Belgian company Advanced Medical Diagnostics SA (AMD) has appointed BK Medical UK Ltd as sole agent for its Prostate HistoScanning solution in the UK.

HistoScanning is a tissue characterisation technology based on analysis of ultrasound. It is designed to support doctors in diagnosis and treatment decisions. Prostate HistoScanning, already available in Europe, supports the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer.

As the UK agent for Prostate HistoScanning, BK Medical will be responsible for day-to-day management of sales and providing service support.

Advanced Medical Diagnostics SA and BK Medical UK Ltd have been working together to commercialise Prostate HistoScanning since its launch in 2008. BK has helped to place the systems in four major UK teaching hospitals, including Charing Cross Hospital in London.

Toby Hamblin, VP Sales of AMD, commented: “BK Medical, with its strong base in ultrasound urology in the UK, is very well placed to help us realise the full potential of Prostate HistoScanning and to provide the NHS and private clinics alike with the service and support that they, and this exciting new technology, deserve.”

Geoff Pick, Managing Director of BK Medical UK Ltd, added: “Prostate HistoScanning is an important product for us here in the UK and will help us maintain our position at the forefront of innovation in urology ultrasound technology. We are delighted that we will be able to provide our customers with this important technology and look forward to providing HistoScanning customers with the same excellent level of service that our current ultrasound users enjoy.”

The International Business Awards are the only global business awards that cover all areas of business.

The 2010 awards will be presented on 27 September in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey.

The winners were selected by business professionals worldwide from more than 1,700 entries, received from more than 40 nations. Other companies recognised as Distinguished Honourees in the category won by Touch Bionics included major brands such as H&M and Nestlé.

Touch Bionics was assessed on its innovation over the past year, which included the launches of its ProDigits partial hand solution and its new prosthetic hand, the i-LIMB Pulse.

“Winning an International Business Award is a demonstration of Touch Bionics’ outstanding innovation and business success over the past year, and to win ahead of some of the biggest names in global business is a tremendous achievement,” said Stuart Mead, CEO of Touch Bionics.

“Innovation is at the core of this company, and from the launch of our first product, the i-LIMB Hand, we have never stopped innovating to ensure we continue to lead the world in the field of commercial bionic technology.”

 
ProDigits partial hand

The new Hologic Selenia FFDM from MIS has been sourced through medical equipment solutions provider Asteral.

The Hologic scanner will improve workflow and image quality. As a dedicated screening unit, it complements the existing mammography unit provided by Asteral.

Jon Green, General Manager for Access, Diagnostics Services and Planned Care at the Whittington Hospital NHS Trust, said: “This is a great example of partnership working to bring real benefits for patients. We at The Whittington have come together with Islington PCT and the Central East London Breast Screening Service based at St Barts and the London NHS Trust to provide screening services to patients in a modern fixed location.

“Asteral were chosen to procure and then manage the new equipment because of the value, professionalism and extremely high standards they have consistently delivered as part of the major Managed Equipment Services arrangement we have with them.”

Asteral’s Sean Williams commented: “We were delighted to install this new equipment that brings additional capability to the hospital. As we are independent of equipment manufacturers we were able to give impartial advice on the best solution available, and we are confident that we will be able to deliver the same high standards maintaining this technology as we do with the rest of Whittington’s medical equipment.”

Based in reading, Asteral is the leading vendor-independent Managed Equipment Service provider to the NHS. Its track record of managing medical equipment for the NHS goes back 12 years.

 
Whittington mammography launch: Rachel Tyndall, North Central London NHS Chief Executive, with actress Michelle Collins

The LogiFlex device is used in gastric band deployment and associated procedures. Its sterile insert allows the surgeon to fix gastric bands around the top of the patient’s stomach.

A ‘resposable’ instrument, LogiFlex combines a reusable handle and a single-use insert. The US market traditionally uses disposable instruments for these procedures, but increasing pressure to reduce costs means that LogiFlex will appeal as a cost-effective alternative.

It is estimated that 250,000 anti-obesity procedures are performed annually in the US, where obesity affects more than 60 million people.

Graham Bowland, CEO of SI Group, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce this approval, which will see the pioneering device now being sold into the US. The majority of surgical instruments in the US are single use; however with growing financial constraints being placed on hospital budgets, procurement managers are continuously looking for cost-effective instrumentation and LogiFlex offers the ideal high-quality, cost-effective solution.”

SI Group manufactures devices for use in minimally invasive surgery. It has pioneered ‘resposable’ instrumentation with single-use and reusable components, delivering an optimum performance to cost ratio.

Based in Leeds, SI sells in all major medical markets including North America and Europe through a network of distribution partners. The Group sells its own branded instruments as well as being an OEM provider to major medical device companies, including Olympus and CareFusion.

LogiFlex

Wolverhampton-based MediFilm was offered a contract to provide floor graphics and hand-washing signs for a new Clinical Decisions Unit shown on Casualty.

MediFilm has created special products for the long-running medical drama, depicting the logo of the Holby City hospital. This is part of the programme’s effort to display products used in real NHS hospitals.

The company specialises in ward management graphics that map out the sites of vital equipment items so they can be replaced correctly.

Based around the Well Organised Ward, a concept developed by the NHS Institute for Innovation, the graphics improve a department’s efficiency by making equipment easier to locate.

Ed Taylor, Director of MediFilm, said Casualty’s producers contacted the company after seeing bespoke logos in a Midlands Trust hospital. “It’s a testament to the work we have done with over 75 UK hospitals to have our products used in this way,” he said.

“Casualty has been a television favourite for 25 years and has always sought to represent a true-to-life A&E department. We are also currently speaking to the producers of Holby City to use our products as well.”

More MediFilm products will be launched into (real) healthcare environments in the coming months.

 
MediFilm graphics at Holby City

Hampshire-based APA Parafricta has signed an exclusive agreement with Invista, the company responsible for the Lycra brand.

Invista has formed a specialist team comprising US and UK staff, including a US marketing expert with medical experience, to promote the Parafricta range.

The global distribution agreement covers the products within the Pf Fragile Skin Protection System. The Parafricta low-friction fabric helps to prevent ‘stiction’ (skin tears caused by fabric movement) that can lead to or aggravate bedsores. The fabric is incorporated in durable, affordable clothing items that can be washed at high temperatures.

The need for a reduction in bedsore incidence in hospital and residential care and homecare has been shown by NHS initiatives such as ‘No Needless Skin Breakdown’ (Patient Safety Federation).

“This extended distribution agreement is very important for us to reach the US healthcare markets at a critical time,” said Mike Clark, Chairman of APA Parafricta Ltd. “Recent policy changes by Medicare and Medicaid mean that ‘institution acquired’ problems such as pressure ulcers will no longer be covered. We will work with Invista to expand the product reach, providing an economical solution to this critical problem.”

Cortlandt Minnich, New Business Development Director of Invista, commented: “We look forward to launching Parafricta products in the US, bringing an elegantly simple solution to an old problem. Our capabilities in distributing technical fibers combined with the experience that Parafricta has gained in the UK are a great foundation for this launch.”

APA Parafricta is based in Newport Pagnell.

 
Parafricta bootee

The portable Cardiohelp system from German company Maquet Cardiopulmonary AG replaces and controls the patient’s circulatory and pulmonary functions from outside the body.

The system has gained CE Mark approval following trials in 18 hospitals, in nine countries. It is now available worldwide.

Many patients with heart and lung disease experience a dangerous lack of oxygen supply to vital organs. Their lives can be saved by rapid connection to a mechanical circulatory support. Before now, this could only be provided by 250kg heart-lung machines.

Cardiohelp weighs only 10kg and is the size of a piece of hand luggage. It is approved for ground and air transport, and can be carried by a single person. It is suitable for use in cardiac surgery, cardiology, intensive care and emergency treatment.

The new system is more cost-effective than conventional heart-lung machines, but creates new possibilities for protective ventilation: the volume of blood outside the body is minimised, so less strain is put on the patient.

Maquet Cardiopulmonary AG is based in Hirrlingen, Germany. Maquet UK is based in Sunderland.

 
Cardiohelp

Mark Laben will be responsible for planning and implementing all marketing and product-related activities, as well as managing the Systems and Applications Services Team.

Mark has spent nine years as a Global Account Director at Knowles Electronics, when he was responsible for all Knowles’ business activities with a major hearing product OEM. His previous experience includes electrical, production and process engineering and account management for two automotive component suppliers to major car manufacturers.

“I have joined Siemens Hearing Instruments at a particularly exciting and busy time with the recent launch of our BestSound Technology range, plus the news that we have been placed on contract as one of the main suppliers on the NHS Supply Chain’s National Framework,” Mark said.

“We are currently carrying out new product and accessory introductions, and our goal is to be our customers’ preferred business partner for both workflow and product solutions.”

Based in Crawley, West Sussex, Siemens Hearing Instruments provides a range of digital hearing instruments and software, patient management systems and audiology equipment to the NHS and retail dispensers in the UK.

 
Mark Laben

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has announced a review of the UK’s health arm’s length bodies (ALBs) that will reduce their number from 18 to between 8 and 10, delivering savings of over £180m by 2015.

The review calls on arm’s length bodies “to exploit commercial opportunities and maximise commercial discipline,” reflecting a growing role for the private sector in delivering NHS functions.

The decision to abolish the NPSA has led to concerns over patient safety, while the transfer of the HPA’s role to the DH has been criticised as reducing its independence. The abolition of the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (NIII), responsible for improving the uptake of new technologies, may raise issues for the medtech industry.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: “In order to secure every possible means to promote greater value for money and efficiency, we have acted decisively to ensure that our ALB sector remains fit for purpose and affordable.

“In line with the efficiency savings being made across the health sector, remaining ALBs will be required to deliver their functions effectively and efficiently, taking full advantage of commercial opportunities.”

