Issue 8
United Kingdom
INDUSTRY
Advances in health technology
General assessment
MEDICA visitors by origin
96%
25%
20%
19%
8%
Trade
Industry
Hospital/Clinic
Medical practice
4%
Satisfactory
Number of exhibitors/visitors
7%
Doctor
MEDICA visitors by origin
53%
47%
Abroad
Germany
Physiotherapist
Number of exhib
Exhibitors
3,516 TRADE
52,313
Medical and pharmaceutical qualification
4,682
Visitors
1,260
4,700 135
553
1969
1980
1990 2000 2013 Visitors attendance statistics 96%
33%
Trade
First time
52,313 HOSPITAL/CLINIC
13%
101,012
132,226
INDUSTRY
31%
126,100
Less sa
4,700 135
553
1969
1980
Average days spent at MEDICA
MEDICA, at the heart of the world’s medical technology sector Enhancement: Improving medical technology Future watch: Potential healthcare game changers Made in the UK: Keeping manufacturing on home turf Meeting the unmet: Responding to unmet clinical needs Going Global: Cracking global markets
ÂŁ52m boost for UK science inside
Life science is in our blood Life science branding is important to us. It’s our life blood. Creating compelling experiences through digital and print mediums is at the heart of what we do. We can inject new life into tired brands, reinforce existing brands or create powerful new ones. Give us a call or visit our website to see how we could improve yourJess message Fisherand Editor create brands to get your Jess Fisher Editor blood pumping.
“
A message from the chairman of Medilink UK
It is with great pleasure that I introduce this edition of UK Life Science Industry Magazine – and I am particularly pleased to see great focus placed on the vital area of sector Issue 5 skills. 2012 ISSUE 4
The announcement of the successful Science Industry Partnership’s (SIP) bid in to the Government’s Employer Issue 5 2012 ISSUE 4 Ownership of Skills Pilot fund is a significant step for our industry – and one that Medilink UK has given its full backing Issue 5 to from the very start.
Lorem ipsum sectetur adipisici Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, contempor incididun sectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod magna aliqua. Ut Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, contempor incididunt ut labore et dolore sectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod eu fugiat nulla pa The SIP announcement is yet another statement of intent from the Government about the importance of our sector – supporting a clear commitment to develop a highly skilled workforce ready to compete in an increasingly competitive and complex international market. Importantly, SIP has been employer-led, meaning the skills have been identified by the people and businesses best qualified to do so.
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represented on the biggest international stage.
orem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do enim ad minim veniam nisi utUt aliquip ex ea commodo co eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Finally, I look forward to continuing our successful reprehenderit in voluptate velit e enim ad minim veniam, quisconsectetur nostrud exercitation orem ipsum dolor sit amet, adipisicingullamco elit, sedlaboris do Excepteur sint occaecat cupidata with the Med-Tech Innovation Expo at the nisi ut partnership aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut reprehenderit velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nullayear. pariatur. deserunt mollit anim id est labor Ricoh Arena, innostrud April (29-30) next Once enimin advoluptate minimCoventry, veniam, quis exercitation ullamco laboris Excepteur sintex occaecat cupidatat proident, sunt in culpa again Medilink UKconsequat. willnon host theaute ‘UK Med-Tech Innovation nisi ut aliquip ea commodo Duis irure dolorqui in officia deserunt mollitinanim id estvelit laborum. reprehenderit voluptate esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla Lorem pariatur.ipsum dolor sit amet, con
Conference’ at the event and the 2015 Medilink UK Awards,
Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia incididunt celebrating the exceptional achievements of tempor companies fromut labore et do Lorem ipsum dolor consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod deserunt mollit animsitidamet, est laborum. veniam, quis nostrud exercitation our temporacross incididunt ut sector. labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim commodo consequat. Duis aute i veniam, quis nostrud ullamcoadipisicing laboris nisielit, ut sed aliquip ex ea Lorem ipsum dolor sitexercitation amet, consectetur do eiusmod velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat Thank you. commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor reprehenderit tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magnainaliqua. Ut enim in advoluptate minim sit amet, consectetur adipisicing velit essequis cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur orem ipsum veniam, nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea dolor labore et dolore magna aliqua. U sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed doineiusmod temporinincididunt Gary Stapleton commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor reprehenderit voluptateut exercitation ullamco laboris nisi labore et cillum dolore dolore magna aliqua. enimpariatur. ad minim veniam, orem quis nostrud Chairman, Medilink UK velit esse eu fugiatUt nulla Excepteur ipsum dolor aute irure dolor in reprehenderit exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis Business Director of 3M Health Care Business Group, sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur s aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud West Europe fugiat nulla pariatur. occaecat cupidatat nonconsequat. proident, sunt exercitation ullamco Excepteur laboris nisisint ut aliquip ex ea commodo Duisin aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in PUBLISHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
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The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent UKwww.teamworksdesign.com Lifescience Magazine the opinions of individual Medilink UK members unless explicitly stated. © MediWales Ltd. 2012
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INDUSTRY
2012 ISSUE 4
5-10
Issue 5
“
A message from the editor
MEDICA
This edition
Lorem ipsumfocus dolor sit amet,£52m con- boost for International 14 UK science sectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod training tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad ullamcoin eu fugiat nulla pariatur. epteur sint Increasingly, companies are looking to do business abroad and where better for many to start than at MEDICA, which is the world’s largest event for the medical sector. For over 40 years it has been firmly established on every expert’s calendar and in 2013 the trade fair attracted 132,226 visitors showing that it is definitely the place to be seen. It has been an exciting time for the sector as in 2014 the Government announced a £52 million investment in new and emerging science talent, creating more than 7,800 education and skills opportunities over a two-year period.
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(AHSNs) in the last issue we turn to look at some of the partnerships developed and other British Loremadvancements ipsum dolorinsit consectetur theamet, life science sector areadipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod explored through themes tempor incididunt utthe labore et of: dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim
Traceability
16
46
Check your dates
UK Lifescience Industry Event Calendar
Enhancement
PUBLISHED FORseizures 20 Positive monitoring for bedtime 21 Chair4Life promotes quality of life 22 British technology combines to fight Produced by MediWales for Medilink UK insect-spread diseases 7Designed Schooner Way, Wharf, Cardiff CF10 4DZ byAtlantic Teamworks Design & Marketing Tel: 029 2047 3456 Web: www.mediwales.com 23 Relieving pain, naturally The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily Contact: represent the opinions of individual Medilink UK members unless explicitly Editor: Jess stated. Fisher © MediWales Ltd. 2014
jess@uklifescienceindustry.com
Future watch
24 Stroke patients get interactive to aid recovery 25 Safety first for radiopharmacueticals 26 Smart material takes pressure off wheelchair users 27 Transforming the lives of catheter users 28 Speedy results from diagnostic App 28 Screening for surgery 29 Futuristic app to help predict patient readmissions
Going Global
Improving traceability in medical veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea device electronics Enhancement -making medicines and technology betterconsequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate commodo velit esse cillum eu fugiat nullagame pariatur. Excepteur orem ipsum dolor Future watchdolore - potential healthcare changers sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut in the UK - keeping manufacturing home veniam, quis nostrud laboreMade et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim adatminim Meetingullamco the unmet - responding unmet ex ea commodo consequat. Duis exercitation laboris nisi uttoaliquip clinical needs aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu - cracking global sint markets fugiatGoing nullaglobal pariatur. Excepteur occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in Lucinda Scott-Morgan Editor
British Companies at the world’s largest event for the medical sector
30 Brazil opens-up on healthcare 31 Showcase your abilities to the Middle East 31 P3 gets a taste of Brazil
Made in the UK
32 Delivering real-time results for cervical cancer checks 33 Excellence in product testing from British labs 34 Pioneering prosthetic technology 36 SA8000® Standard for Rocialle 37 From Dogs to Dementia
Meeting the unmet
38 Partnerships help to improve infection control 38 Combating the spread of Ebola in Sierra Leone 40 B & V Group collaborates successfully with the NHS and Academic Health Science Network 42 Best Industrial Partnerships by Farr 44 €1.24m project stimulates biomaterial innovation
View an interactive version of this edition at www.medilinkuk.com
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UK Lifescience Industry Magazine
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Medica
MEDICA by numbers
Medica facts and figures MEDICA is the world’s largest event for the medical sector. For more than 40 years it has been firmly established on every expert’s calendar and in 2013 it attracted 132,226 visitors. Six forums and several special shows on varied medical-technological topics are presented in the halls as a complement to the trade fair.
MEDICA visitors by geography
MEDICA visitors by origin
53%
47%
Abroad
North America
Europe
Asia
57%
16%
54%
South and Central America
Germany
Africa
Australia
15%
2%
13%
MEDICA visitors by origin
Visitors attendance statistics
25%
20%
19%
8%
96%
33%
Trade
Industry
Hospital/Clinic
Medical practice
Trade
First time
Visitors profession
1.9 Average days spent at Medica
6%
8%
3%
4%
31%
13%
7%
Medical laboratory/ Institute
Medical care centre
Service
Physiotherapist practice
Medical and pharmaceutical qualification
Doctor
Physiotherapist
Competence about decisions 3%
4%
Rehabilitation Centre/ Residential Home/ Government Authority
126,100
101,012
132,226 4,682
1,260
1969
1980
19%
5%
Co-decisive authority
Decisive authority
Consultative capacity
Not involved in decision making
1990
Figures compiled by Messe Düsseldorf, 12/2013
2000
Visitors
General assessment
Exhibitors
96%
3,516
52,313
553
37%
Others
Number of exhibitors/visitors
4,700 135
39%
2013
Satisfactory
4%
5
Less satisfactory UK Lifescience Industry Magazine
UK Lifescience Industry Magazine
5
UK at MEDICA 2014
Some of the UK’s companies you can meet at the world’s largest event for the medical sector
Medilink Pavilion Hall 16 Stand F04-1
GX Group is one of the many UK companies attending and exhibiting at MEDICA this year. Held annually in Düsseldorf, it attracts more than 132,000 trade visitors from 120 countries across all continents. For product design consultancy GX Group it will be the ninth year in succession that the company will have exhibited and the event now forms a key component of their yearly sales strategy. GX Group has designed and developed a wide range of innovative and cost-effective instruments, machines and products for companies that operate in the medical and scientific industries. Last year they dealt with enquiries from numerous countries including Turkey, Ireland, France, Australia, USA, Germany and the UK and generated business leads estimated in excess of than £650,000 .To date they have already secured three key contracts worth £150,000 with companies they may never have been introduced to had it not been for MEDICA. Having built up a global database of 500 contacts through the event over the years, GX Design Engineer’s business development manager Claire Banks said, “Last year was the best ever from a sales perspective and we are delighted with the result. As we are essentially selling a service it can be a long process from the time a company contacts us with an initial idea to securing funding and going through all the approval processes so discussions are ongoing with a number of these contacts.”
