tampons, to a management buy-out team and its first aid dressings arm, which makes Elastoplast, to German group Beiersdorf, for a total of £235million.

The disposals left S&N with its more profitable medical devices businesses, which were contributing 80 per cent of the group's sales and include products for orthopaedics, wound treatment and endoscopy.

Smith & Nephew's chairman Dudley Eustace said the disposals had been successfully achieved. "Smith & Nephew is nearing the completion of its transformation into an advanced technology medical devices group, well positioned to achieve higher rates of sales and profit growth," he said.

The group is also in talks with Beiersdorf to create a medical products joint venture and to buy their woundcare business, which, it said, were progressing well.