NICE will be placed on a stronger statutory footing, with its remit expanded to include social care. Monitor will be retained and will become an economic regulator. MHRA will be retained, but is expected to operate more cost-effectively.

The functions of the HPA, which has handled public health hazards (such as swine flu) since 2003, will be transferred to the Health Secretary as part of the new Public Health Service. The safety functions of the NPSA will be transferred to the National Commissioning Board. The functions of the NIII will be divided between the NCB and private sector organisations.

Fertility watchdog the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) will be abolished by 2015, with its main functions transferred to the new Care Quality Commission. The HFEA has been criticised by Lord Winston and others for excessive regulation of fertility treatments.

The proposed ALB cull is widely recognised as promising to reduce bureaucratic red tape and unnecessary expense. However, some concerns have been raised. Peter Walsh, Chief Executive of the charity Action against Medical Accidents, said: “There is no denying that there is scope for bringing some of the quangos together, however we must avoid the danger that work on patient safety could be watered down in the new arrangements.”

Hugh Pennington, Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology at Aberdeen University, criticised the transfer of the HPA’s functions: “The HPA is an absolutely essential national resource,” he said. “It’s quasi-independent and a degree of separation between it and the rest of government gives it more scientific freedom and independence.”

The first detailed national estimate of device complications in young people outside hospital by the FDA found that over 70,000 children and teenagers per year visited a hospital emergency room for complications of medical device use.

About 25% of the problems are eye infections or abrasions in contact lens wearers. Other common problems include puncture wounds from broken hypodermic needles; infections in young children with ear tubes; and skin tears from pelvic devices used during gynaecological exams.

The most serious problems involved implanted devices such as brain shunts, chest catheters and insulin pumps. Infections and overdoses are among the problems associated with these devices.

General reasons found for the complications included device malfunction and device misuse. Dr. Steven Krug, Head of Emergency Medicine at Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital, said the study highlighted a trade-off between the benefits and risks of using medical devices to treat chronically ill children at home or in the community. “Healthcare providers need to be aware of these kids and their devices and how to recognise or diagnose problems,” he noted.

The researchers analysed medical records from visits to the ER departments of 100 hospitals. They estimated that 144,800 medical device complications occurred nationally during 2004 and 2005.

UK vascular surgeons carry out 4,500 carotid endarterectomies a year but an estimated 10,000 patients could benefit from the operation, according to a recent audit. The number of carotid endarterectomies per head of population in the UK is the lowest in the developed world.

Surgeons have called for an urgent review to ensure that patients who are at high risk of a stroke are fast-tracked to hospital.

NICE guidelines say that patients with symptoms of stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) should have surgery within two weeks, while the National Stroke Strategy recommends surgery within 48 hours. However, the audit shows that only 3% of these patients have surgery within 48 hours, and only a third within 14 days – the average wait being 28 days.

The audit found that 18% of delays were due to patients not presenting, 40% to lack of GP referral, 18% to lack of hospital staff or theatre time, and 9% to lack of imaging equipment.

Ross Naylor, consultant vascular surgeon at Leicester Royal Infirmary and a member of the audit steering group, said that achieving the goal of surgery within 48 hours of symptoms depended on “multidisciplinary team working”.

He added: “Healthcare purchasers and providers must stop tolerating delays in the system and address the problems. Strokes and TIAs are emergencies and must be treated as such.”

David Mitchell, chairman of the Vascular Society of Great Britain, called for the creation of “a comprehensive service fit for purpose for urgent carotid surgery” through centralisation of in-patient vascular services.

The Neuroform EZ Stent System from Boston Scientific is a fourth-generation product intended for use with endovascular coiling to treat wide-necked aneurysms.

The new stent is designed to provide flexibility and conformability, especially in tortuous cranial blood vessels. It employs the Segmental Expansion technology, which is designed to improve stent anchoring.

The product features the hybrid cell design of prior-generation Neuroform stents, but incorporates a simplified, single-operator delivery system intended to facilitate the stent’s delivery and positioning.

The first implantation of the Neuroform EZ Stent was carried out by Demetrius Lopes of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and the first European procedure was performed by Professor Laurent Spelle of Foundation Rothschild Hospital in Paris.

“The Neuroform EZ Stent System performed well in a very challenging first procedure,” said Dr. Lopes. “The smooth transfer of the stent into the catheter, combined with excellent support, stability and visibility, facilitated accurate stent placement.”

“The improved delivery system of the Neuroform EZ Stent helped me to place the stent exactly where I planned,” said Professor Spelle. “In my experience, Boston Scientific’s new system is easier to use compared to its previous microdelivery system and should offer benefits for both physicians and patients.”

“Boston Scientific is pleased to offer this new technology, which is designed to help physicians simplify these complex neurovascular procedures,” said Mark Paul, President of Boston Scientific’s Neurovascular Division.

Boston Scientific is a leading global supplier of interventional medical devices.

The new microsite, www.doctors.net.uk/commissioning, has been created by the medical professionals’ network Doctors.net.uk.

The resource was developed in response to opinion polls and comments on the network indicating that most GPs needed more information and support to make the required changes to the commissioning of health services.

The new microsite is designed as a central resource with information about the reforms, and a forum for doctors across general practice, public health and hospital-based services to share ideas and examples of best practice. It will act as an evolving resource, with the content being updated regularly.

A Doctors.net.uk poll revealed that 83% of GPs do not feel equipped to take over all commissioning of local healthcare services. The figure rises to 93% among those GPs who are expected to lead the reform.

Doctors.net.uk medical adviser Dr James Quekett said of the microsite: “Bringing all of the available information together and providing the opportunity to discuss and collaborate in one place, it not only equips doctors with the facts they need to make informed opinions on reform, but it also gives grass-roots doctors a voice on the issue.

“We can’t predict what the future outcome for GP commissioning will turn out to be, but we can at least ensure that doctors are informed and involved throughout this intense period of change to give it the best chance of success.”

Doctors.net.uk is the largest and most active network of medical professionals in the UK. Its membership comprises the vast majority of UK doctors, with over 50,000 using the service every week.

 
Dr James Quekett

The proposed structure for commissioning and local control of health services is described in two new consultation documents, Commissioning for patients and Local democratic legitimacy in health.

The documents expand on the White Paper Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS and invite comment from patients and other stakeholders.

Commentators in the private sector and the NHS have pointed to the major opportunities in service management and provision that this new structure may open up for independent healthcare providers.

Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health, said: “Power has to be devolved to local people so that decisions about their health are made by them, or by people that best understand their needs. Everyone should have their say in these consultations so we can get on with building strong local partnerships and improve people’s health.”

Local democratic legitimacy in health describes the Government’s plans to give new Local Directors of Public Health control over local health improvement funds, which they will use to improve public health, support patient choice and promote effective commissioning. This, it is hoped, will enable healthcare to be more effectively integrated with social care and other services.

The long-term aim is to build a national Public Health Service to support local decisions with evidence and evaluation. Patients will be represented by local ‘HealthWatch’ groups that will voice their health and social care needs and impact on local service planning.

Commissioning for Patients sets out detailed proposals to put GP consortia in charge of commissioning local health services, with the support of the NHS Commissioning Board. The document invites feedback on:

• How GP consortia and the NHS Commissioning Board can involve patients in improving health services.

• How GP consortia can work with secondary care, community partners and other health and social care professionals to design services.

• How the NHS Commissioning Board and GP consortia can work together to make effective and efficient commissioning decisions.

• How the NHS Commissioning Board can support GP consortia to ensure they improve health outcomes within the financial constraints set.

Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of BMA Council, commented on the plans for GP commissioning: “There are still many questions that need answering. The proposals contain both opportunities and threats and we will be actively engaging with the consultation process to explore this in great detail and to ensure our members’ views are taken on board.”

Given the anticipated workload and financial pressures on GP consortia, it has been widely predicted that independent healthcare providers will soon play a large role in managing and providing NHS healthcare. According to Tribal Healthcare’s Business Development Director, Kingsley Manning, the new structure “could amount to the denationalisation of healthcare services in England”, with major opportunities arising for the private sector.

Health Minister Earl Howe stated: “We want consortia to have the freedom to arrange themselves how they wish and get support from whom they choose. All consortia will need to be well managed and we are not asking doctors to become managers.”

The consultations will run until 11 October. NHS Chief Executive Sir David Nicholson has sent a letter to NHS organisations requiring the transfer of commissioning powers to be carried out as soon as possible.

Multiplane review (MPR) 3D echocardiography lets the user see movement in three dimensions of the heart at once, enabling them to identify heart defects more accurately than with traditional scans.

It is thought that MPR technology could replace the need for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in most areas of cardiac imaging.

Consultant cardiologist Dr Joseph Vettukattil developed the technique at Southampton General Hospital to identify congenital heart abnormalities.

“The most important aspect is the operator’s ability to slice the dynamic cardiac structures in infinite sections through all the three dimensions,” Dr Vettukattil said. “By using MPR, because you are slicing and seeing it in three different planes, you can get a clear understanding of a patient – especially in a child whose heart is congenitally malformed.”

MPR could replace the need for invasive cardiac catheterisation to complement 2D scans in the diagnosis of congenital heart defects. “We are able to visualise even more than a surgeon can during an operation, minimising the need for additional and invasive assessments,” Dr Vettukattil added.

The technique enables cardiologists and cardiac surgeons around the world to capture 3D data of patients and upload them to a dedicated website, or e-mail them for assessment.

Dr Vettukattil hopes to establish an MPR imaging and training centre in Southampton that will lead the world in advanced 3D echocardiography.

 
Dr Joseph Ventukattil

The new Magnetom Aera 1.5 Tesla and Magnetom Skyra 3 Tesla scanners from Siemens Healthcare offer features that improve ease of use as well as patient experience.

The first hospitals to order these scanners are Wythenshawe Hospital (Manchester), Guys Hospital (London), Kidderminster Hospital and Royal Brompton Hospital.