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UK Lifescience Industry Magazine
1.
Boston Healthcare Hall 16 Stand F04-1 6 Navigation Court, Calder Park, Wakefield WF2 7BJ Tel: +44(0)1924 229370 Email: info@bostonhealthcare.co.uk Web: www.bostonhealthcare.co.uk Founded in 2011 Boston Healthcare has continued developing the pharmacy brands DaliVit, Uvistat, Hemocane and Cepton, through new packaging, targeted media campaigns, Pharmacy online education and training programmes and high digital marketing content. In addition to the current products the Children’s SPF50 sun cream was launched with the character Scorchy leading the way in educating safety in the sun.
2.
Kirkstall Precision Hall 16 Stand F04-1 Units G4, G5 & G6, Wyther Lane Ind. Estate, Leeds LS5 3AR Tel: +44(0)113 2307844 Email: info@kirkstallprecision.co.uk Web: www.kirkstallprecision.co.uk Kirkstall manufactures a wide variety of products including fully functional assembled instruments for a variety of industries with medical being the prominent sector. As well as offering part or complete sets of Surgical Instruments from small to large batches they have the capability to manufacture sub-contract components.
3.
MTP Innovations Hall 16 Stand F04-1 3M Buckley Innovation Centre, Firth Street, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 3BD Tel: +44(0)1484 505615 Email: info@mtpinnovations.com Web: www.mptinnovations.com MTP Innovations’ products, DIFFX Disinfection Sachets and Tablets provide immediate protection against all bacterial infections including C. Difficile, MRSA, H1N1 and Bacillus subtilis.
Medica
4.
Prospect Health Hall 16 Stand F04-1 2nd Floor, Clarendon House, Victoria Avenue, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 1JD Tel: +44(0)1423 813450 Email: info@prospect-health.com Web: www.prospect-health.com Prospect Health is a market leading specialist in the provision of professional recruitment solutions to healthcare providers across the whole of the UK.
5.
Pwb Health (UK) Hall 16 Stand F04-1 Wembley works, Hemingfield Road Wombwell, South Yorks S73 0LY Tel: 44 (0)1226 610136 Email: Fraser@breastlight.com Web: www.Breastlight.com PWB Health (UK) Ltd is an awardwinning company offering sports & health nutritionals, food and wellbeing devices to markets worldwide. Its product, Breastlight™, stocked by major retailers, pharmacies and health institutions worldwide, is an award-winning device helping women self-examine their breasts within the comfort and privacy of their home.
6.
RGL Innovations Hall 16 Stand F04-1 Westbourne House, 99 Lidgett Lane, Garforth LS25 1LJ, Tel: +44(0)1484 963728 Email: Malcolm.rhodes@rgl-innovations.com Web: www.wheelchair-evacuator.com Current evacuation equipment is expensive and bulky, cannot evacuate to safe place and requires manual handling for which a risk assessment is required. Due to high costs, many buildings only have one making it impossible to evacuate more than one wheelchair user. The Wheelchair Evacuator solves these problems as it: Attaches to a wheelchair in a matter of seconds. Is affordable, cost effective and portable. Evacuates the person in their own wheelchairs (no manual handling issues) up or down stairs or escalators, across rough terrain and over most obstacles to safety. Enables businesses to comply with the law.
7.
Saxton Partners Hall 16 Stand F04-1 Windsor House, Cornwall Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 2PW, Tel: 0845 2570036 Email: sonia@saxtonpartners.co.uk Web: www.saxtonpartners.co.uk Saxton Partners offer a range of tailored behavioural training programmes. These are beneficial to companies or individuals who: Would like their own personal ‘Motivation Profile’ so that they can see right from the start why some things work for them and others do not. Would like a means of identifying their areas of strength, and areas they want to work on during the sessions. Want help in identifying a ‘pattern’ for what works for different people and their related business cultures when working with together. Want a system that has a proven ‘track record’ in helping Senior Executives develop leading edge skills, with a ‘money back’ guarantee.
8.
Simedics Hall 16 Stand F04-1 Simedics Ltd, 7 Wood View, Embsay, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 6NT Tel: +44(0)1756 709605 Email: enquiries@simedics.org Web: www.simedics.org Simedics delivers digital products and media publishing to innovate healthcare and public sector services. The Journal of M Health brings the latest professional developments in mhealth to healthcare and industry professionals around the world, allowing them to easily access clinical data, research and investigations into the efficacy of projects, products, research and clinical trials. They can also read the latest news, reviews and product data from across the industry.
UK Lifescience Industry Magazine
7
9.
Sozo Woundcare Ltd trading as GM Scientific Europe Hall 16 F04-1 Office 1, Horizon Life Centre, Kennel Hall Farm, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG3 2AY Tel: +44 (0) 1423 531 317 Email: info@sozowoundcare.com Web: www.sozowoundcare.com GM Scientific Europe is the exclusive European supplier of the SureStop® range of products which includes fully CE certified Haemostatic Dressings, Hydrogel and Silicone Gel products. GM Scientific Europe is seeking distributors across Europe for the SureStop® product range in healthcare, first aid, dentistry, consumer, the armed forces and sports medicine sectors.
10. The Body Doctor Hall 16 Stand F04-1 The Body Doctor Ltd Unit 7, Denby Dale Industrial Estate Wakefield Road Denby Dale, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom HD8 8QH Tel: 01484 868816 Email: sales@the-body-doctor.com Web: www.the-body-doctor.com The Body Doctor® designs and manufactures medical devices, filled with a special blend of natural grains, to aid a variety of conditions. 11. Zilico Limited Hall 16 Stand F04-1 Rutherford House, Pencroft Way, Manchester Science Park, Manchester M15 6SZ Tel: +44 (0)161 826 7840 Email: info@zilico.co.uk Web: www.zilico.co.uk Zilico is a multi-award winning UK company which specialises in the design and manufacture of real-time medical diagnostics to address specific clinical needs. ZedScan™, Zilico’s pioneering flagship product, utilises patented Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) to improve the ability to detect cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), increasing diagnostic accuracy and delivering health economic benefits. 12. ProMan Healthcare Solutions Limited Hall 16 Stand F06-1 Hammersmith House, 6 Hammersmith Close, Nuthall, Nottingham NG16 1PZ Tel: Tel: +44(0)115 870 0433 Mobile: +44(0)7789 917417 Email: info@promanhealthcare.co.uk Web: www.promanhealthcare.co.uk
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UK Lifescience Industry Magazine
ProMan Healthcare Solutions is a consultancy service that provides a platform for organisations that wish to expand and extend its reach into healthcare markets. This year we are showcasing Endur ID. Endur ID is a US based organisation that specialises in patient identification products and solutions and offers a range of innovative products that will give great value to hospitals across the EMEA region.
Welsh Mission Hall 16: Stand F42 13. Asalus Medical Instruments Limited Cardiff Medicentre, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4UJ Tel: +44 (0)29 2068 2106 Email: info@asalus.com www.asalus.com Asalus was founded in 2009 by WIMAT, the leading UK minimal access surgery training centre, to develop UltravisionTM. UltravisionTM rapidly clears surgical smoke produced by electrosurgical instruments during laparoscopic surgery. 14. CCI Legal Services Ltd The CCI Centre, Snowdonia Business Park, Porthmadog, Gwynedd, LL48 6LD Tel: +44 (0)1766 771166 Email: info@ccilegal.co.uk www.ccilegal.co.uk CCI Legal has been at the forefront of healthcare debt collection / accounts receivable for almost 30 years. We collect on behalf of some of the world’s leading hospitals and medical groups and are acknowledged to be the leading specialist in this sector. 15. Coveris Advanced Coatings Ash Road, North Wrexham Industrial Estate, Wrexham, LL13 9UF Tel: +44 (0)1978 660241 Email: enquiries@coveris.com www.coverisadvancedcoatings.com Our inspire® brand offers a variety of medical components from ultra-thin polyurethane films and polyurethane foams to innovative medical grade adhesives and conductive films.
