The Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI) has launched an Industry Recommendations document to help the Government improve the commercial climate for the medical technologies industry.

Enhancing Patient Care in the NHS: The Role of Medical Devices outlines a number of measures that the UK Government should take to support the NHS innovation agenda and stop excessive bureaucracy stifling the contribution of medtech companies.

The ABHI recommends that the Government should:

• maintain the current regulatory regime

• do more to include clinicians in procurement processes

• help the NHS to plan ahead for uptake of new technologies

• develop more flexible payment systems

• include the medtech sector in official economic strategies

• encourage healthcare professionals to work with industry, ensuring their better understanding of the ABHI Code of Business Practice.

Richard Phillips, Chairman of the ABHI’s Public Affairs Policy Group, said: “This document is an important step in helping policy makers to understand the needs of our industry. It comes at a crucial time, with the NHS budget set to drop in the coming years.

“Our Industry Recommendations document not only demonstrates the benefits of medical technology, but also points out the measures necessary in order to help the British medical technology sector continue to thrive.

“Now is the time for industry to seize the initiative and work with the NHS to show that early and broad uptake of medical technologies can reduce patient pathway costs and improve patient care, whereas making short-term spending cuts on medical technology will lead to long-term costs and poorer patient outcomes.”

UK companies exhibiting products to assist mobility and independence reached customers from across the world at Rehacare 2009 in Düsseldorf.

The four-day show is the world’s leading exhibition for assistive technology and rehabilitiation products.

Companies in the UK pavilion were visited by distributors and health professionals from Europe, the Middle East, Australia, China, the USA and elsewhere.

Charlotte Fraser, International Manager at Medilink Y&H, regional sector specialist for UKTI, noted: “As the population in the UK and Europe increasingly ages, attention is focusing on the need to provide innovative support through products and services that enable people to live more independently and reduce the time they spend in hospital or in care. This is an area that the UK specialises in, and it was great to see how much international interest there were in UK products at the show.”

Some of the UK companies showcasing their products were:

• Specialised Orthotic Services Ltd, which manufactures bespoke seating solutions for people with complex postural requirements.

• Therapy World, which showcased its range of hydrotherapy and aquatic therapy products for use after orthopaedic surgery or injury.

• Care and Independence, whose range of slings and harnesses included the high-comfort Glove Slings, made with computer-aided laser technology.

• Nomad, whose wheelchairs are made to order and submitted to rigorous quality assurance checks.

Gordon McQuilton MBE, Managing Director of Specialised Orthotic Services Ltd, said: “Rehacare was a great platform for showcasing UK innovation, and as such we had exceptional interest from a number of countries including Europe, Australia, Iceland, the US and China. Specialised Orthotic Services is already established as a market leader across the UK and we are now looking to expand globally.”

The UK Pavilion at Rehacare 2009

A unique wearable sticking plaster from a Scottish company for the treatment of non-malign skin cancers has received CE Mark approval.

The Ambulight PDT plaster from Ambicare Health Ltd is the world’s first skin cancer treatment using a small disposable light-emitting plaster.

This therapy enables healthcare providers to shift treatment of skin cancer from hospitals to GP surgeries or outreach clinics.

The plaster delivers photodynamic therapy treatment (PDT) directly to the skin lesion site. It is used together with a prescribed pharmaceutical for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer.

Pilot clinical trials have indicated that the therapy is as effective as conventional techniques while offering less pain and greater convenience.

PDT is regularly the first line of treatment in Europe for non-melanoma skin cancer. It involves a day-patient appointment at the hospital, where a large static PDT light source is used. The alternative treatment methods are surgery, topical creams and cryotherapy, which can cause pain and scarring.

Dr Ian Muirhead, CEO of Ambicare, said: “This is a key milestone and a significant achievement for the company. We are now actively engaging with potential partners for the distribution of this revolutionary product in Europe. We will also be taking Ambulight PDT through regulatory approvals in additional countries, such as USA and Australia. This will allow us to bring the benefits of our technology to patients in the wider global market.”

The number of skin cancer lesions requiring treatment is doubling every 10 years; by 2015, that would give Ambulight a total addressable market approaching £1 billion.

Ambicare also plans to use Ambulight technology in applications for the treatment of cosmetic skin conditions, including acne and wrinkles.

Based in St Andrews, Ambicare Health Ltd is a leading developer of wearable light sources for medical and consumer healthcare.

Ambulight PDT

A new low-cost technology offers a patient-focused platform for managing health information at home.

Cambridge Consultants has launched VenaHub, a wireless data collection and online data aggregation system that enables patients to manage chronic conditions and interact with their healthcare network.