The Magnetom Aera and Skyra combine advanced features: Tim (total imaging matrix) improves image quality, and Dot (day optimising throughput) simplifies the process. The combination raises productivity levels by increasing efficiency.

Both MRI systems have a 70cm open bore that can accommodate a variety of patient sizes, shapes and conditions, reducing stress for claustrophobic patients. The visual front panel can be fitted with a coloured MoodLight to further calm the nervous patient.

“The Aera is a great example of where MR imaging should be heading. The wide, short bore will make MR more accessible to patients who find conventional MR scanners too claustrophobic,” said Nick Sanderson, Lead Radiographer for MR Imaging at Wythenshawe Hospital. “The integrated coil technology will also make a massive difference to our patient throughput, with an estimated 30 per cent increase in patient exams done.”

Jane Kilkenny, MR Product Manager at Siemens Healthcare, commented: “The Aera and Skyra systems fundamentally transform the way hospitals are able to work with MR. We look forward to seeing the clinical results, patient service enhancements and efficiency benefits once they are installed into these pioneering hospitals.”

 
Magnetom Aera 1.5 Tesla

The solution, which was rolled out across the Trust in under two months, has enabled it to improve patient safety and experience using built-in medicine management tools (such as the Multilex Drugs Dictionary).

Clinicians at the hospital complete discharge summaries electronically to be authorised by pharmacists. On patient discharge, the completed summary is sent automatically and securely to the patient’s GP practice. Patients leave the hospital with a printed copy that explains their medication regime.

SRC implemented the eDS Solution in partnership with clinical software specialists Bluewire Technologies, working with the hospital’s senior pharmacists and clinicians to ensure that it fitted hospital workflows and to tailor the medicines management software.

“The system has now been live for over a month and in that time we have not encountered any significant issues, nor complaints amongst clinical staff about the burdens introduced by a new computer system,” said Kevin Connolly, Director of ICT at Ealing Hospital.

This, he added, was “the pay-off for the very detailed initial process design work undertaken by our clinical and pharmacy leads, expertly guided by the SRC and Bluewire Technologies implementation lead.”

Chris Hart, CEO of SRC, commented: “Our eDS solution, part of the SRC Clinical Information Toolkit, is unique in its ability to reduce production and delivery timescales as well as significantly improving the quality and content of discharge summaries. We are delighted by the successful and rapid rollout which the joint project team has achieved at the Ealing Hospital NHS Trust.”

SRC, a leading UK provider of clinical information solutions, has partnered with global technology providers such as Olympus and Philips.

The orthoPACE from Sanuwave Health incorporates the company’s Pulsed Acoustic Cellular Expression (PACE) technology platform, which delivers shock wave technology to treat a range of conditions in hard and soft tissue.

The device’s high-energy electrohydraulic shock waves activate biological responses such as revascularisation, helping to restore the body’s normal healing processes and promote tissue regeneration.

The orthoPACE has a compact, portable design that allows treatments to be performed by a single operator in the hospital or office. The device’s unique applicator may reduce (or even remove) the need for anaesthesia.

Treatment of orthopaedic conditions such as tendinopathy with the orthoPACE device have a success rate equal to or greater than that of surgery – usually with a single 15-minute procedure. The treatment is non-invasive, so there is no risk of infection or scarring.

Christopher M. Cashman, President and CEO of Sanuwave, said: “The orthoPACE device offers significant enhancements to our past successful legacy orthopaedic products. [It] offers the best aspects and the same solid clinical efficacy, along with new features and expanded treatment potential. [It] has been well received by our European distributors and clinicians, and we expect the product to continue to gain visibility and momentum in 2010.”

The orthoPACE will initially be used to treat tendinopathy and acute and nonunion fractures. It can also be used as an adjunctive treatment to fixation, fusion and grafting.

Sanuwave Health is an emerging company that supplies biological response-activating devices for tissue repair and regeneration.

Transparency in Outcomes – a framework for the NHS elicits the views of healthcare professionals and the public on the best means of setting targets for NHS organisations and measuring their success.

The consultation document follows the White Paper Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS, which proposes to make GP commissioning and patient choice the key drivers of improvement in the quality of care.

Transparency in Outcomes proposes a new framework for NHS targets, with the emphasis on outcomes achieved for patients rather than processes measured within the NHS. This, it is argued, will address the notorious issues of ‘ticking boxes’ being prioritised over treating patients.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: “I want to free doctors and nurses to focus on what really matters – better results for their patients – instead of them being stifled by top-down targets. We will measure the outcomes that are most important to patients and that are relevant to healthcare professionals.”

The framework includes a set of proposed national outcome goals that can be used by Government, patients and the public to judge the overall performance of the NHS. The new NHS Commissioning Board will identify ‘improvement areas’ within each outcome goal where it will guide GP commissioning in order to raise standards of care.

Five outcome ‘domains’ are proposed: preventing people from dying prematurely; enhancing the quality of life for people with long-term conditions; helping people to recover from episodes of ill health or following injury; ensuring people have a positive experience of care; and treating and caring for people in a safe environment, protecting them from avoidable harm.

For example, within the domain of treating long-term conditions, the framework document proposes three key principles:

• Treating the individual rather than the specific condition, and thereby improving the treatment of patients with multiple conditions.

• Focusing on functional and episodic outcomes, which are more important to the patient than physiological measures.

• Meeting the needs of all age groups, as the appropriate functional outcomes for a patient change depending on age.

To support the framework, NICE will develop 150 new Quality Standards to cover “the majority of NHS activity”. The content of these standards will have a significant impact on procurement and commissioning.

Health organisations have responded positively to the aims of the new outcomes framework, while noting the difficulty of achieving these aims at a time of strict cost controls and cuts in staffing levels.

Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the BMA, praised the Government’s intention to focus on “patient outcomes supported by clinical evidence”, but noted: “This is a highly complex undertaking, and many difficult issues need to be addressed, such as how success against these goals is measured, the robustness of any data used, and how we avoid creating unwelcome perverse incentives.”

Katherine Murphy, director of the Patients Association, said: “The Secretary of State’s vision for patients of ‘no decision about me without me’ is spot on.” However, she argued, for this vision to be realised “patient experiences, surveys and the like must be genuine and robust, not carried out in settings and at times which do not give the whole story, and patients’ views must be independently determined.”

Consultations on other aspects of the NHS, including regulation and commissioning, will follow. It is expected that the new NHS operating framework will be in place by April 2011.

 
Andrew Lansley

The Sigma High Performance Partial Knee from DePuy Orthopaedics EMEA is aimed at meeting the treatment needs of patients who are not ready for a total knee replacement.

The system enables surgeons to repair only the parts of the knee that are damaged. Further parts can be added if the disease progresses. Full function can thus be restored and pain relieved at all stages of osteoarthritis.

“Sigma High Performance Partial Knee is a major step forward for the growing number of active patients in their 40s and 50s requiring knee surgery,” said Professor David Barrett, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Southampton University Hospital. “The profile of knee replacement patients in Europe is changing, with patients getting younger and living more active lifestyles. It is important that we are now able to provide active patients with a surgical solution better suited to their lifestyle and expectations.”

The Partial Knee is the first modular system designed to allow partial or staged replacement of the knee joint, meaning that surgeons can match the implant specifically to a patient’s disease state and allow healthy bone, cartilage and ligaments to remain intact. The preservation of the natural tissues around the treated knee enables most patients to continue with active working and social lives following surgery.

Due to the ageing population, osteoarthritis is set to become the fourth highest cause of global disability by 2020. In the UK, approximately a fifth of people aged 45–64 suffer from osteoarthritic knee pain, and an estimated quarter of adults aged 50 or over report disability from it.

DePuy Orthopaedics, a Johnson & Johnson company, is a leading global provider of orthopaedic devices.

The devices, listed on the WHO website (http://www.who.int/en/), were chosen by a team of external experts as likely to be accessible, appropriate and affordable for use in low- and middle-income countries.

The innovations chosen fall into two categories. Eight products have been or are ready to be commercialised:

• Stool sample collection and preparation kit to simplify faecal examination by reducing the number of consumables and steps required.

• LED phototherapy unit to treat hyperbilirubinaemia in newborn infants.

• System for on-site production of wound irrigation solution using a power source, demineralised water and salt.

• Text message smoking cessation system to provide tailored support.

• Reusable neonatal suction system to remove obstructive mucus from the air passages in newborn babies.

• Fluorescence visualisation system for cancer screening, using the natural fluorescence of mucosal tissues under violet/blue light.

• Transcutaneous bilirubin measurement system, an alternative to blood sample analysis for the diagnosis of hyperbilirubinaemia in newborn babies.

• Isothermal nucleic acid amplification system for tuberculosis diagnosis, a point-of-care alternative to sputum smear microscopy.

Another seven products are not yet commercialisable, including products under development:

• Simplified anaesthesia unit for surgical use in low-resource settings.

• Single-use assistive vaginal delivery system to assist child extraction in prolonged labour.

• Portable on-site cell sorter and counter for HIV and malaria diagnosis, allowing rapid automated screening of a blood sample.

• Decision support system for paediatric HIV, ensuring easy and reliable access to patient information.

• Transcutaneous anaemia monitoring system to screen rapidly for insufficient levels of haemoglobin in the blood.

• Solar-powered autoclave to sterilise medical instruments.

• Portable infant warmer to improve the care of premature and low-birth-weight babies by preventing hypothermia.

Based on the ACTION acronym (Antibiotics, Clean, Treatment, Isolation and Investigation, Observation and Nutrition), the campaign brought together all wards and departments in a multi-disciplinary, collaborative approach to infection prevention.

Vernacare’s Julie Dickinson visited the wards to demonstrate best practice in cleaning the Vernachair commode with a chlorine-based detergent.