16. Direct Healthcare Services 6-10 Withey Court, Western Industrial Estate, Caerphilly, CF83 1BF Tel: +44 (0)845 549988 Email: adam.cavanagh@ directhealthcareservices.co.uk www.directhealthcareservices.co.uk Direct Healthcare Services is a specialist British manufacturer of pressure area care solutions with a comprehensive portfolio of innovative, award-winning products including mattresses, cushions and overlays. 17. DTR Medical Ltd 17 Clarion Close, Enterprise Park, Llandsamlet, Swansea, SA6 8RF Tel: +44 (0)1792 797910 Email: info@dtrmedical.com www.dtrmedical.com DTR Medical provides medical professionals with single-use sterile surgical instruments that deliver patient and clinical value combined with exceptional levels of service. 18. FRÍO UK Ltd Whiteleys, Little Treffgarne, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA62 5DY Tel: +44 (0)1437 741700 Email: info@friouk.com www.friouk.com Established in 1996, FRÍO® UK Ltd is a world leader in evaporative cooling technology and the inventor, manufacturer and supplier of the patented FRÍO® Insulin cooling wallets. 19. GX Group The Mayfield, Usk, Monmouthshire NP15 1SY Tel: +44 (0)1291 673437 Email: claire.banks@gxgroup.com www.gxgroup.com GX Group comprises of GX Systems – a leading automation, control, IT solutions and web-based tracking developer, GX Design Engineers – Wales’ leading independent product design consultancy, and GX Environmental – UK market leaders in the design, installation, commissioning and support services for tankered clean water and waste management logging. 20. Indoor Biotechnologies Ltd Cardiff Medicentre, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4UJ Tel: +44 (0) 29 2068 2115 Email: info@indoorbiotech.co.uk www.inbio.com Indoor Biotechnologies specialises in products and services in environmental
sciences, allergy and asthma. Indoor manufactures purified natural and recombinant allergens, immunoassays for allergen and IgE detection, dust sampling devices, and consumer tests for allergen detection. 21. Jellagen Pty Ltd Jellagen House, Pembrokeshire Science & Technology Park, Pembrokeshire SA72 6UN Tel: +44 (0) 7585 120853 Email: andrew@jellagen.com www.jellagen.com Jellagen Pty Ltd is a Med-Tech and Healthcare company offering medical grade collagen products sourced from jellyfish, a novel and sustainable source of collagen biomaterials. Jellagen supplies medical grade Type I and Type II collagen (as well as other analogues e.g Type V) for the medical device, regenerative medicine, cell culture reagent and in vitro diagnostic markets. 22. Magstim Spring Gardens, Whitland, Carmarthenshire SA34 0HQ Tel: +44 (0) 1994 240798 Email: info@magstim.com www.magstim.com Magstim provides the means for neuroscientists to work with the human brain in awake patients by manufacturing and supplying state-of-the-art clinical and research instruments. Magstim and Neurosign products cover the fields of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Psychiatry, Cognitive Neuroscience as well as ENT, Orthopaedic and Neuro-surgery. 23. PDR CMU, Western Avenue, Cardiff CF5 2YB Tel: +44 (0) 2920 416725 Email: info@pdronline.co.uk www.pdronline.co.uk PDR is a research driven, design and innovation centre that has helped companies in the development of effective and successful medical devices for 20 years. We have expertise in human factors practice and new product development from conception through to manufacturing and new product introduction. 24. Pelican Feminine Healthcare Ltd Greypoint, Cardiff Business Park, Cardiff CF14 5WF Tel: +44 (0) 2920 747400 Email: contactus@pelicanfh.co.uk www.pelicanfh.co.uk Pelican Feminine Healthcare Ltd is a UK manufacturer of single-use medical
instruments. Pelican manufactures a range of single-use instruments, specialising in Gynaecology products, which include the market leading PELIspec. 25. Rocialle Cwm Cynon Business Park, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Cynon Valley CF45 4ER Tel: +44 (0) 1443 471359 Email: info@rocialle.com www.rocialle.com For over thirty years, Rocialle has been helping healthcare providers to control infection, improve efficiency and drive down the cost of high quality medical products. Rocialle’s procedure packs and medical packs contain everything required to perform a specific procedure and, like its wide range of single-use surgical instruments, are supplied sterile and ready to use.
Wales’ Diagnostics Hall 3: Stand C70 26. Cellpath Ltd 80 Mochdre Enterprise Park, Newtown, Powys SY16 4LE Tel: +44 (0) 1686 611333 Email: sales@cellpath.co.uk www.cellpath.co.uk CellPath are specialists in supplying consumables and services to the Cellular Pathology market. As a fully independent company providing a comprehensive range of innovative product, emphasis is on a customer focused approach. 27. EKF Diagnostics Avon House, 19 Stanwell Road, Cardiff CF64 2EZ Tel: +44 (0) 2920 710570 Email: info@ekfdiagnostics.com www.ekfdiagnostics.com EKF Diagnostics is a worldwide manufacturer of point of care equipment used within the treatment of diabetes, anaemia, sepsis and also sports science. EKF Diagnostics has three principle areas of focus: Point-of-care diagnostics, central laboratory reagents and molecular diagnostics. 28. MC Diagnostics Ltd Unit 5, OpTIC, Ffordd William Morgan, St Asaph Business Park, St Asaph, Denbighshire LL17 0JD Tel: +44 (0) 1745 535225 Email: enquiries@mcdiagnostics.co.uk www.mcdiagnostics.co.uk MC Diagnostics is a specialist molecular diagnostics company that has delivered
to market a fully automated low density array platform alongside custom designed image analysis and interpretation software. 29. Microvisk Ltd Innovation House, Unit 4 Ffordd Richard Davies, St Asaph Business Park, St Asaph, Denbighshire LL17 0LJ Tel: +44 (0) 1745 535843 Email: enquiries@microvisk.com www.microvisk.com Microvisk has developed worldleading technology for the analysis of fluid properties using a cantileverbased micro-viscometer. The technology has multiple potential applications throughout industry but, after evaluation of the different potential markets, the Company targeted the medical diagnostic market, specifically the rapidly expanding market for Point of Care INR testing for the monitoring of oral Anticoagulation.
Scottish Mission
30. AccuNostics Visiting Argo House The Enterprise Park Forres, Moray IV36 2AB Scotland Tel: +44 1309 250610 www.accunostics.co.uk info@accunostics.co.uk AccuNostics is a UK-based medical devices company, operating at the cutting edge of the self monitoring and point-of-care industry. 31. Aridhia (Health IT Forum presentation) Visiting Hobart House 80 Hanover Street Edinburgh EH2 1EL, Scotland mike.brooke@aridhia.com Tel: +44 131 560 1470 www.aridhia.com Aridhia’s unique blend of health informatics and analytics provides the greatest opportunity for healthcare providers, payers, researchers and regulators to improve efficiency and bridge the gap between constrained resources and escalating demand for service, whilst crucially improving the quality of patient care and patient outcomes.
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32. Arrayjet Hall 16 16G10-6 Midlothian Innovation Centre Pentlandfield, Roslin EH25 9RE Scotland Tel: +44 131 440 5220 www.arrayjet.co.uk mail@arrayjet.co.uk Arrayjet has developed a unique, inkjet microarray platform technology for non-contact printing. Arrayjet Advance™ microarray services provides customers with access to Arrayjet’s highly experienced scientific team and unique inkjet non-contact printing technology on a fee for service basis. 33. Clear Surgical Ltd. Hall 16 16G10-6 20-23 Woodside Place, Glasgow G3 7QF Phone: +44 141 3750359 www.clearsurgical.com info@clearsurgical.com Clear Surgical is a spin-out from Scottish Health Innovations Ltd, who work in partnership with NHS Scotland, to protect and develop new innovations that arise from healthcare professionals. 34. Collagen Solutions plc Hall 16 16G10-6 3 Robroyston Oval, Nova Business Park, Glasgow G33 1AP Tel: +44 141 5589838 Fax: +44 7795 447795 www.collagensolutions.com customerservice@collagensolutions.com Collagen Solutions Plc is a global provider of medical grade collagen formulations and components for use in regenerative medicine, medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics. 35. E&O Laboratories Ltd Hall 1 B41 Burnhouse, Bonnybridge FK4 2HH Scotland, Tel: +44 1324 840404 Fax: +44 1324 841314 www.eolabs.com campbell.young@eolabs.com E&O Laboratories Ltd is the second largest UK manufacturer of readyto-use culture media supplying the clinical, pharmaceutical and FWE sectors. Bespoke formulations can be designed and manufactured after consultation with our team of Microbiologists within our R&D department.
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36. Emblation Microwave Hall 16 16G10-6 Forrester Lodge Inglewood Alloa FK10 2HU Scotland Tel: +44 1259 236132 www.emblationmicrowave.com info@emblation.com Emblation has developed, designed and manufactured market leading microwave products across a wide range of applications. 37. Guardian Surgical Hall 6 6D30 74 Crankhall Lane Wednesbury West Midlands WS10 0EQ Tel: +44(0)121 505 9282 www.guardiansurgical.com/ Guardian offers a single resource for all your surgical textiles and complements this with services including product selection, supply management and expert support. 38. Highland Biosciences Ltd Hall 16 16G10-6 Ness House Greenleonachs IV7 8JD Scotland Tel: +44 1463 216454 Fax: +44 1463 216466 www.highlandbiosciences.com enquiries@highlandbiosciences.com Devices and systems for coagulation analysis 39. Innova Partnerships Ltd Hall 16 16G10-6 Foxknowe Lodge, St Fillans, Perthshire PH6 2NG Tel: +44 131 202-6666 www.innovapartnerships.com info@innovapartnerships.com Our services range from supporting University spin-outs and private sector start-ups to established public sector companies looking to expand in domestic and international markets. 40. Kare Orthopaedics Hall 6 6D30 Gareloch Road Port Glasgow PA14 5XH Scotland Tel: + 44 1475 743 400 www.kare.co.uk sales@kare.co.uk Kare Orthopaedics is a long established manufacturer and supplier of Orthopaedic support equipment.
41. Mode Health Ltd Hall 16 16G10-6 The Thomson Building CIDS, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland Tel: +44 141 3303115 www.modehealth.com osian.meredith@modehealth.com MODE is a product development phase company preparing a pipeline of user friendly and clinically informative diagnostic products for the Over-TheCounter (OTC) retail pharmacy market. 42. Novarum DX Ltd Hall 16 16G10-6 Exchange Place 2 5 Semple Street, Edinburgh EH3 8BL Scotland Tel: +44 131 3060110 www.novarumreader.com sales@novarumdx.com The Novarum Reader is the smart new way to read diagnostic tests and share the data with healthcare providers all over the world – or just round the corner. 43. Omega Diagnostics Hall 1 B41 Eden Research Park, Henry Crabb Road, Littleport, Cambridgeshire, CB6 1SE, Tel: +44 (0)1259 763 030 www.omegadiagnostics.com odl@omegadiagnostics.co.uk Omega Diagnostics Group PLC is focused on selling a wide range of specialist products, primarily in the immunoassay, in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) market within three segments: Allergy and Autoimmune, Food Intolerance and Infectious Disease. 44. Sitekit (Health IT Forum presentation) Visiting Sitekit House, Broom Place, Portree IV51 9HL, Scotland Tel: +44 (0)845 2990900 www.sitekit.net Madelon.Kortenaar@sitekit.net Sitekit is dedicated to the development of digital health and care solutions that bring real benefits to both personal users and care professionals. 45. Wallace Cameron Hall 6 6D30 26 Netherhall Road Netherton Industrial Estate Wishaw ML2 0JG, Scotland Tel: +44 (0)1698 354 600 www.wallacecameron.com/ sales@wallacecameron.com Wallace Cameron International have been servicing the needs of the first aid market for over 60 years, supplying quality products and services which has led to the achievement of 2 Royal Warrants plus the ongoing ISO 9001: 2008 quality accreditation and ISO 13485:2003.