VenaHub employs a small pocket device to capture data from a user’s ecosystem of wireless medical devices, which it integrates into a customisable online health information portal.

“Current solutions in the telehealth space are expensive, which means none of the parties involved want to pay for them,” said Mike Dunkley, Vice President of Cambridge Consultants. “But the novel, compact, and portable VenaHub is cheap and can plug into the USB port of any PC. Critically, it can also collect data from devices even when it’s not plugged into a computer.

“This technology could not only disrupt the current medical home market, but could overcome the reimbursement barrier that has prevented connected health solutions from being widely deployed.”

VenaHub’s web interface enables users to select applications to suit their own needs and conditions. For example, an asthma patient could tailor their portal to see charts of their inhaler use, reminders of prescriptions or appointments, lung function data and the pollen forecast.

The technology is based on Cambridge Consultants’ Vena wireless healthcare device platform, which incorporates the Bluetooth Health Device Profile for the secure transport of medical data.

“We believe VenaHub brings functionality that could accelerate widespread adoption of home health practices,” said Paul Williamson, Head of Wireless Medical at Cambridge Consultants. “We have created a low-cost solution that could be brought to market quickly while targeting the move to mobile platforms in the medium term.”

Cambridge Consultants, based in Cambridge (UK) and Boston (US), is a member of the Continua Health Alliance.

VenaHub

Visionary innovation in robotic surgery is the theme of a new exhibition at the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons.

‘Sci-Fi Surgery: Medical Robots’, which runs until 23 December 2009, explores the world of medical robotics – including the new Freehand, a robotic camera holder for keyhole surgery.

The exhibition features ‘mini-robots’ around 10mm in diameter, designed to crawl and swim inside the human body. An example is the prototype robotic camera pill, which can be swallowed by the patient; the doctor can then guide the robot by remote control, using images beamed back to a screen.

Also on display is the prototype ARES self-assembling endosurgical robot, which requires the patient to swallow up to 15 different robotic modules. Once inside the body, the modules assemble themselves into a device capable of carrying out surgical procedures.

Other exhibits include a swimming robot camera prototype, a robotic colonoscope and a digital plaster remote monitoring system.

Dr Arianna Menciassi, Associate Professor of Biomedical Robotics at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy, said: “Many mini and micro-robots have biologically inspired designs which emulate the crawling and wriggling motion of worms and insects, or the swimming motion of bacteria. We turned to biological inspiration because worms have locomotion systems suited to unstructured, slippery environments and are ideally suited for use in the human body.”

Exhibition Curator Sarah Pearson noted that while robots have been used for over 50 years, they have only recently been used in medicine: “They have been designed to increase surgeons’ dexterity and control, to support busy nursing staff, or to help doctors make diagnoses. Some of these are proven technologies, while others are still experimental, but we hope that the exhibition will show that robotic surgery is finally coming of age.”

Freehand camera holder               Robotic camera pill

Cook Medical is introducing an integrated line of six new products to provide minimally-invasive treatment options for peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

These products, launched at VIVA 2009, include new microwires, stents and angioplasty balloons that are integral to Cook’s advanced Leg Therapy Program for treating circulatory disorders.

“This is a significant day for patients suffering from PAD, as Cook proudly rolls out an integrated line of minimally invasive products designed specifically for treating PAD,” said Rob Lyles, Vice President and global leader of Cook Medical’s peripheral intervention division.

“People tend to associate leg conditions exclusively with injury, and fail to recognise the importance of maintaining the overall health of the legs until it’s too late. By introducing these six products, we are giving vascular interventionalists six tools to improve their patient outcomes and deliver actionable solutions to those who need them most.”

PAD occurs when blood vessels become clogged with fatty deposits and circulation to the lower body is reduced, leading to increased risk of heart attack, stroke or amputation. Of the 27 million people affected worldwide, only 25% receive any form of treatment. Even fewer have the option of minimally invasive treatment as alternatives to amputation or surgical bypass.

Cook’s new products are aimed at changing these statistics, providing minimally invasive treatments for the complex features of leg disease:

• The Approach CTO microwires, designed for crossing chronic total occlusions and extremely tight lesions in the peripheral arteries.

• The Advance line of balloon dilatation catheters, with a range of sizes and compositions to treat lesions in the peripheral arteries.

• The Zilver 518 RX, a self-expanding nitinol stent used with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the iliac artery.

Medical device testing body TÜV Product Service is extending its testing service for active (powered) medical devices in the UK.