Staff were shown how to use the Vernacare Indicator tape, a visual management technique to support good hygiene. Following cleaning, the tape is attached to a range of equipment items to record that satisfactory hygiene standards have been achieved.

The adhesive strips were attached to the clean commodes and marked with a signature and date, indicating to colleagues and patients that the equipment was fully compliant with hospital hygiene standards.

Alison Quinn, Infection Prevention and Control Team Leader/Project Manager at Arrowe Park Hospital, said: “High standards of cleanliness are a vital component in our fight against C. diff, and our ACTION week highlighted our broad-based approach to preventing infection – from improving hand hygiene to addressing nutrition and antimicrobial prescribing.

“This week of concentrated activity put the focus on C. diff, but it is part of an ongoing campaign to ensure that the Trust protects patients, staff and visitors within a clean, safe environment.”

Vernacare UK is based in Bolton.

 
Julie Dickinson with Arrowe Park Hospital team

Together with the updated device, SunTech Medical has released a Software Development Kit (SDK) to facilitate the development of customised data integration applications for EMR software. This will help SunTech 247 customers to ensure future connectivity.

“Our customers have expressed the importance of EMR connectivity in their facilities,” said Dayn McBee, CEO of SunTech Medical. “The SunTech 247 with Bluetooth is the first major step in meeting the need for portable vital signs data.”

The SunTech 247 Diagnostic Station provides an affordable replacement for manual blood pressure devices. Its modular design allows customers to configure the unit to their individual needs. The base unit can measure blood pressure automatically or manually; other parameters, such as temperature and pulse oximetry, can be added.

Dayn McBee concluded: “As a next step, we look forward to partnering with multiple EMR software providers to develop additional connectivity solutions to integrate our device with their EMR solutions.”

Based in the USA, SunTech Medical is a leading supplier of clinical-grade blood pressure monitoring products and technologies. Its UK operation, SunTech Ltd, is based in Eynsham, Oxfordshire.

The new Healthcare Innovation Alliance (HIA), launched at the NHS Confederation conference, is dedicated to commercialising ideas developed within the NHS that can improve patient care and reduce costs.

The HIA team will deliver national innovation projects and provide expert advice to NHS organisations. Its six members are the NHS Innovations organisations for East, North, South, South East, South West, Yorkshire & Humber and London.

These individual organisations have examined thousands of ideas created by NHS staff, set up more than 300 deals to license NHS innovations, and helped to create 10 new healthcare businesses. Innovations they have developed include several new technologies for diagnosing and treating cancers, improved means of diagnosing stroke risk and a new social enterprise partnership to supply high-quality products for disability.

Working with universities, healthcare professionals and companies, the HIA will guide NHS staff in trialling and using healthcare innovations, reducing the waste of resources on weak or duplicate projects.

Dick Clark, Chair of the HIA, said: “The importance of innovation in the NHS has never been higher on the agenda than it is now. With the drive to make cost savings and at the same time preserve and improve the quality of care, innovation has a leading role to play. The formation of the HIA is both a timely and positive move; with the wealth of shared expertise and resources we will be able not only to promote the importance of innovation but also facilitate rapid implementation of successful ideas.”

The mylife™ OmniPod® from Ypsomed is a continuous insulin infusion system. It offers insulin-dependent diabetics improved comfort and flexibility, and could greatly improve the treatment of children with diabetes.

The compact pump is fastened directly onto the skin with an adhesive, and is controlled using a Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM) device that also serves as a blood glucose meter.

The mylife OmniPod is available nationwide in the UK and Germany via specialist diabetes clinics.

Simon Michel, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Sales at Ypsomed, said: “With the mylife OmniPod insulin patch pump, Ypsomed is the first provider to bring the very latest technology in insulin treatment to Europe, just six months after announcing the partnership with Insulet Corporation. We are pleased to enable people with diabetes to enjoy greater comfort and a better quality of life through our products.”

Conventional insulin pumps require a set of infusion tubes. With the mylife OmniPod, the cannula is positioned automatically at the touch of a button. The pump is entirely patched on the skin. It is not visible under clothing, and can be used during swimming and other exercise.

Switching to the mylife OmniPod has enabled diabetes patients to improve their long-term glycaemic control by avoiding interruptions to their insulin supply. The Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM) helps to determine the amount of insulin required by the patient.

The OmniPod System has been available in the USA since 2006, where thousands of patients now use it.

Based in Switzerland, the Ypsomed Group is a leading supplier of injection systems. Ypsomed Ltd is based in Selby, Yorkshire.

 
mylife OmniPod

Melton Mowbray is the first private sector organisation to join Benenden Healthcare, which formerly offered its services only to public sector workers. However, both are mutual organisations run for their members.

Signing up to Benenden Healthcare’s corporate health plan gives Melton Mowbray’s employees access to a wide range of discretionary healthcare services with prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Benenden Healthcare’s services act as a back-up to the NHS, providing customers with more rapid access to treatment. It also helps towards the cost of physiotherapy, podiatry and chiropody, and provides financial support for those living with cancer or TB. Services are provided on a case-by-case discretionary basis, with no extra charges for pre-existing conditions.

“As an established organisation, with a large employee base, we are often approached by service providers who want to supply employee benefit packages to our staff,” said Martin Reason, CEO of Melton Mowbray. “Benenden Healthcare stood out for us – not only does the Society provide a cost-effective, tailored healthcare plan for our employees, as it’s a fellow mutual organisation, it shares our ethos and values, and understands how we work too.”

Ken Hesketh, Chief Executive of Benenden Healthcare Society, said: “It is the first time we have teamed up with a building society, since we extended our membership beyond the public sector and opened it up to those organisations we feel have the same genetic make-up as us. This is a very exciting and encouraging partnership for mutual organisations.”

Based in York, Benenden Healthcare Society has around 940,000 members.

 
Ken Hesketh

The Intel Health Guide is being piloted with 40 patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The Intel Health Guide, available in the UK from GE Healthcare, allows patients to measure vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse rate and weight and respond to questions on a daily basis.

The data are reviewed by the community matron team. The technology includes a videoconferencing capability, enabling the patients to talk with community matrons.

The care team can use this system to assess the patient for early signs that their condition is worsening. Early recognition and treatment of a change in symptoms can reduce the need for admissions to hospital. The technology also helps patients to manage their own condition and identify problems.

Anne Walton, NHS Central Lancashire’s community matron locality lead, said: “This new technology allows patients to take a more active role in their own care and to learn more about their own condition. If this pilot is deemed a success it will potentially open up a new way of working for community matrons and other services, helping to improve the existing quality service we provide to our patients.”

The pilot, which started in June 2010, will run for 12 months across Preston and will be evaluated at regular intervals. If it is successful, NHS Central Lancashire aims to extend it to patients with diabetes, hypertension and heart failure.

Richard Rees-Davies, GE Healthcare’s Home Health UK General Manager, said: “New health technologies like the Intel Health Guide can make a real difference by extending care from the hospital to the home. In particular it will help to improve access, increase quality and reduce the cost of healthcare, bringing benefits to patients, health practitioners and the health service.”

The new tabards – the first such product in the NHS – save 60% of cost per use compared to reusable fabric tabards. They have been developed in conjunction with senior nurses at leading general hospitals.

GV Health’s drug round tabards are being introduced by a number of hospital trusts to reduce cross-infection, drug dispensing errors and interruptions, ensuring minimal cost and waste.

“Reusable fabric drug round tabards currently used by some hospitals have been identified as a potential cross-infection risk, particularly where time and financial restraints cause them to be used more than once without laundering. This has put nurses off using them and many hospitals have been looking for an alternative,” said Catherine Pegna, Managing Director of GV Health. “We wanted to give nurses on drug rounds a safe way of putting up the ‘do not disturb’ sign while saving nurse managers some money.”

GV Health worked with senior NHS nurses to develop the new disposable tabards. The single-size tabard can be adjusted to fit all shapes and builds, and is suitable for use in all types of ward.

Cost is a factor as well as safety. A recent survey found that laundered tabards cost an average of 42p per use. Disposable tabards can cost as little as 18p each, representing a saving of 60%.

Based in Ware, Hertfordshire, GV Health supplies infection prevention, disposables and usage monitoring IT systems.

 
GV Health disposable drug round tabard

Dr Roman Hovorka from the University of Cambridge (UK) said a new clinical study funded by Diabetes UK showed that adults with type 1 diabetes could use the new Artificial Pancreas technology to improve control of glucose levels overnight without increasing their risk of hypoglycaemia.

The Artificial Pancreas technology comprises three elements: an insulin pump, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and a computer program. The aim is to develop a system that does the job of a healthy pancreas: to provide exactly the needed amount of insulin to the body at the correct time.

Insulin pump technologies in current use work on an ‘open loop’ basis: the patient uses blood glucose test results to decide how much insulin the pump should release. The insulin pump delivers insulin via a catheter inserted under the skin.

The CGM comprises an insulin sensor that is inserted just under the skin, connected to a wireless transmitter that sends blood glucose readings to a display device for the patient to read.

The Artificial Pancreas moves the technology to a ‘closed loop’ system: the computer program analyses the CGM readings and tells the insulin pump how much to dispense, without the intervention of the patient.

Hovorka and colleagues have demonstrated the feasibility and efficacy of overnight closed loop insulin delivery in adults with type 1 diabetes, compared with the conventional insulin pump – even when the patient’s blood glucose control is disrupted by a large meal and by alcohol.

Only 40% of industry SMEs have an active scheme to encourage healthy eating and exercise in the workforce, putting into practice what their own awareness of preventative healthcare dictates.

The findings, based on interviews with the owners and managers of 500 healthcare SMEs across the UK, show that:

• 43% of the businesses (compared with a UK average of 30%) lose at least 25 working days each year due to employee ill-health

• 30% think the support they provide to their employees cannot be improved

• 50% think the provision of free health checks for employees would make a difference

• 37% think the Government should provide better tax breaks for employee health club memberships

• 27% would like more information about improving occupational health.