Event Calendar
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Linking you to UK Life Sciences A new UK life sciences web portal is about to be launched to provide a single access point to the UK life sciences landscape. It will provide an online platform to allow UK and international companies, academia and R&D organisations to connect.
The initiative is led by UKTI’s Life Sciences Organisation (LSO) and the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) – in collaboration with data partners, stakeholders and industry.
For the first time the capabilities and strengths of the UK life science industry will be showcased and accessible. One of the key features of the web portal will be access to a database of 5,000 UK life science companies that are developing, producing and marketing products and services in the pharmaceutical, medical technology and medical and industrial biotechnology markets. The company data has been compiled over the past five years as part of the Strength & Opportunity report and we would like to thank the following data
partners who have been instrumental in providing this company information: ABHI
Invest NI
ABPI
Medilink
AXrEM
Medi-Wales
BHTA
ONE Nucleus
BIA
Scottish Enterprise
Bionow
SEHTA
Bioscience KTN
Welsh Government
BIVDA Healthtech and Medicines KTN
Link Online The new UK Life Sciences web portal will be online soon and you will be able to link to it at www.gov.uk/ukti/lso
The Life Sciences Organisation – UK Trade & Investment UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the Government Department that helps UKbased companies succeed in the global economy and assists overseas companies to bring their high-quality investment to the UK.
The Life Sciences Organisation (LSO) is a dedicated unit of UKTI offering trade support to UK companies and to companies seeking to export from the UK. The LSO is a catalyst for investment into the UK from the earliest R&D collaborations through to clinical trials, commercial operations and partnerships.
The LSO recognises the need to support every component of the pathway. From bench to bedside, the LSO is making it easier to discover, develop and deliver healthcare innovation in the UK. Businesses benefit from the support and guidance that the LSO provides and also the opportunity to use the UK as a launch pad to other international markets, whether in Europe or beyond. The UK’s excellent reputation in research, clinical development, health regulation, and health economics combined with UKTI’s own global connectivity in British Embassies
and other diplomatic offices around the world mean that the UK can help businesses maximise their export and investment potential.
For more information on how UKTI’s Life Sciences Organisation can support you, visit www.gov.uk/ukti/lso Email: enquiries@ukti-invest.com @UKTI_LSO
£52 million boost for emerging UK science talent A Skills Pilot registered by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and submitted to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) for the creation of a new employer-led Science Industry Partnership (SIP) has now been approved and established.
Science Industry Partnership Success The UK Government has announced a £52 million investment in new and emerging science talent, creating more than 7,800 education and skills opportunities over a two-year period. This sees the Science Industrial Partnership’s (SIP) success in bidding into the Government’s Employer Ownership of Skills Pilot fund (EOP).
The new Partnership will design the vocational training and skills programmes that the life sciences, chemicals and industrial science sectors need to thrive and compete in the global economy.
consortium of around 100 leading science sector employers- former University and Science Minister David Willetts said, “The science based industries are critical to our future prosperity – and higher skills are the key driver of their competitiveness. Our investment will help the industry to take the lead investing in the skills they need.”
At a Science Industrial Partnership (SIP) board meeting – a new
Led by GlaxoSmithKline, this partnership will deliver:
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based on a new, simple employerowned system delivering work-ready apprentices
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TRAINEESHIPS
a new work experience programme for young people pursuing sciencebased careers
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INDUSTRY DEGREES
a radical new approach to graduate development, focused on employer skills needs and graduate employability
Science Industry Partnership The UK government will be contributing £32.6 million, with £20 million from employers, alongside £31 million in-kind contributions. This will fund a range of ultimately self-sustaining activities expected to improve skills in these sectors.
Welcoming the government support for the SIP initiative, Malcolm Skingle, Director, Academic Liaison, GSK and chair of the SIP board said, “The life sciences sector in the UK continues to evolve at a rapid rate and so it is essential that the next generation of scientists have the skills that both they and business require to be successful in the future. The SIP allows employers to take a leading role in achieving this objective. Ultimately, this initiative will help to preserve the UK’s reputation as a world leader in an extremely competitive area.”
Cogent, the expert skills body for the science industries, which is facilitating the SIP, has identified the employer demand for the skills programmes. Cogent CEO, Joanna Woolf added, “As the skills body for the sector, Cogent is delighted to be supporting the SIP, which is really focused on job creation, talent development and sector growth. The SIP focuses on new career pathways into industrial science and medical technology careers as well as on the skills in
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a new modular route to deliver high tech post-graduate skills in the workplace
innovation needed right across the sector. It’s a partnership in every sense of the word, and we’re delighted that so many companies are stepping up to take part.” ABPI Chief Executive, Stephen Whitehead, said, “The ABPI warmly welcomes the establishment of the new Science Industry Partnership. This partnership will ensure the UK maintains a highly skilled workforce in order to have the capabilities to compete and succeed in the global arena. The UK’s traditional strength in science has been eroding; science graduates often lack skills useful to industrial research, particularly practical skills, so the focus on high quality training through apprenticeships and other programmes is welcomed. The government has been a real champion for science but if the UK economy, especially the research based pharmaceutical industry, is going
5,900
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNTIES
to flourish then we need to work more intensively with government in partnerships such as this to equip the next generation with the skills to succeed.” SIP embraces the full breadth of the science industries- Chemical Science, Pharma, MedTech, Polymers- and through a delivery partner agreement developed in collaboration with the Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI), Medilink will deliver SIP skills interventions into the MedTech sector, including: l 1656 adult learners l 40 traineeships l A MedTech working group
Dr Darren Clarke, CEO Medilink East Midlands, explained that, “SIP will meet the skills needs of the important, innovative and life-saving MedTech sector and this can only lead to further success.”
increasing technical and management capability of the workforce
STEM CAREERS
a cross-sectoral proposal to attract young people into STEM jobs
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Getting to grips with traceability Traceability in medical devices
As outsourcing continues to increase brand owners (Original Equipment Manufacturers- OEMs) are concerned about protecting their brand image. By implication, this places a huge burden of responsibility on their electronic manufacturing service (EMS) providers in having to meet this aspect of customer demands. One of the key methods for doing this is in the provision of layers of traceability information. This challenge in particular is a vital part of the process faced by EMS providers like Elite Electronic Systems who
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manufacture medical electronics. Traceability also helps lessen liability; by reducing the extent of product recalls should any issues arise. The dynamics of electronics manufacturing today is characterised in many cases by extremely short product lifecycles with high product mix running simultaneously on the shop floor. Miniaturisation and constant developments in component technologies increase the risk of quality issues which may only be discovered later in a user environment. Environmental and
safety legislation such as RoHS, WEEE and Reach further compound the need for traceability meaning manufacturers have to self-declare for compliance and provide traceability queries on demand. Furthermore, legislative demands, such as lead-free assembly compels manufacturers to capture and retain shop floor events well after the products have been introduced into the marketplace. In today’s manufacturing environment, traditional means of performing traceability are
Traceability At Elite Electronics Systems, Operations Manager, Jackie Beresford is responsible for the traceability programme. Jackie explains the background to this requirement “Elite have an excellent recent history of manufacturing high value; complex electronics for medical devices and in 2012 were awarded the ISO 13485 medical accreditation, as a result we were required to implement a very stringent process for traceability. It is our responsibility as the manufacturer to assure that all components and materials are as described and approved by their customer and various regulators. The importance of this is further magnified when dealing with the manufacture of medical devices with critical or “life critical components” The questions that Jackie must continually address or be prepared to address include:
l Was this product assembled
with a defective component or process? l Is the whole manufacturing
order affected? l Is it limited to a specific batch
or lot? l Was the product assembled
no longer practical. Regulators require manufacturers to identify components and assemblies during all stages of receipt, production and distribution. This high level of traceability is required to minimise the impact of any potential product recall that may be necessary if a defective component is discovered. Maintaining the traceability of these materials and components helps support the ongoing integrity of the supply chain resulting in higher levels of confidence that the materials and components being used in production meet sourcing requirements.
with compliant processes? l What is the overall production
history of this product?
As Jackie explains; Javelin is a flexible, scalable and intelligent production planning and control system offering advanced functionality and value in the key areas of manufacturing and assembly. Javelin allows Elite to successfully compete in difficult economic and market conditions, through direct productivity improvements.
Jackie Beresford Operations Manager: “As we continue to grow and increase our turnover, Javelin will continue to give us full control of all aspects of our business and serve to provide our customers with the best manufacturing services possible”
“Javelin is at the heart of our production and management processes, it’s used right from point of sales through to point of invoice. It is integral to the overall success of the company. We have complete managerial control over automated, semi-automated and manual processes A key element of traceability is material control, Javelin have created a bespoke function for Elite which has revolutionised the operation of their store and subsequent management of material flow through out the company With this enhanced system Elite can go beyond identifying which batch components come from. The early barcoding and components logging system means we can tell customers exactly which finished circuit board or cable assembly a particular part was fitted to. This provides an additional level of security for all Elite customers.” Jackie is confident that Javelin will keep pace with all Elite’s requirement and plans.
www.elitees.com
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We never skip a beat throughout the manufacturing process Your partner for electronic manufacturing solutions: • PCB Assembly
• Global Procurement and Worldwide Logistics
• Cable & Wiring Assembly
• Facilities in Europe and USA
• Complete Systems Assembly
• Design for Manufacture & Test
• Customised Test Solutions
• State of the Art Technology
Tel: +44 (0)28 6632 7172 (EUROPE) Tel: +1 803-815-8000 (USA) Email: info@elitees.com www.elitees.com
ISO 9001
ISO 13485
Quality Management
Medical Devices
Registered
Registered
015
Association of British Healthcare Industries Advancing Access to Medical Technology
Joint Working and Credentialing: Synergy or Oxymoron?