The new TÜV Active Medical Device Service includes safety testing for the first time, in response to demand from UK customers preparing for the 2012 edition of the Medical Electrical Equipment Standard.

The TÜV service has been designed to give UK manufacturers as much flexibility as possible. They can choose to use either an off-site testing service at TÜV’s laboratories or an on-site service at the customer’s site.

Jean-Louis Evans, Managing Director of TÜV Product Service, said: “The manufacture and sale of medical devices is becoming increasingly difficult for our customers to navigate alone. The market is very competitive and constantly evolving with the introduction of new standards and legislation, both in the EU and globally. It is therefore proving essential for us to offer a service that is on-the-ground in the UK, to give our customers greater choice and a faster turnaround.

“As the deadline for 2012’s new Medical Electrical Equipment Standard looms, we are finding that many of our customers are concerned that test houses will be booked solid as the cut-off date approaches. We hope the new service will assuage those concerns and deliver a robust alternative to manufacturers in the active medical device sector.”

The Active Medical Device Service covers any medical device that depends on electricity or any other applied source of power.

The new TÜV Active Medical Device Service will include: conformity assessment against the relevant directives; laboratory tests of safety and performance; assessment of safety-related issues and solution models; and assessment of functional safety and usability.

TÜV Product Service is the world’s largest body for testing and certification of medical devices, with more than 1,000 customers globally.

Medical device testing

‘Direct payment’ of personal health budgets has moved closer with a new consultation launched by Care Services Minister Phil Hope.

Personal health budgets – including direct payments to patients – are being piloted in 70 PCTs until 2012. Their aim is to create a more personalised NHS by giving people more control over their care.

A personal health budget can be: a notional budget held by a commissioner, such as a doctor or PCT; a budget managed on the patient’s behalf by a third party, such as a charity or User Trust; or a cash payment made to the patient and managed by them (a ‘direct payment’).

Trusts are already able to offer the first two options. The consultation seeks views on how to make direct payments, as well as how to set up and evaluate direct payment pilots. It will run until 8 January 2010. The power to make direct payments is in a current Health Bill. The consultation will inform the regulations and guidance on this system.

Care Services Minister Phil Hope said: “There are some really inspiring stories already from people whose lives have been transformed by personal budgets – they get more choice and control over their own care. We want to make sure we get this right and I want everyone to have their say to make sure we do.”

Lord Darzi’s Next Stage Review announced that from 2009 there would be a pilot to test personal health budgets. Earlier this year, 70 sites across the country were granted provisional pilot status. On 8 October, Phil Hope announced that 20 of these sites will be evaluated in depth to test the effects of personal health budgets on a wide range of patients.

Phil Hope

A new point of care diagnostic device that promises a revolution in diabetes management has been launched by a Surrey company.

Launched in the UK at the recent IBS Conference, the Quo-Test A1C analyser from Quotient Diagnostics is able to track blood glucose control by measuring HbA1C quickly and cost-effectively.

The blood HbA1C level indicates the average blood glucose level over a period of time. Its regular measurement is globally recognised as the gold standard for blood glucose monitoring, helping to mimimise long-term complications of diabetes and reducing the costs of treatment.

Until now, HbA1C measurement has required a laboratory test using a substantial blood sample. Designed for use in primary care, Quo-Test requires only a fingerprick drop of blood to provide rapid results.

The test involves minimal handling, and automatic calibration ensures precision and accuracy. Quo-Test has full data connectivity and can print results on a label. It can easily be transported to clinics or other community settings.

Quo-Test A1C has been certified by the National Glycohaemoglobin Standardisation Programme (NGSP).

Quotient Diagnostics Ltd is based in Walton-on-Thames.

Quo-Test

Siemens Hearing Instruments has extended its range of support initiatives for audiology dispensers in the retail marketplace.

Its new schedule of workshops and GP marketing materials, available now and in 2010, are intended to help audiology dispensers meeting the challenges of the ageing population and increasing patient choice.

Subjects covered include: understanding the custom hearing instrument market; providing better customer service; marketing audiology messages to the local area; and supporting and servicing GP practices. British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists CUE points are available from some workshop sessions.

“Whether a dispenser wants to increase sales, retain customers or ensure it is offering the latest hearing instrument innovations, we have a range of tools that can help,” said Liz Martin, Retail Product Manager at Siemens Hearing Instruments. “Working in partnership is key for strong and healthy relationships.”

Independent audiology dispensers can receive further benefits by joining ASPire, the Siemens Hearing Instruments reward scheme. Members can receive free training sessions, equipment and marketing support as well as exclusive product previews and priority order processing.