“Having a healthier workforce as a result of small firms offering more structured support will dramatically reduce the costs to UK SMEs, not to mention the benefits that the employees themselves will gain,” commented Professor Paul Gately, Carnegie Professor of Exercise and Obesity at Leeds Metropolitan University.

John Jenkins, CEO of GE Capital, said: “Against a backdrop of growing pressure on NHS budgets and a need for SMEs to drive economic growth, anything that can be done to enable SMEs to invest more to promote a healthier lifestyle amongst their employees has got to make economic sense. Healthy workplaces will result in a higher level of productivity whilst minimising any health insurance costs that small firms may have.”

A recent CBI study revealed that the average financial cost per employee of absenteeism is £412 per year for SMEs.

The new V-Loc 90 device expands Covidien’s V-Loc brand of absorbable wound closure devices.

The device builds on the success of the V-Loc 180 device, launched in October 2009, but halves the time required for wound closure.

The V-Loc 180’s self-anchoring loop and barb combination enables surgeons to close dermal wounds quickly and securely without knots. V-Loc devices close wounds up to 50% faster than conventional sutures of comparable holding strength.

Whereas the V-Loc 180 holds the wound edges together so that absorption is complete within 180 days, the V-Loc 90 contains faster-absorbing material (using Covidien’s Biosyn suture technology) that means absorption is complete within 90–110 days.

The shorter healing time makes the new device ideal for dermal and laparoscopic applications such as plastic reconstructive surgery and gynaecological surgery.

“With this new addition to our knotless wound closure portfolio, surgeons have an even broader array of choices for closing surgical incisions safely, quickly and effectively,” said Michel Therin, Vice President, Soft Tissue Repair & Biosurgery, Covidien. “The V-Loc 90 device is designed to provide better patient outcomes through the fast absorption of the product following the critical wound healing period after surgery.”

Initial clinical testing has shown that the V-Loc technology significantly reduces the time needed to close surgical incisions.

The V-Loc 90 device was previewed at the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery’s annual meeting in Washington, DC, where surgeons responded positively to the device’s ability to save time and reduce the risk of knot-related complications.

 
V-Loc 90

Account handler Kelly Gallier joins myM-link as a part-time co-ordinator to manage membership services and prepare market information bulletins.

Kelly brings a wealth of experience from the manufacturing industry, having managed accounts for architectural ironmongery firms Stellar Architectural, Laidlaw Solutions and Allgood PLC. She has a strong grasp of supply chain issues, and is experienced in delivering sales growth and spotting business opportunities.

“Our members are keen to grow their businesses, develop new collaborations and maximise their potential in the life sciences market, and I’m looking forward to helping them achieve their goals,” said Kelly.

“This is a great chance for me to play a big part in a growing firm, helping to support members proactively through our range of events, information bulletins and link-ups with potential partners. It’s very exciting to be delivering the good news that could change a company’s fortune.”

Manager Sue Wilde commented: “Demand for our services has led to a huge surge in our membership, enabling us to recruit and grow. Kelly is a real asset to our team and her enthusiasm will really help us deliver for our members. Based in the office, Kelly is a point of contact for all new and existing members, and will be conducting valuable research into the market that we can share with our members.”

A membership service for companies in the life science sector, myM-link has strong working relationships with organisations in the relevant markets, and can identify product and service gaps in specialist areas such as digital health and assisted living.

 
Kelly Gallier

The Midas Rex Legend EHS Stylus Touch is the first electric drill from Medtronic with integrated finger control, and is based on the company’s Legend EHS Stylus motor.

With a compact size and high torque, the Legend EHS Stylus Touch drill offers excellent balance and manoeuvrability in tight anatomic spaces. It also features an ergonomic and user-friendly design with adjustable speeds from 200 to 75,000 rpm.

The new drill is powered by Medtronic’s Integrated Power Console (IPC) system, a multispecialty surgical power console whose touchscreen interface enables surgeons to use saved custom settings, adjust irrigation by remote control, and run multiple Medtronic handpieces.

Part of the Legend platform, the Legend EHS Stylus Touch drill works with Medtronic’s Legend tools and attachments to cover a broad range of surgical procedures.

“We’re excited to offer our newest Midas Rex drill for surgeons who prefer the convenience and familiarity of finger control,” said Darren Woodruff, product manager for Spinal Power with the Neurologic Technologies division at Medtronic. “The Legend EHS Stylus Touch doesn’t require a foot pedal at all, which can be advantageous during multi-surgeon procedures and at busy trauma centres.”

Medtronic is based in Minneapolis, USA. Its UK operation is based in Watford.

 
Legend EHS Stylus Touch drill

Proton Therapy Global Management (PTGM) is a new company formed to make proton therapy available to cancer patients worldwide.

Proton therapy is a precise form of radiation treatment that treats localised tumours while leaving the surrounding healthy tissue mostly intact.

This treatment is currently not available in the UK for most cancers: patients – especially children – requiring it are sent abroad.

PTGM will develop a global network of proton therapy centres, providing facilities in partnership with hospitals that are leaders in cancer care.

Letters of intent have been signed to build five centres in the US and UK, including one in central London.

The founding PTGM team have held senior executive positions in leading healthcare service organisations and global corporations.

Vernon R. Loucks, the Chairman of PTGM, is a former Chairman of Baxter International. He commented: “The formation of PTGM represents the combination of a highly focused vision, a compelling business strategy and a disciplined operating plan orchestrated by one of the most experienced management teams in the global healthcare industry.”

“Cancer patients are increasingly demanding access to proton therapy because it’s non-invasive, effective and unlike standard X-ray radiation causes significantly fewer side effects,” said Ronald Anderson, President and CEO, Proton Therapy USA.

BITECIC Ltd and MATCH, two organisations with track records in helping medtech companies and NHS commissioners to assess the value of new treatments, have joined forces to provide tools, methods and advice.

The two organisations will jointly appoint a person to deliver training in MATCH tools and methods, and provide professional services to support clients’ use of them.

Professor Terry Young of Brunel University, London, the co-ordinating Director of MATCH, said: “There’s a clear synergy in this partnership. MATCH is a successful developer of approaches and tools for assessing value and economic impact, while BITECIC provides ongoing operational support, especially to SMEs in the healthcare sector.”

MATCH, the Multidisciplinary Assessment of Technology Centre for Healthcare, is a research collaboration that has operated since 1983 at Birmingham, Brunel, Nottingham and Ulster Universities, identifying ways to assess and demonstrate value in medtech innovation.

BITECIC Ltd supports industry, universities and healthcare professionals in the evaluation of medical technologies in urology, orthopaedics, cardiac surgery and other areas.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to lend our experience in reaching out to a wider set of users who really need to understand and benefit from MATCH’s tools and guides as they enter a world that demands cost efficiency from new health technologies,” said BITECIC Director John Egan.

The partners will focus initially on the UK marketplace, extending into European, US and Asian markets within two years.

 
Terry Young

NICE has made a provisional positive recommendation for the use of the SeQuent Please balloon catheter to treat restenosis following the insertion of bare-metal coronary artery stents.

SeQuent Please from B.Braun is used for balloon angioplasty and local delivery of paclitaxel to relieve angina symptoms and reduce the risk of further restenosis.

The draft guidance comes from the new Evaluation Pathway Programme for Medical Technologies, and was produced by the Medical Technologies Advisory Committee (MTAC).

MTAC recommended that SeQuent should be considered for use:

• in patients with in-stent restenosis in bare-metal coronary artery stents, and with other types of stent in patients where the clinician wishes to minimise the use of antiplatelet drugs

• in patients in whom it is technically difficult to insert more stents.

The evaluation concluded that the SeQuent Please balloon catheter could reduce the number of cases requiring further treatment for restenosis. It advised further research to confirm this benefit in the long term.

Dr Carole Longson, Director of the NICE Centre for Health Technology Evaluation, said: “We’re delighted to open the consultation on the first draft guidance produced by the new Medical Technologies Advisory Committee (MTAC). We look forward to receiving comments on our provisional recommendations from health professionals, industry and patient groups to help inform the development of this guidance.”

The consultation will run until 2 August 2010, and final guidance is expected in October 2010.

 
SeQuent Please

The 25cm Gore Viabahn Endoprosthesis is designed to cover more of the lesion in the SFA, reducing the need for multiple devices.

The redesigned device from W.L. Gore Medical (Gore) uses a precision laser-trimming technology to remove excess material, resulting in a contoured proximal edge that improves device apposition to the vessel wall, thereby potentially improving flow dynamics.

The flexibility of the new endoprosthesis enables it to better traverse complex areas of the SFA and conform more closely to its structure.

The device incorporates the Propaten Bioactive Surface technology, which preserves the heparin bioactive sites at the device surface so that they remain free to interact with blood.

“With all the new advancements to the Gore Viabahn device over the last 12 months, we are pleased to be able to expand this product’s offerings across Europe to include a longer length device,” said Ben Beckstead, Product Specialist with the Gore Peripheral Vascular Business.

“Since the SFA anatomy does vary greatly from case to case, it is important for Gore to be able to provide physicians with the tools and confidence they need to successfully treat their patients.”

Jacques Bleyn, Vascular Surgeon, Antwerp Blood-Vessel Center, Antwerp, Belgium, notes: “In 1996, the Hemobahn-Viabahn device was the first SFA stent-graft that had good patency rates and it came already in 15cm length. Because long SFA occlusions can be treated endovascularly with the Gore Viabahn device, Gore took this best SFA device and made it better: heparin bonded and a new length of 25cm.”

Based in Arizona, USA, W.L. Gore Medical produces medical devices for use in vascular, cardiac and general surgery.