Credentialing: the process of establishing the qualifications of licensed professionals, organizational members or organizations, and assessing their background and legitimacy.
The medical device industry shares a common goal with the NHS to improve patient outcomes and enhance system efficiency. This is not new and medical device companies have long been working in partnership with the NHS in a variety of ways to support delivery of healthcare. Doing so in an ethical and compliant fashion is crucial, and ABHI, along with other Trade Associations, has a robust Code of Business Practice that applies to all members and sets out industry standards for these interactions. Joint working between industry, NHS, voluntary and patient organisations is a fundamental part of how healthcare is delivered in our current system. For the Medical Technology sector partnership working has never been more important than it is today. Patients and carers are demanding more from the system at a time when the constriction in public spending is demanding greater efficiencies. This will require news ways of working for NHS and industry needs to respond to this. Often joint working will require representatives from medical device companies to enter critical and acute care settings. It is of utmost importance to both industry and the
NHS that any individual entering critical and acute care settings is able to demonstrate their appropriateness to do so. Increasingly hospitals are requesting evidence of, amongst other things, verifiable qualifications of those staff in order to allow them to work in sensitive areas. This is known as “credentialing”. ABHI fully supports the principles behind credentialing – the need to have in place a robust process for managing interactions between staff from medical technology companies and healthcare professionals and patients. Any schemes should support joint working between industry and the NHS and should be straightforward and efficient to operate. A standardised list of requirements developed and deployed at a national level that is proportionate, aligning level of scrutiny to level of risk is at the centre of any such scheme. Any unilateral approaches, with Hospitals implementing local schemes could result in multiple costs and entry requirements for any given individual, placing additional burden and barriers to industry to work within NHS settings.
ABHI calls for • Central leadership to support a national system • Standardised list of credentialing requirements • Criteria appropriate to setting and level of risk
www.abhi.org.uk
@UK_ABHI
ENHANCEMENT Positive monitoring for bedtime seizures Medpage Limited, trading as Easylink UK, was established during 1984 as a result of one of the directors inventing an alarm clock to wake deaf people. The company says that the clock, called the Shake Awake was actually one of the first products to be custom manufactured for deaf people. In 1995, An occupational therapist enquired if they could design a product to detect epileptic seizures and this saw the company change direction to focus on medical devices. Medpage Limited has patented several devices since including; a fire alarm for deaf people, an epileptic seizure monitor, a vibrating alarm clock and a medical temperature monitoring device. A recently completed project involved the research, concept development and design of a bed monitor to detect the epileptic convulsive seizure movements from infants. The company explains that sophisticated algorithms analysed by a
high specification processor are used to calculate, identify and differentiate normal sleeping movements from typical seizure movements and these are detected by a sensor positioned on a person’s bed. The resulting positive identification of seizure movements results in the generation of alarms to warn carers. They say that the Medpage ULTRA was successfully trialled with more than 25 candidates and further development is in progress to obtain certification for distribution of the device to the USA. Medpage’s nocturnal epileptic seizure detecting monitors are designed to detect seizure typical movement from a sleeping person. This is achieved using a sensor positioned under the patient’s mattress. Depending on the type of bed, mattress, and the size and weight of the person, Medpage monitors will successfully detect most convulsive seizures. Each monitor model has a means of adjusting the sensitivity of the sensor to compensate
for the variables detailed above. An adjustable delay control allows for a period of non-seizure movement with no alarm - turning over or adjusting sleeping position for example. During a convulsive seizure, body movements are detected by the sensor from under the mattress. A microprocessor analyses the movements to determine if they are seizure typical and if an alarm should be raised. Response times can be very quick from 5 seconds to 20 seconds depending on the alarm delay setting. Medpage explains that when considering making a purchase of a seizure monitor it is very important to consider safety for the patient as it is virtually impossible to guarantee that a monitor will detect all seizures from all patients, especially those which are younger or lighter. Generally, for teenagers and adults all models will detect convulsive seizures but a simple test of a monitor with a patient on their bed will quickly establish if a monitor is suitable and safe for monitoring.
www.medpage-ltd.com
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Enhancement
Chair4Life promotes quality of life Renfrew submitted a tender based on stringent product development criteria. The design brief included the requirement to improve the quality of mobility equipment so that all children have equal opportunities to maximise their independence, as well as significantly reducing the length of time children wait for a provision of a wheeled mobility solution.
Renfrew Group International describes itself as an ‘ideas engine’ with the practical capabilities and skillset to convert concepts into useful and desirable products across a wide range of industries. In the medical and scientific arena the organisation has over twenty years’ experience working with clients from SMEs to large multinationals, providing them with specialist innovation services, medical device design expertise, ergonomics and low volume manufacture for clinical trials. As a consultancy, the Renfrew Group says it has gained an excellent reputation for the rapid commercialisation of MedTech devices and products of all types, and guarantees its customers the delivery of intellectual property as part of their response to a specific challenge. In 2011, the NHS conducted a major review of the landscape for wheelchair provision in England. The same year the Department of Health launched their “Child in a Chair in a Day” campaign, designed to help transform the delivery of paediatric wheelchair services in the NHS. In August 2012, the NHS National Innovation Centre (NIC) launched a competition to build upon this research and issued a brief to develop a paediatric powered wheelchair, which could better meet the needs of a wider user base.
It stated that a Paediatric Transport System is needed that promotes independence for children with profound and multiple disabilities and for their carers who require continual access to a large amount of care and monitoring equipment. The amount of equipment and lack of storage space on current transport chairs restricts the freedom of children and parents to go out. Therefore, the system must enable integration of all the necessary equipment to allow excursions and also accommodate the changing size of the child so they do not require a completely different system every year. The design was also required to accommodate the 80% of users whose disability or condition was less severe and for whom a standard range of facilities and adjustment was adequate. The Renfrew Group won the tender based on their ‘Chair4Life’ design concept. The team conducted an extensive consultation exercise with wheelchair users, healthcare professionals, patients and carers. Over 7,500 responses to questions were analysed, providing robust evidence upon which a detailed design specification was based. Emphasis was placed on producing a user-centred design that would adapt to an individual’s growing needs, with a seat and components designed to grow with the child, while being both compact and lightweight. Addressing all criteria, the Chair4Life is a compact universal, and modular powered wheelchair system that addresses the needs of at least 80% of paediatric users aged 4 to 18 years for powered wheelchairs. The design incorporated a unique, automatic, ‘Varitrak’ adjustable wheelbase allowing the user to adjust
Michael Phillips, Design Development Director, Renfrew Group commented on the Group’s engagement with Medilink, “Our business is about commercialising technologies, including design and batch manufacturing. A good proportion of our work is with Medtech business, developing products, but a proportion is with the NHS and Academics directly. I think that networking, particularly with Midlands companies, has been enhanced with Medilink’s involvement and has led to some useful commercial relationships.”
track and wheelbase to suit indoor or outdoor conditions. A wider, longer track and wheelbase also provides stability when it is needed and compactness for manoeuvrability in smaller spaces, providing greater freedom and independence. Another benefit attributed to the Chair4Life is a vertical lift. This key feature was requested by young users as it enables eye-to-eye interaction with their peers. Being able to talk face-to-face has been shown to facilitate social and educational development and improve feelings of dignity and independence. The Chair4Life is designed to last three times longer than the current typical electric powered wheelchair and offers cost savings of £625,610 pa per unit. Additionally, the ‘Child in a Chair in a Day’ objective has stimulated a move in the NHS towards new procurement processes, managed healthcare, tighter funding, and emerging new providers, the creation of a universal modular platform has been designed to increase flexibility and speed of provision to all users and suppliers.
www.renfrewgroup.com
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British technology combines to fight insect-spread diseases A small British company has developed ground-breaking technology to tackle the mosquitoes that spread Dengue Fever, thank to Government support via Innovate UK. Oxitec a leading company in geneticsbased insect control has developed a solution which essentially kills off dengue-carrying mosquitoes. With Dengue Fever named as one of 17 ‘neglected tropical diseases’, second in importance only to Malaria as a threat to humans by the World Health Organisation in 1998, there is a clear need for innovation in tackling the disease. Each year, there are, according to the WHO, up to 100 million cases of the mosquito-borne disease but infections are estimated to be as high as 390 million. Dengue incidence has risen sharply over the last 50 years with a 30 fold increase worldwide. Approximately 25,000 people die from Dengue each year. Oxitec’s technology develops male mosquitoes that carry a lethal gene. When introduced into the wild, the mosquitoes mate with females whose offspring will not live until adulthood. This reduces the local mosquito population, therefore reducing the population available to contract and carry dengue. Having worked on this cutting-edge technology, Oxitec needed support to develop their product for operational use and to bring it to market. Oxitec also wanted to extend the same insect control approach into agriculture. The innovators therefore applied for grants at Innovate UK. Innovate UK expects to devote £80million to the development of technology in the healthcare sector, working alongside the UK’s most innovative people, and companies like Oxitec, to create a world-leading innovation culture.
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Oxitec has now carried out several field trials in Brazil, in which the company demonstrated the complete suppression of the dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti, leading to approval from the National Biosafety Commission is Brazil. In June 2014 Oxitec opened its first factory in the South American country.
Oxitec is now ready to combat the mosquitoes that spread Dengue Fever all over the world. It has a subsidiary in Brazil, Oxitec do Brasil, and has established commercial partnerships in Europe, Brazil and India. This followed trials in Asia and the Cayman islands. In the future, the team hope to become a global leader in the fight against other insect-spread diseases such as malaria.
“We couldn’t have gone into the field without Innovate UK and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Their determination to get British technology into a commercial environment allowed us to move our research onto the next phase when we didn’t have the funding to do it ourselves,” he added.
The technology created is groundbreaking in the war against insects, and highlights once again that, with the right support, a small British company can become a world leader. Support from Innovate UK has allowed a company of 45 employees to foster its idea and transform the fight against tropical diseases.
www.oxitec.com
“Innovate UK has helped us prove and extend our research work. We were awarded three grants to further the development of genetic engineering in different insect species, and thanks to them we now have a technology that is relevant to a number of insect varieties,” explained Hadyn Parry, Oxitec’s CEO.”
Enhancement
Reflux getspain, a pep-up Relieving naturally manufactured had been sold by mid December 2013. A further 700 units were made in January, and also sold by the end of February 2014, a further 800 units were ordered for March and a new order for 1000 was placed in April 2014 with excellent sales reports. It is expected that the Cryotherm Pro will account for an approximate 16% increase in turnover for the business overall this year.
Brendan McElroy, Marketing & New Product Development Director, Snowden Healthcare Ltd commented on their engagement with Medilink: Established for over twenty years, Snowden Healthcare Ltd is a UK supplier of natural pain relief solutions. The company’s strategic focus is on developing ‘own brand’ alternative pain relief, which is sold through channels such as pharmacies, mail order and online. Their selection of pain relief options range from gels and patches to high-tech medical devices, which are specifically designed for ease-of-use and to leave no undesirable side effects, ultimately offering patients a real alternative to traditional painkillers. Over 10 million people in the UK suffer from pain on a daily basis, however the long-term use of painkillers is not a suitable option for treating prolonged conditions due to unpleasant side effects of the drugs. The challenge for Snowden Healthcare Ltd was to create a device that would offer effective, natural pain relief, that could to be used in the home, and didn’t leave patients with any undesirable side effects. The target market for the device was individuals suffering from chronic and acute pain, as a result of long-term conditions such as arthritis and sciatica. The team at Snowden Healthcare Ltd developed the Cryotherm Pro, a handheld lightweight battery operated
rechargeable device that delivers hot and cold therapy to the site of pain with the added benefit of infrared technology. The device was created based on Thunberg’s research into the effects on the human body of the simultaneous application of hot and cold, which confuses nerve endings preventing them from sending pain signals to the brain. The Crythotherm Pro is cordless, compact and easily portable and is best used in conjunction with another of Snowden’s products Glucosamine gel which helps deliver pain relief effectively. User feedback supports the claim that the device will provide up to ten hours of pain relief following a ten-minute treatment session. In addition to benefiting patients suffering from long-term conditions, the Cryotherm Pro is also suitable for short-term pain relief and can be used effectively by those suffering from broken limbs or sports injuries. The company says that Cryotherm Pro has been quickly adopted and many customers using the new system are now relying on the device as their main pain relief solution, as opposed to traditional painkillers. Following the launch of the device in November 2013, all the 500 units
“One of our suppliers BPR Medical first recommended we should engage with Medilink, and advised us that it would be beneficial in terms of networking and gaining access and knowledge of suitable grant aid.
Brendan added, “Medilink assisted with the Cryotherm project by directing us to iNet grant funding to produce a test quantity of devices. Without Medilink’s involvement we would not have known this existed as a means of support to SMEs. The grant allowed us to test consumer demand and product performance with our customer base through a mail order campaign. This market research was important as it allowed us to test the effectiveness of product first hand and gain an insight into consumer demand and gain feedback in user-based research. Medlink’s involvement reduced our commercial risk and gave us the confidence to progress the project.” Snowden Healthcare is currently liaising with Derby Hospitals regarding clinical trials on the Cryotherm Pro.
www.snowdenhealthcare.co.uk
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FUTURE WATCH Stroke patients get interactive to aid recovery STROKE patients are using video game technology to learn to talk again, thanks to pioneering research in Nottingham. A team from Nottingham Trent University is using Microsoft Kinect from Xbox consoles – which sense movements and voice commands – to help patients with facial paralysis. A recorded speech and language therapist appears on the computer screen and takes the patient through exercises so they can practice at home and it also records how well they are doing. Professor Philip Breedon, of the University’s School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, is leading the project. He said, “This innovation will allow stroke patients, we believe for the first time ever, to receive interactive therapy exercises and feedback for facial weakness after a stroke. It represents a considerable advancement on the traditional methods currently used which are mostly based on patients reading a series of exercises from a sheet of paper. By making the exercise regime interactive, patients will receive muchneeded encouragement and recognition for their accomplishments, no matter how small. We’ve received very positive feedback from the stroke survivors who’ve supported us throughout the design process and we hope this simple innovation can be used widely in the near future.” Connected to a PC monitor and a mini computer which contains the software, users are presented with a live image of themselves. An inset screen simultaneously shows prerecorded clips of a speech and language therapist who guides them through their exercises and provides feedback.
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David Goode, of Bakersfield, had a brain haemorrhage in 1999 and was told he would never walk again after being in a coma for two and a half months – but can now move around despite being paralysed on his left side. The 56-year-old has been involved in testing the technology. “It’s a really useful tool,” he said. “People’s recovery time might actually be quicker. “I’ve lost my smile, but with this I could get facial expressions back.”
The system, which has been developed with the input of stroke survivors, allows therapists to design exercise programmes to meet the individual needs of each patient. The project – funded with a £347,000 National Institute for Health Research Invention for Innovation grant – also involved the University of Nottingham, Nottingham City Care Partnership and Maddison Product Design.
Professor Pip Logan, professor of rehabilitation research at the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, said, “Providing recognition and encouragement is a vital part of the recovery process for people who’ve been through something as devastating as a stroke. Until now it simply hasn’t been possible for clinicians to give patients feedback on their progress on a daily basis. We hope that this technology will provide patients with an improved understanding of their recovery.” The team will bid on a second round of funding to continue the research and create an advanced prototype before releasing it commercially.
Future watch
Safety first for radiopharmacueticals PETNET Solutions’ radiopharmaceutical drug manufacturing facility in Lisses, near Paris, requires special fire safety and security measures to keep staff and assets safe. Siemens has installed an integrated solution that comprises fire detection, access control, video surveillance and building automation. An open architecture approach was taken to ensure interoperability across all technical and security systems and processes, enabling reliable, safe and secure medicine production. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is an imaging technique that uses radioactivity in the diagnosis of disease. Before entry into a PET scanner, minute quantities of chemicals – called radiopharmaceuticals or radiotracers – are introduced into the body of the patient, either by intravenous injection or inhalation.
Compact Monitoring Technology (CMT) for critical monitoring of room conditions, in addition to radioactivity meters. It is also important for the company to have a clear overview of all systems in order to keep all processes efficient, secure and to comply with regulatory production standards. Competition in the industry is extremely fierce, so maximum efficiencies for processes and the highest level of business continuity and uninterrupted production are critical. The PETNET team is able to view images from video surveillance cameras, lock and unlock doors, monitor fire alarms and check air quality and radioactivity levels remotely from a single control point.
Cameras are installed throughout the site, especially in the more sensitive locations; this ensures operators can view all company processes and activities from a safe vantage point. Critical events and alarms can be investigated by authorised personnel from a number of touchscreens across the site, ensuring that the manufacturing process operates safely and reliably. The radiopharmacy now benefits from a future-proofed solution that effectively and efficiently combines life science systems with total building automation.
www.petnetsolutions.com
A subsidiary of Siemens Healthcare, PETNET Solutions operates the world’s largest network of PET radiopharmaceutical drug manufacturing facilities and dispensing nuclear pharmacies. PETNET manufactures and dispenses PET drug products for hospitals, clinics and research facilities. It is imperative that doses meet all applicable standards for quality and purity – from production until the expiry date. Throughout more than 50 PETNET sites around the world, standardised equipment and processes ensure the necessary consistency. To keep all staff and company assets safe from over-exposure to the radioactivity constantly present, PET radiopharmacies require special fire safety and security measures, such as continuous monitoring of background radioactivity levels. Regulatory compliance is assured with Siemens’
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Smart material takes pressure off wheelchair users A revolutionary smart material product developed at the University of Bolton to support wheelchair users has been successfully brought to market and is about to go into its second phase of research development. The Airospring cushion has been created after seven years of research and development by Professor Subhash Anand MBE of the University’s Institute for Materials Research and Innovation, retired Golborne Engineer, Bryan McArdle and Derbyshire company, Baltex Technical Textiles. Now, thanks to a Technology Strategy Board grant, the research and development team has £500,000 research funding to develop new products using their unique technical textile, XD Spacer Fabrics made at Baltex. Airospring is a pressure-relieving, moisture-wicking, breathable and fully machine washable cushion which has qualities to help prevent an unpleasant medical condition that can affect wheelchair users – pressure sores, also known as decubitus ulcers.
Pressure sores form when people are stuck in one position for too long, which stretches the skin and cuts off the blood supply. They cost the NHS as much as £1.8-2.6bn a year. The inspiration for Airospring’s development has been Bryan McArdle’s late wife, Sheila, who became a wheelchair user after a brain haemorrhage left her unable to walk. Bryan says he was advised by Sheila’s nursing team to use lambs’ wool or fleece to cushion her body as it was a natural fibre that was breathable. Although time-consuming to wash daily and maintain, the couple found it preferable to any manufactured cushioning they tried. Bryan’s engineering background gave him the confidence to pursue the development of superior products.
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He met Prof Anand, who has developed medical textiles products for more than 30 years, including a number used within the NHS, and together they set about trying to develop an easy-care textile which would be as effective as the lambs’ wool Bryan was using to cushion Sheila. Sheila sadly died in 2007, but the team continued to develop the material, initially funded through a £3000 innovation voucher from the then-North West Development Agency. Brian explained, “My wife died because she developed a pressure wound while in hospital. She never had any serious
wounds in the 18 years I was her carer and that’s why I spent seven years researching and learning as much as possible about the subject. I really wanted to make a difference. We have conducted significant, thorough research and development and I truly believe we are at the cutting edge. This is a significant achievement for the University of Bolton. I’m now taking an active part on the Advanced Wound Care group, involving Leeds, York and Sheffield Universities.
Future watch
Managing Director of Airospring Medical Ltd, Charles Wood said, “The TSB funding will help us look at a number of future developments for the Airospring cushion technology. Mattresses are an obvious product but we may be also looking at products such as insoles for shoes. Heel ulcers, for example, can be a huge issue for people with diabetes which experts think is likely to increase given our aging population.”