Lyn won the prize in a draw at the Carestream Health stand at the recent UKRC 2010 exhibition. The photo below shows her receiving the prize from Carestream’s Health Territory Manager, Tim Kilby.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is a large acute hospital trust, serving around 500,000 people in parts of Kent and Sussex.

 
Lyn McKay and Tim Kilby

The launch of the first direct payment scheme moves the trial programme started by the DH in 2009 into a new phase.

Previously, personal health budgets were held by a PCT or third party. Now PCTs will make direct payments to patients, allowing them to choose their own healthcare services in partnership with the PCT.

The funds may be provided as monthly direct payments, or as a lump sum for a significant purchase (such as a piece of equipment). The cost of direct payments will be borne out of existing funding streams – in most cases, from the relevant condition-specific budget.

The scheme is designed to help people with long-term conditions such as diabetes, stroke or heart disease, as well as those receiving end of life care or mental health treatment.

The direct payment pilot scheme is part of the previously established programme to test personal health budgets across 70 PCTs. More PCTs will be authorised to offer direct payments over the coming year, leading to a more general rollout.

Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said: “This is an important step towards putting patients at the heart of everything the NHS does. Direct payments have real potential to improve the lives of individuals with long-term health needs by putting treatment choices in their hands.

“There is strong evidence from the social care sector that direct payments help achieve better outcomes, and give people more choice and control over the care they receive. It also encourages a more preventative approach.

“Direct payments will not work for everyone or for all patient groups or services, but we want to identify whether, for whom and how they could offer an opportunity to help achieve the best health and wellbeing outcomes.”

The authorised PCTs are: Doncaster, Eastern and Coastal Kent, Central London, Islington, Merseyside, Oxford, Somerset and West Sussex. The pilots will run until 2012.

 
Paul Burstow

The Electro-Optical System (EOS) Low Dose 2D/3D X-ray imaging system, from US company biospace med, is already in limited use in the NHS.

NICE has begun recruiting specialists in this area of medical technology to join its Diagnostics Advisory Committee during the development of the guidance.

The EOS system uses low radiation dose imaging and enables the clinician to acquire head-to-toe images of the patient in an upright, weight-bearing position.

The system could increase patient turnaround, and could assist in planning surgery for orthopaedic patients. There is currently no technology widely available in the NHS that can image the entire spine or leg length without the need for combining separate images.

Professor Adrian Newland, Chair of the Diagnostics Advisory Committee, said: “This technology may have a number of potentially significant benefits for patients. I and the Diagnostics Advisory Committee now have to interpret all the available evidence on the clinical and cost effectiveness of this technology and based on that, make recommendations as to if, and how, it might be used in the NHS in England.

“The meaningful assessment of diagnostic technologies, including this one, requires detailed knowledge of the post-diagnosis care pathways and this can make the process of assessment very complex. For this reason we have also announced today that we are recruiting specialist committee members with expertise in orthopaedic radiology and scoliosis, as well as the technology being assessed, to help us ensure that the guidance we produce is relevant, robust and practical.”

 
EOS Low Dose 2D/3D X-ray image

Anthony, a former wheelchair ice hockey athlete who competed in the 1998 Winter Paralympics, was due to give away his sister Angela at her wedding on Saturday 26th June. On 12th June, his car was stolen containing his wheelchair and prosthetic legs.

The day before the wedding, Anthony made a national TV appeal for the return of his legs. Nancy Rhodes, who manages the Seacroft Rehabilitation Centre, saw the appeal and contacted RSLSteeper.

Anthony was invited to attend the Leeds Teaching Hospital. He arrived at 3pm. RSLSteeper used its Biosculptor CAD-CAM scanner to collect digital data from his limbs, then passed the data to its BioMill where the prosthetic limbs were manufactured. By 6.30pm, Anthony was walking on his new legs.

As the limb build was processed under the NHS, Anthony received his new prostheses free of charge. He commented:

“I am so grateful to the whole team, they went above their call of duty. I had given up hope before I got the phone call on Friday morning. I had assumed I would have to use a wheelchair I have borrowed instead of walking my sister down the aisle on her special day.

“Steve Carter, Paul Leishman, Roy Wood and Nigel Blower worked so hard to make the legs for me. They stayed for an extra five hours on Friday night to make sure I was fitted with a new pair of legs.”

RSLSteeper Branch Manager Steven Carter said: “What a great effort by the team, and what a great gentleman to do it for, this is what the job is all about: making dreams happen.

“We are probably the only company in the UK who were able to provide a replacement pair of limb for Anthony in such a short time frame. Thanks to the leading-edge CAD-CAM system that RSLSteeper has invested in and a great effort from everyone involved, we made it happen.”

 
Biosculptor scanner

Doctors will know the result of their patient’s test within one week of sending in a blood sample.

Oncimmune has developed a new immuno-biomarker technology that replicates the cancer proteins that trigger the body’s reaction to the disease, and uses robotic technology to measure this response.

This new technology enables much earlier detection and is likely to transform the diagnosis and treatment of most solid cancers such as lung, breast, ovarian, colon and prostate cancers.

Oncimmune has used this science, based on the work of cancer specialist John Robertson, to create a commercial test. The first early cancer detection test to launch will be the test for lung cancer, EarlyCDT-Lung.

Geoffrey Hamilton-Fairley, Executive Chairman of Oncimmune, said: “We believe this test, along with the others we will launch in the next few years, will lead to a better prognosis for a significant number of cancer sufferers.”

Initial research results were derived using blood samples from patients with breast cancer and from a group of high-risk women attending for annual mammography in Nottingham. The results showed that the signal could be detected not only in patients with cancer, but in some high-risk patients who would not be diagnosed with cancer for up to four years.

EarlyCDT-Lung will be launched in the USA this month and in the UK early next year. Further research will allow validation of the test in other solid tumour areas.

The Taxus Element, the company’s third-generation drug-eluting stent, is made from a platinum chromium alloy, and has an innovative design and an advanced catheter delivery system.

It has received CE Mark approval with a specific indication for the treatment of diabetic patients.

The first European implants were performed by Corrado Tamburino, Chair of the Cardiology Department at Ferrarotto Hospital, Catania, Italy and Adrian Banning, Directorate Chair of Cardiac Services at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

“I have found the Taxus Element Stent to offer performance advantages in flexibility, visibility and deliverability over prior-generation stents,” said Dr. Tamburino. “The platinum chromium alloy and new stent design used in the Element platform, together with the proven Taxus drug and polymer, represent a significant advance in coronary stenting.”

“The diabetic indication for the Taxus Element Stent System provides an important benefit,” said Dr. Banning. “Diabetic patients with coronary artery disease often have poorer outcomes after revascularisation procedures. The paclitaxel-based Taxus Element Stent has a unique mechanism of action that helps inhibit restenosis in high-risk patients with diabetes.”

The Taxus Element Stent is designed specifically for coronary use. It brings together the performance advantages of the Element Stent platform and the long-term clinical success of the Taxus programme.

The platinum chromium alloy and innovative architecture of the new stent offer greater flexibility and radial strength, permitting thinner struts than in previous stents.

The results of Boston Scientific’s Perseus clinical programme, declared in March, showed positive safety and efficacy outcomes for the Taxus Element Stent System compared to the Taxus Express Stent System.

 
Taxus Element stent

The exposure limits are based on poor evidence, according to a new report from the European Science Foundation that recommends that medical and research use of MRI should be exempt from the legislation.

The EC Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) directive limits the exposure of workers to EMF with frequencies in the range of zero to 300 GHz. These limits could prevent MRI research and severely hinder further development of this important medical imaging technology.

The report, which has been endorsed by the European Medical Research Councils, recommends an exemption from any limit values for MRI in clinical and research settings.

The EMF directive will come into effect in April 2012. The exposure limits would:

• stop healthcare staff giving help or support to patients, such as children, the elderly or those who are anaesthetised, during scans

• prevent the use of MRI for interventional and surgical procedures

• curtail research in the field of MRI treatment.

“The Directive is a blunt instrument,” said Dr Stephen Keevil from King’s College London, who co-chaired the report. “It sets exposure limits that either relate to harmless effects, or are well below the threshold at which any effects occur. 2012 is still some time away, but to effect change in the policy we need to act now.

“Safety is taken very seriously by the MRI community. The directive’s aim of protecting workers is one that MRI researchers fully support, but its unintended effects are potentially disastrous. We’re now working very closely with the European Commission to find a mutually acceptable solution.”

 
MRI scanner

The new Epiducer lead delivery system from St. Jude Medical is the first of its kind, allowing introduction of multiple paddle leads and lead arrays for spinal cord stimulation through a single percutaneous entry point.

This innovative lead delivery system is designed to simplify the surgical procedure. Before the Epiducer system, the placement of paddle leads was only possible through a laminotomy: a more invasive surgical procedure involving the removal of part of the vertebral bone.

“One of this system’s advantages is that it enables a physician to introduce a perc-paddle lead into the epidural space with a simpler, less invasive procedure,” said Dr. Olivier De Coster, Head of the Pain Clinic at the Stedelijk Ziekenhuis Hospital in Roeselare, Belgium. “Paddle leads provide numerous therapy benefits, including greater stability for reduced risk of migration and more efficient unidirectional stimulation.”

Neurostimulation therapy is used to manage chronic pain in the torso and limbs. Mild electrical impulses are carried from a neurostimulator to a paddle lead: a small insulated wire with multiple electrodes on a flat paddle-shaped surface, placed in the epidural space near the spine, to interrupt or mask pain signals to the brain.

“We are pleased to provide physicians with this next-generation lead delivery system,” said Chris Chavez, president of the St. Jude Medical Neuromodulation Division. “The Epiducer system is redefining percutaneous procedures, presenting physicians with a unique, new option to place leads and reduce procedural complexities.”

St. Jude Medical is based in Minnesota, USA.

 
Epiducer

The Vernatray from UK company Vernacare is intended to replace reusable metal and plastic trays where the medication is stored in a single compartment, making the correct syringe harder to identify.