A five-year research project by this group has suggested that virtually all pressure relief aids used at the moment are not very effective. The design and technology applied to the Bolton cushions has the potential to change this for the better.” Prof Anand said, “There are a number of cushions on the market, but key attributes you would want in any
material you sit on for long periods, are to be fully supportive, through distributing the pressure over a larger area of the person’s bottom and so reducing the overall pressure at any point. Foam doesn’t support like our Airospring system does. It is fullymachine washable and moisturewicking, making it easy-care. Without a breathable cushion next to the body, which supports the wheelchair user properly, they can suffer pressure sores which can be an extremely unpleasant experience and potentially dangerous if they become infected.” The light-weight Airospring cushion is now available in two thicknesses. The AS-100 model, is designed for people who sit for long periods, like drivers and office workers. The AS-200 model is designed for wheelchair users. Peter James-Robinson MBE, has been trialling the AS-200 model and is delighted with the results. Peter, age 61, has been a wheelchair user since a brain abscess left him partially paralysed 15 years ago.
While he had to give up his business, running a small haulage company, he refused to let his disability affect his active lifestyle. A father of four with three grandchildren, Peter is on 16 different local committees for voluntary organisations. He has two voluntary jobs, and is an Assistant District Governor for Rotary International. A keen fundraiser who has taken on wheelchair marathons for charity in the past, Peter was awarded his MBE for his charitable work in 2012. Peter said, “One of my voluntary jobs involves data entry so I’m sitting at a computer for long periods. I tried the original cushion, the AS-100 model, which was the first to be developed and it was good but it wasn’t really thick enough. The AS-200 is a huge improvement and I can work at a computer for hours without any discomfort.”
www.airospring.com
Transforming the lives of catheter users Following a family member experiencing a severe stroke, Melio founder, Trevor Mills dedicated the next several years of his life to finding and developing a solution to a common problem experienced by many stroke victims.
Since its original development, the system has undergone extensive testing and refinement, with the final product rolled out earlier this year on both sides of the Atlantic. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, transforming the lives of catheter users.
The use of a urinary catheter and urine collection bag is familiar to millions of patients and users worldwide, as are the issues related to their use. An accomplished inventor and engineer, Trevor decided there had to be a better, more dignified way for his father to empty his leg bag. He connected a small electrical pump to a leg bag and the Melio Self-Emptying Leg Bag System was born.
The rapid success of the company also attracted the attention of investors with the company raising over £900k over 3 funding rounds. The primary investment was supported by the £100m Angel CoFund, which is backed both by the UK government and Business Bank, as well as existing investors the North West Fund for Biomedical, managed by Spark Impact, and London Business Angels.
Dr Matt Pearce, chief executive of Albert Medical Devices, said, “Since our last funding round in 2012 the company have invested time and money on product development, with the goal of reducing the end cost for the user. We’ve also focused on building our commercial and marketing teams. “The Melio bag has been incredibly well received by professionals in the urology sector and we look forward to reaching more patients and to greatly improve the lives of those with urinary incontinence.
www.meliolegbag.com
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Speedy results from diagnostic App Novarum has produced a simple-touse, digital health solution for the Rapid Diagnostics market place; a mobile app which allows even inexperienced users to accurately read and share the results of a diagnostic test using nothing but their smartphone. Results can be instantly read, sent, shared and stored on a web interface using the phones built-in connectivity, creating realtime records of test results and test locations whilst removing human error & enhancing point of care testing. The company explains that the Novarum Reader can be designed for almost any test where the result is normally read by the human eye. The Reader can be used in any location, however, the benefits are greatest when used in the field. The company has been around since 2012, started by managing director Dr Neil Polwart as a joint venture between
BBI Solutions and Albagaia. In that time, the company has successfully developed mobile readers for multiple Lateral Flow tests, such as tests for
Calprotectin, Influenza, Legionella in water, HIV/AIDS and Drugs of Abuse.
www.novarumreader.com
Screening for surgery Founded in 1990 as Trison Ltd and following a management buyback in 2013, today, Cleartech Live is at the forefront of live surgery broadcasting in the UK. The company’s team routinely delivers live feed transmissions of surgery to conferences and meeting rooms for both the medical profession and the pharmaceutical industry as part of their medical training and education services. The material can be used both as a live broadcast or digitally recorded and edited to create a packaged video or online content and these resources can be watched by surgeons as part of their continuing professional development . An example of this would be footage produced in the
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form of instructional DVDs detailing how to use new surgical products and procedures. Cleartech Live explains that it is proud of its services to this sector and the reputation which it has built up. Using Sony broadcast High Definition equipment and the expertise of its inhouse technicians to deliver live feeds to conferences and exhibitions, there is even an opportunity for delegates to pose a question to surgeons in real time during live procedures. The Cleartech team is experienced in operating theatre protocol and uses ‘clean’ equipment which is swabbed and masked prior to entering the theatre for filming. Cleartech has worked with companies, organisations and leading surgeons
to bring the operating theatre to the classroom.
www.cleartechlive.co.uk
Futuristic app to help predict patient readmissions
Aridhia has developed an online app to reduce the number of patients readmitted to hospital within 30 days to transform Nuffield’s readmission risk model.
mathematical model developed by the Nuffield Trust using an anonymised 10% sample of all NHS England hospital admissions between April 2008 and 2009.
A new app for doctors could help them improve patient outcomes and ease the budgets of NHS England hospitals by predicting the risk of readmissions.
Easy to use in real-time and by the bedside, the app processes 17 pieces of information which can be obtained from hospital information systems or from the patient’s notes. These include their date of birth (to calculate age), detail on recent admissions and diagnosis of any major health conditions (these include eleven major health conditions drawn from the Charlson co-morbidity index).
Since 2011, over £390 million has been withheld from English hospital budgets under a policy that penalises the hospital if a person is readmitted within 30 days. This scheme was introduced by the then Health Secretary Andrew Lansley in response to the negative impact of another initiative where hospitals were incentivised to cut lengths of stay, causing an increase in the number of emergency readmissions. Use of the new app means it could take doctors less than two minutes to predict a risk of readmission which may even be avoided if an intervention is deployed accordingly, potentially saving their hospital thousands of pounds as well as improving patient outcomes. The app – PARR30 Community Edition – which is being made available through Aridhia’s Community Programme, calculates risk through a predictive
The app is powered by Aridhia’s platform, AnalytiXagility, which provides services focused on improving service delivery and patient outcomes for chronic disease management. In turn, this is intended to accelerate multi-institution collaboration for translational medicine and bring about the benefit of wealth creation through shared IP and royalty models. Through its community programme, Aridhia says that it is committed to translating research into clinical practice and is looking to engage healthcare in the transformational journey to become a predictive and wellness service. PARR30, the first of the company’s
David Sibbald, CEO of Aridhia, says, “PARR30 is a brilliant example of how anonymised data can be put to use in a practical way to improve the outcomes of patients across the NHS and is the first App launched in our data safe haven.”
community edition apps delivers at point of care analytics to support informatics innovation into the NHS. PARR30 is the first release as part of the company’s new Translational service, which it says enables the rapid, bespoke build of data applications for clinical and research use. The company explains that data collection apps, risk stratification apps, and clinical trial selection apps can all be built in a matter of weeks, and interact with Aridhia’s data safe haven environment, AnalytiXagility. Aridhia is inviting interested NHS Trusts to register their details and become a partner in this translation of research into clinical practice. In addition, Aridhia is also offering a Trust Edition, a paid for service to allow trusts to localise the scoring algorithm by using additional data to calibrate and personalise PARR30 to a specific hospital.
www.aridhia.com
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GOING GLOBAL Brazil opens-up on healthcare Brazil is one of the largest economies in the world - with healthcare making up a substantial proportion of its yearly spend. Brazil currently ranks 8th in the world for healthcare expenditure, spends almost $200 billion on healthcare every year and takes up almost 65 per cent of the healthcare expenditure in South America. When Brazil hosted the World Cup in June 2014, not only was the world’s gaze fixed on the sport but also the wider societal issues which were highlighted by the Brazilian general public, such as the calling for more spending on public services. Four months on and the country is now preparing itself for another ground breaking event – the presidential election in October, where healthcare has been placed firmly up the agenda. The two leading candidates have made healthcare a key battleground for their manifestos, in an overt response to the mass demonstrations of millions of citizens across the country over the last 12 months. Current President Dilma Rousseff’s plans to focus on maintaining the government’s existing programmes. This includes bringing more physicians into Brazil, providing basic health services and expanding the free medicines distribution service provided by SUS (the Brazilian public health system). Her agenda also concentrates on improving and constructing more 24 hour GP surgeries, assistance for those with mental health, alcohol and drug issues and improvements around maternity care. Her opponent Marina Silva takes a universal approach to healthcare, with her agenda highlighting the fight against inequality in access to services. Central to her plan is to gradually implement
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legislation to link 10 per cent of the Federal revenue to finance a number of health actions, including:
l To offer more hospital beds; l To build 100 hospitals, as well
as 50 maternity facilities; l To expand the regional
polyclinic network in 435 regions; l To invest in IT; l To raise investments in
primary care to 30% of the budget; l To increase the number of
graduate physicians working in poorer communities;
Silva also highlights a need to support scientific and technological development policies, providing real encouragement to UK companies looking to enter the lucrative Brazilian market – particularly through alternative market entry routes such as joint ventures, technology licensing, contract manufacturing and collaborative R&D.
Both candidates acknowledge that there is a need for increased maternity care as the population grows from an already staggering 195 million people, and also that there is a need to address the aging population. The focus on healthcare from both candidates means that opportunities for UK companies to enter the Brazilian market – and wider South American market – are set to improve. The UK Government has placed much more emphasis on the opportunities of this market in recent years, as demonstrated with the launch of Healthcare UK at Hospitalar two years ago by the Rt Hon. Kenneth Clarke MP. The main healthcare exhibition for the South American market, Hospitalar, takes place in Sao Paulo, 19 -22 May 2015. The exhibition attracts distributors, clinicians, purchasers, manufacturers and end-users from across Brazil and the rest of South America, and Medilink UK will once again organise the UK Pavilion at this year’s show. To find out more about Hospitalar, contact international@medilink.co.uk or call Peter Wheeler on 0114 232 9292.