Made from single-use pulp, the new tray has six individual channels for syringes and separate areas for ampoules and sharps.

The Vernatray was developed in partnership with NHS Innovations South West, working with theatre and engineering staff in the region.

Chris Sawyer, Business Development Manager, NHS Innovations South West, said: “The Vernatray has been designed by theatre staff for theatre staff. The original idea and thinking came from anaesthetists who identified the need to increase safety by organising medication better. Vernacare has taken their concepts to a new level and created a single-use tray that meets the safety needs of modern healthcare practice.”

The new tray makes it easier for theatre staff to locate the relevant equipment and reduces the risk of incorrect medication being administered. Staff have found the Surgical Safety Checklist easier to follow with this tray.

It also avoids the infection risks and cleaning time associated with reusing plastic and stainless steel receptacles; the biodegradable pulp can be disposed of as clinical waste or via maceration.

According to the Association for Perioperative Practice (AFPP), the majority of patient safety incidents in anaesthesia are due to human error.

The Vernatray was designed and tested by Vernacare with detailed input from front-line clinicians, who helped to evaluate an initial prototype and test a second prototype tray at three NHS trusts and one independent hospital.

Based in Bolton, Vernacare specialises in human waste management.

 
Vernatray

The Protecta portfolio of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronisation therapy-defibrillators (CRT-Ds) from Medtronic received CE Mark approval in March.

The devices feature Medtronic’s SmartShock Technology: six advanced shock-reduction algorithms that a Virtual ICD study predicts will lead to 92% of patients being free of inappropriate shocks five years after implant.

“Reducing inappropriate shocks is a top priority for physicians, which in turn can help improve the quality of life for implantable defibrillator patients,” said Angelo Auricchio, Professor at Cardiocentro Ticino in Lugano, Switzerland. “This advanced technology will give my patients peace of mind that their device is designed to recognise life-threatening arrhythmias and deliver life-saving shock therapy only when needed to save their life.”

ICDs and CRT-Ds are designed to provide pacing and shock therapy to prevent ventricular arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death. Studies estimate that 20% of patients with such implants experience inappropriate shocks within three years of implant because of electrical ‘noise’ within the device.

Medtronic trial data show that 24% of patients who received painless anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) to treat arrhythmia visited the hospital or clinic within three days of receiving therapy, compared to 56% of patients who received appropriate shock therapy and 61% of patients who received an inappropriate shock. This shows that minimising shock therapy reduces the need for treatment.

“By delivering ATP and only life-saving shocks, Protecta devices with SmartShock Technology are sparing patients unnecessary worry and have the potential to reduce the burden on the healthcare system,” said Alain Coudray, Vice President of Medtronic’s Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management business in Europe.

Protecta pacemaker

The process and methods guides will inform the Medical Technologies Advisory Committee (MTAC), which selects innovative medical technologies and routes them through the NICE guidance programme.

The guides will also help to explain how the evaluations work. They will be helpful to manufacturers, health professionals and organisations representing patient groups.

The Evaluation Pathway Programme for Medical Technologies was established by NICE in 2009 to ensure that innovative new medical technologies, and important modifications of existing ones, are used more quickly and consistently in the NHS.

The types of products that will be evaluated include medical devices that deliver treatment (such as implants), technologies that increase patient independence (such as mobility devices) and diagnostic devices or tests used to detect or monitor medical conditions.

“We warmly welcome comments on the process and methods guides as part of this consultation from anyone who has an interest in the evaluation of medical technologies,” said Dr Carole Longson, Director of the NICE Health Technology Evaluation Centre.

“The independent Medical Technology Advisory Committee has two core remits: selecting medical technologies for evaluation by NICE guidance programmes and also developing medical technologies guidance itself. We’re keen to receive comments or suggestions from industry, health professionals and patient groups to ensure that our process is clear and robust, and ultimately benefits the NHS.”

The consultation will end on 10 September 2010. Subject to approval by the NICE Board, the final process and methods guides will be published in 2011. For more information, see www.nice.org.uk/medtechconsultation.

 
Dr Carole Longson

These savings have been achieved through reduced product prices and improved supply chain service delivery. It has estimated that a typical hospital can save up to 10% in product costs by switching to NHS Supply Chain’s lowest-priced suppliers.

“We offer the best value procurement solution, which is especially pertinent during such tough economic times,” says Nick Gerrard, Chief Operating Officer, NHS Supply Chain.

“Money can be saved across our 500,000 products, which range from bandages to baked beans, from gloves to implants and even diagnostic equipment such as MRI scanners. NHS trusts can also take peace of mind that the timely and expensive EU procurement regulations have all been complied with, saving on average £40,000 per contract.”

NHS Supply Chain’s streamlined operation reduces paperwork and administration time, managing over 1000 suppliers and combining all items ordered by a Trust onto a single invoice. The same process helps Trusts to cut their carbon emissions by reducing the number of deliveries.

Another cost-cutting mechanism introduced by the Supply Chain is the use of e-auctions: a competitive online tendering exercise that typically reduces product costs by 15%.

NHS Supply Chain was formed by DHL to take over the supply of healthcare products to the NHS at the end of 2006. Over the next six years, it aims to create efficiency savings of more than £1 billion – by methods including its Direct from Manufacturer programme, which uses direct sourcing strategies for certain product areas.

 
Nick Gerrard

This transaction strengthens Covidien’s global vascular platform. The company will gain a broad product portfolio with a strong market position, together with well-established global infrastructure, doctor education and training expertise.

Covidien will pay $22.50 in cash per ev3 share for a total of approximately $2.6 billion, net of cash acquired. The transaction is expected to be completed by July 31. Covidien will report ev3 as part of its Vascular Products line in its Medical Devices business segment.

“The acquisition of ev3 will enable Covidien to significantly expand its presence in the vascular market and is in line with our strategy of becoming a leading partner with vascular surgeons, neurosurgeons, interventional cardiologists and interventional radiologists,” said Richard J. Meelia, Chairman, President and CEO of Covidien.

“With its broad product portfolio, clinical expertise and call-point synergies with our existing vascular franchise, ev3 will be an important addition to our innovative vascular intervention products.”

Robert Palmisano, President and CEO of ev3, commented: “This combination will provide the opportunity for further innovation to support endovascular market growth and procedure penetration worldwide, while our employees will be afforded the opportunity to be part of a larger organization with greater depth of resources for sustained success in our industry.”

Based in the USA, with a UK sales office in Hertfordshire, ev3 develops technologies for the endovascular treatment of peripheral vascular and neurovascular diseases. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of treatment options.

Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company with three business segments: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies.

Dr Hamish Meldrum, BMA Chairman of Council, and Professor Sir Neil Douglas, Chairman of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, argued in a letter to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley that patients are being misled by inaccurate marketing claims.

“Some private companies are taking advantage of vulnerable people by claiming that the health screening they offer will detect diseases early or reduce an individual’s risk of developing specific illnesses,” commented Dr Meldrum.

“The NHS has safeguards in place to ensure that the public can be confident that the tests which are offered as part of high-quality screening programmes are supported by sound research evidence. Such safeguards often do not exist in the private sector, which makes it impossible for people to distinguish between private testing services that may do some good and those that are of no value or even potentially harmful.”

Professor Douglas added: “There are significant risks with direct-to-consumer tests. Many are unreliable and inaccurate. Patients may be falsely reassured, or undergo avoidable and sometimes invasive follow-up tests and treatments. Unnecessary procedures may have long-term or permanent complications which can place a burden on the NHS.”

The BMA and the Academy called on the UK government to strengthen the regulations on health screening, ensuring that all marketing materials include information on the risks and limitations of the test, the implications of the results, the procedures included in the test, the health benefit of the test and the evidence for it, any financial gain or conflict of interest by those providing or recommending the test, and the advisability of seeking independent medical advice before having the test.

These regulations must be enforced by a robust system to monitor compliance, including strong penalties for transgressions, the BMA and the Academy argued.

 
Dr Hamish Meldrum

A new revision to the 2010/11 NHS Operating Framework sets out changes to key priorities for the NHS, including the removal of top-down performance management of the 18-week referral to treatment target, reduction of the 4-hour A&E target threshold from 98% to 95%, and the removal of targets around access to primary care.

In relation to the 18-week waiting time target, a key feature of the previous government’s policy, the document states: “Accountability to patients and greater information transparency, through patient choice and the move towards GP-led commissioning, should now make long waits unacceptable.” It further notes that “Commissioners will want to use the median wait as an additional measure for performance managing providers.”

Andrew Lansley commented: “I want to free the NHS from bureaucracy and targets that have no clinical justification and move to an NHS which measures its performance on patient outcomes.

“Patients will still be entitled to rights under the NHS Constitution and the quality of their experiences and outcomes are what will drive improvements in the future.”

Healthcare professionals have responded positively to the relaxation of targets. Dr Keith Brent, Deputy Chairman of the BMA’s Consultants Committee, said: “Waiting time targets have improved the NHS in many respects, but they have also resulted in pressure on staff to make inappropriate decisions. Patients must always be treated as individuals and we welcome this commitment to allow doctors the freedom to do what is clinically appropriate.”

Professor Chris Ham, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, responded more cautiously: “Prompt access to care is important to patients and targets have helped play a part in driving up quality of care. While there has been criticism of the performance management system that accompanied them, targets have proved effective in driving down waiting times.

“In removing the 18-week referral to treatment target, we will now have to see whether patients’ rights and publishing data are sufficient to prevent waiting times creeping back up.”

 
Andrew Lansley

The new Life, Pure and Motion instrument range for people with mild to severe hearing loss is built around BestSound Technology, which offers better hearing, improved sound comfort and personalised appearance.

New additions to Siemens’ hearing aid portfolio include the Pure Special Edition (SE), a teardrop-shaped receiver-in-the-canal device that is almost invisible from the outside; motion in-the-ear instruments that can be made even smaller than previous models; and motion behind-the-ear instruments that can be personalised by adding and changing colours.

The new FeedbackStopper technology marks the amplified signal leaving the instrument receiver, so that it can be identified and cancelled if picked up by the microphones.

SpeechFocus maintains the optimal directional hearing pattern for speech, even in noisy environments, by continually analysing the environment to detect speech and automatically focusing in the right direction.

SoundLearning 2.0 records and remembers the wearer’s listening preferences in specific environments and automatically adjusts when in similar situations to the appropriate mode for conversation, music or noise.

“BestSound Technology combines innovative technology with subtlety to ensure each wearer is given a customised hearing instrument with automatic functions that is discreet and fashionable to suit their lifestyle,” said Liz Martin, Retail Product Manager at Siemens Hearing Instruments. “We are going to run a series of one-to-one meetings with hearing instrument dispensers across the UK to demonstrate how the latest innovations ensure each wearer will enjoy every decibel of life to the fullest.”

Based in Crawley, Siemens Hearing Instruments Ltd provides digital hearing instruments and software, patient management systems and audiology equipment to the NHS and independent retail dispensers in the UK.

 
Life, Pure and Motion hearing instruments

The North Norfolk Crawlers, a family group, are performing this feat to raise money for The Royal National Lifeboat Institute, Big C Cancer Research and MacMillan Cancer Support.

Joanne Jackson, Beijing Olympic and World Championship Swimming medallist, will present a cheque on behalf of Cirrus Healthcare Products to the North Norfolk Crawlers in Norwich on 30 June 2010.

She is also sponsored by Cirrus Healthcare Products, and will break off from her training for the 2010 European Championships to offer advice and support to the North Norfolk Crawlers.

Joanne said: “Good luck to the North Norfolk Crawlers for this incredible challenge. It’s hard enough in a swimming pool, let alone the English Channel. I wish you all the best for August 2020 and I hope you raise a tremendous amount of money.”

Cirrus Healthcare Products are also providing the team with BioEars and ClearEars for use during training and the ‘Double Crossing’.

Based in Sandwich, Kent, Cirrus Healthcare Products supplies products for ear protection against water, noise and other sources of harm or discomfort.

 
ClearEars

The imagery on www.forcefieldtraining.com (see example below) symbolises the changing environment and the need for medtech sales professionals to develop their commercial skills.

Training consultant Robina Masterson-Jones developed the content based on the experiences of medical product companies, who have seen extensive changes in purchasing methods in the healthcare market.

“Our clients have noticed that more and more purchasing decisions are being made by procurement and business managers rather than clinical decision makers,” said Robina.

“This means their sales teams have to adapt the way they sell in order to maintain and win business. As well as meeting the clinical needs of medical professionals, sales representatives need to develop their commercial skills in order to build long-term relationships with financial decision makers.”

Trevor Bethell, founder and Director of Forcefield Training, added: “We redesigned our website based on the needs of our clients. Sales representatives have to promote their product ranges in increasingly complex buying environments. They need to develop their account management skills so that they can understand these decision-making networks, gain access to the right people and develop strategies to grow their accounts.

“Representatives need to demonstrate they understand the challenges of both medical professionals and financial decision makers and tailor their solutions accordingly, using a solution selling approach. The way representatives sell can be their greatest competitive advantage.”

 
Forcefield Training website image

GE Healthcare’s SenoBright Contrast Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM) technology increases the detail of mammography images, enabling doctors to diagnose cancer with more confidence even in dense breast tissue.

SenoBright uses X-rays at multiple energies to create two separate exposures. The resulting images specifically highlight areas of angiogenesis: a proliferation of small blood vessels that may indicate the presence of cancer. According to GE Healthcare, this has the potential to improve detection of cancers by 13% and that of benign tumours by 6%, and improve early identification of ‘clear’ patients by 19%.

The patient can receive a contrast agent injection and, and after two minutes, undergo a five-minute digital mammography exam. The SenoBright procedure can be conducted on the same day as the examination – cutting the time between detection and diagnosis.

Inconclusive digital mammography can mean that follow-up tests delay the diagnostic process by weeks or months. SenoBright can help to ensure that patients who need cancer treatment receive it quickly, while patients who do not have malignant lesions can find out on the same day.

David Caumartin, GE Healthcare’s General Manager Mammography, said: “Given our proven history of breast imaging innovations, GE is proud to release yet another innovative technology, soon to be available to much of our digital installed base. SenoBright is likely to be a key enabler of accelerated patient workflow from diagnostics to treatment planning. It is enhancing the widely accepted technology of digital mammography by adding the functional information in order to detect angiogenesis.”

“The addition of intravenous contrast to mammography gives us the possibility to obtain information in the mammogram that was previously only obtained from MRI,” commented Dr. David Dershaw, Director of Breast Imaging at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, USA. “This has the potential to convey the advantages of MRI imaging in screening and diagnosis to women for whom this test is indicated but not currently available.”

GE Healthcare is based in the UK.

The report, published in the BMJ, found that the implementation of the Summary Care Record (SCR) faced serious organisational and cultural barriers – and that uptake of the HealthSpace online technology for personal health management was relatively poor.

The SCR is an electronic summary of health data, drawn from GP-held electronic patient records and accessible online by NHS staff. HealthSpace is an online personal health organiser that patients can use to enter data, plan medical appointments and contact their GP.

The UCL team worked with clinicians and patients, collecting data. They found that SCRs and HealthSpace accounts were being created much more slowly than had been expected. Problems included defining the key medical data, ensuring that GP records were complete and accurate, and gaining informed consent from patients.

Use of the SCR was not found to reduce consultation length or hospital admissions. SCRs were only being accessed in 21% of encounters when they were available. Only one person in 200 who had been invited to open a HealthSpace account had done so, and most users had found it of little value. The application for e-mailing a GP was used by only a tiny minority.

The ECL team concluded that while there was broad agreement on the vision of electronic healthcare, making it a reality would require many differences in perspective between stakeholders – clinicians, patients, IT specialists and others – to be overcome.

“This research shows that the significant benefits anticipated for these programmes have, by and large, yet to be realised – and that they may be achieved only at high cost and enormous effort,” said the report’s lead author, Professor Trisha Greenhalgh.

“When we did find them, they were subtle, hard to articulate and difficult to isolate. We hope that the new government will look carefully at our findings before decisions about the future of these schemes are made.”

 
Professor Trisha Greenhalgh

The Enable Sport initiative, launched by the charity Caudwell Children, provides donations of specialist sports equipment for disabled children engaged in competitive sport. New funding from Barclays Wealth bank has enabled it to announce new opportunities for children who want to progress in sport.

Record-breaking Paralympian Lee Pearson CBE, an ambassador for the campaign, said: “There are thousands of disabled children out there who may not be reaching their sporting potential because the equipment they need is just too expensive, with wheelchairs potentially costing thousands.”

Trudi Beswick, CEO of Caudwell Children, said: “Sport has a lot of health and social benefits for children, and we believe that every child should have the opportunity to reach their full potential. The difference for a disabled child is that the additional equipment they need could be out of reach for a lot of parents and preventing them taking part. We want to help families overcome this barrier.”

Enable Sport is open to any disabled child aged 18 or under who wants to participate in any competitive sport. For further information, visit the Enable Sport page on Facebook.

Caudwell Children has donated over £11 million worth of specialist equipment and treatment to thousands of children with over 300 different medical conditions.

 
Powerchair football

Gareth Thomas will be responsible for leading the network’s international expansion. He aims to establish a presence for Doctors.net.uk in core European healthcare markets by the end of this year.

With over 30 years’ experience of medical technologies and services, Gareth has extensive knowledge of European healthcare markets. He joins from pharma knowledge management solution specialist Skila, where he was Vice President and Head of Europe. Gareth previously held a number of senior management roles at Cegedim and Dendrite.

Richard Adams, Chief Executive of Doctors.net.uk, said: “Gareth joins the leadership team to help meet the demand from pharmaceutical companies and other healthcare organisations for us to create and execute best in class digital customer engagement across multiple territories.

“Coming on the heels of recent partnership agreements in the Nordic and Iberian regions, Gareth’s brief is to further extend our reach across Europe and beyond.”

“The signals from the European market indicate that there is a huge opportunity to expand the Doctor’s.net.uk business,” Gareth said. “I am looking forward to joining a dynamic and successful team and to creating a new chapter in its success story.”

Doctors.net.uk is used by the vast majority of UK doctors. The network’s extensive clinical content includes education, conference reports, member contributions and discussion forums.

 
Gareth Thomas

The trial, involving eight community midwives from Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, found that portable ultrasound devices could be applied successfully to community midwifery practice.

The Acuson P10 handheld ultrasound system from Siemens Healthcare was used by eight midwives in Exeter for one month to scan expectant mothers in the third trimester.

The trial participants found the system easy to use and, following the trial, expressed confidence in its capability to reduce hospital referrals.

Designed for community use, the Acuson P10 fits into a coat pocket, weighs 700g and is capable of image depth 4–24cm.

“In our feto-maternal assessment unit an average of 30 patients per month are referred for presentation scans,” said Tom Smith-Walker, Obstetric Specialist Registrar at the Trust. “Feedback from the midwives using the P10 suggests that it certainly has the potential to reduce such visits through use in rural locations with scattered communities.”

“This initial trial suggests the versatility and confidence that portable ultrasound can deliver outside of the traditional hospital environment,” said Declan Dunphy, Ultrasound Product Manager at Siemens Healthcare.

“With pressure on hospitals to increase efficiency, it is encouraging to hear positive feedback on the P10 ultrasound system’s potential to eliminate the need for patients to travel to hospital for repeat scans. We are delighted that it has assisted community midwives in delivering diagnostic confidence.”

 
Acuson P10 handheld ultrasound system