Going global
Showcase your ABILITIES to the Middle East Collaboration between Medilink and the ABILITIESme exhibition and conference has created an opportunity for UK companies in the assistive technology, special needs and rehabilitative sector to grow their business in the Middle East. This annual event, held in Abu Dhabi, displays the latest developments in mobility, independent living, assistive technology and rehabilitation solutions for the disabled and elderly. It also offers a broad meeting platform for international and local manufacturers, distributors, medical and healthcare specialists. Exhibition space is now available to UKbased companies at the ABILITIESme conference, which will take place 24-26
March 2015 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in UAE. Medilink is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the growth of the UK’s healthcare technologies sector. Peter Wheeler, International Manager for Medilink, said, “This is a fantastic opportunity for UK companies to expand into the lucrative Middle Eastern market. UK companies wanting to find out more about ABILITIESme should contact the Medilink International office on 0114 232 9292 or email international@ medilink.co.uk.
“ABILITIESme is the only exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa region dedicated to covering the whole remit of the rehabilitation, special needs and assistive technologies sectors. This focus means the visiting audience – from distributors and clinicians, to end-users and parents - is very specific to the market and the ideal platform to grow business in the region.”
For more information on the ABILITIESme conference visit the website at
www.abilitiesme.com.
P3 gets a taste of Brazil Established in 2001, P3 Medical is a privately owned company specialising in high quality and cost-effective medical devices for use by healthcare professionals in hospitals and similar healthcare settings. P3 works closely with clinicians and other healthcare professionals to develop its products and manufactures a range of medical and surgical products which are distributed globally. Products include single-use devices for anaesthesia and a comprehensive range of sterile equipment drapes and covers, together with a number of essential surgical accessories and similar products. In addition to manufacturing and distributing its own products, P3 acts as UK Distributor to a number of leading medical device manufacturers and also supplies many leading manufacturers on a sub-contract or private-label basis.
P3 Medical exhibited at Hospitalar for the first time this year and with the help of its Brazilian distributor the company managed to gain a lot of interest from Brazilian clinicians and nurses. While the distributor was exhibiting in one hall, P3 Medical promoted its brand in the UK pavilion. The company decided to exhibit to attract distributors from other South American markets because Hospitalar is the biggest healthcare exhibition in South America and therefore, the event attracts a number of distributors and healthcare professionals from Argentina, Columbia, Chile, Bolivia etc. With the benefit of a fluent Spanish speaker in the company’s export team several promising leads from the show are being followed up. Medilink also provided two translators who were Portuguese native speakers with fluent Spanish, so that there were no language barriers.
P3 appointed a Brazilian distributor four years ago and now has two products (Robertshaw Endobronchial Tube for lung isolation and Sengstaken Tube to treat oesophageal varices) registered with ANVISA and four more product ranges currently pending approval. It took nearly two years to obtain clearance for the Robertshaw and Sengstaken Tubes which are both classified as class IIa devices both of which visitors to the event were particularly excited about. The UKTI organised a networking reception at the UK Consul General’s residence this year and this included a talk by Sir David Nicholson, former Chief Exec of the NHS, who was in Brazil to present at an International Seminar at Hospitalar. This provided a fantastic opportunity to network with a cross-section of representatives from the Brazilian healthcare industry.
www.p3-medical.com/UK
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MADE IN THE UK Delivering real-time results for cervical cancer checks DP Medical Ltd has secured a deal with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (STHFT) to become the first NHS Trust in the country to adopt ZedScan™ as part of its cervical cancer care pathway. The system, which includes patented Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy technology, offers quicker and more accurate detection of cervical neoplasia delivering results in realtime, enabling clinicians to improve patient management. DP Medical explains that ZedScan enables clinicians to make more informed decisions at a patient’s first visit, thus benefiting both the patient and hospital. The system allows for a more efficient pathway and reduced morbidity for the patient. The Trust has signed a three-year contract with DP Medical to supply the system which comprises of a handheld device, software and disposable sensors. This follows the evaluation of over 400 patients at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust where the ZedScan system was routinely used within a clinical setting.
ZedScan was developed by Zilico Ltd, which includes Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Sheffield as partners. Both organisations were pivotal to the product’s development and commercialisation. Rob Atkinson, UK Business Development Manager and ZedScan product specialist for DP Medical said “This is a really momentous step for the way patients are managed within the cervical cancer care pathway and we’re delighted that STHFT is the first trust to have fully adopted ZedScan. Ensuring NHS clinicians have access to the best technology to improve diagnosis in this area of healthcare is vital - and ZedScan certainly meets that criteria.
“We are now looking forward to sharing the results of the case study from STHFT to encourage other Trusts around the country to consider adopting ZedScan.”
Sir Andrew Cash, Chief Executive of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of healthcare innovation and this news reinforces our status as pioneers in new medical technology – particularly as this was a system developed together at the University of Sheffield and our Trust. The ZedScan system has the potential to improve diagnosis and care for patients within the cervical cancer pathway– and I’m delighted it has been developed and adopted here in Sheffield first.”
www.dpmedicalsys.com
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Made in the UK
Excellence in product testing from British labs When it comes to medical device testing British laboratories are providing great science and great service. A typical example is Medical Engineering Technologies Ltd. This company was founded by engineers and scientists from within the industry, having had direct experience of device development and project management. From a regulatory point of view the key aspects in device development are: the design inputs, the product claims, the risk analysis and the Essential Requirements (ER) checklist. Information from these reviews can be amalgamated into a design validation plan which will typically include: biological safety testing, performance testing, risk mitigation and sterility validation. A well thought through design validation plan will provide evidence to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of a device based on science and logic and experienced laboratories can put timescales and costs to each element very rapidly. For example, a wound dressing will need breached skin and up to 30 days contact biocompatibility testing – this requires 10 weeks for CE marking and around 6 months for FDA registration. The core performance testing for wound dressings is defined in EN 13726 Test methods for primary wound dressings (although, this standard is not FDA recognised). Other performance tests may be specific to a dressing. For example, a risk analysis might identify that a coating on a dressing could drip onto the floor and cause a slip hazard. Testing methods should be designed to show whether this will occur during the useful life of the product. Sterility testing will include a bioburden test, packaging transit validation and shelf life validation (which can take up to 8 months for a five year shelf life). The ER check list will highlight other areas of testing specific to a product for example, if it is possible that the
dressing can be used in conjunction with antibiotic ointments then the compatibility with these ointments should be investigated. British laboratories such as Medical Engineering Technologies Ltd are successfully delivering analysis and development services followed by execution of the design validation plan to device manufacturers across the world. Details of these services are available from a wide variety of sources. The documents held on MET’s website will help engineers and scientists progress their device development projects efficiently.
MET’s Managing Director says, “So far during 2014 we have helped device developers in 18 countries across 5 continents to efficiently prove the quality of their products. To do this a good understanding of a wide variety of devices and the regulatory requirements is required. The mature market that we have in Britain has lead to the growth of very well qualified laboratories.”
Most importantly this information bank and partnering with a good laboratory will avoid project omissions and time consuming remedial work.
www.met.co.uk
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Since 1998, PDR’s Surgical and Prosthetic Design Group (formerly the Medical Applications Group) has engaged in applied research into the use of product design techniques and technologies in medical procedures. Their work has directly led to better, safer, faster, more accurate and less intrusive surgical procedures. The group works with surgeons at NHS hospitals all over the UK to develop and deliver medical models and implants for surgical use. The Surgical & Prosthetic Design (SPD) Group is a partner of the Centre for Applied Reconstructive Technologies in Surgery (CARTIS). CARTIS aims to make Wales a world-leader in the research, development and application of advanced technologies in surgery and prosthetics. This partnership combines the medical expertise of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board’s Maxillofacial Unit at Morriston Hospital and the design and
development expertise of PDR. Through collaborative research and clinical application, the centre leads on the application of advanced design and manufacturing technologies in reconstructive surgery and prosthetic rehabilitation. The Advanced Surgical Technologies Network (ASTN) has recently been launched with funding from Welsh Government’s Health Technology and Telehealth Fund. This is a project delivered by PDR in collaboration with ABMU trust (research and clinical partners of PDR’s Surgical + Prosthetic Design team). PDR will provide the design and additive manufacturing expertise for the project for custom devices of any nature (from surgical guides to custom burns splints and prosthetics mould tools) and the imaging expertise for the project is provided by PhotoMetrix. PDR works closely with their team to optimise their scanning hardware and
www.
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Pioneering prosthetic technology software for the project applications of focus. PhotoMetrix’s scanners are extremely easy to use and this makes their introduction into what are potentially brand new contexts easier. As NHS collaborators, PDR can provide cost price access to services such as: l anatomical medical models l digital reconstructions l virtual surgical plans l surgical cutting, drilling and
repositioning guides,
to get involved. It is hoped that these technologies will be of particular benefit to those who prescribe customfitting devices worn by patients for long periods as well as a number of specialisms already identified including:
l custom implants l digital prostheses
The ASTN project aims to improve access to advanced digital technologies for healthcare in Wales - the benefits of which are currently enjoyed only by select departments in the biggest centres.
l occupational therapy
What is 3D Printing?
l burns therapy
3D printing is a term used to describe a process which builds parts in layers. The technology available through the ASTN project is well suited to fabricating highly detailed parts in a material which is suitable for a wide range of medical applications.
l cleft lip and palate l breast care l radiation therapy l wound care
How Are The Technologies Used Now?
It will achieve this by: l introducing technologies that
can capture 3D photos of patients; l facilitating access to unique
expertise for the digital design of custom fitting devices; l enabling low-cost access to
state-of-the-art 3D printing to fabricate those devices.
Ultimately, the project aims to improve clinical outcomes, increase the safety of surgical procedures, and reduce costs to NHS Wales whilst improving access for rural and remote communities. Medical specialists who undertake work in the community are encouraged
The 3D photography equipment is designed to be used by communitybased specialists who have contact with patients in their homes or at local clinics. The cameras are easy to operate with minimal training, are highly portable and do not rely on being tethered to a computer.
The 3D printing fabrication technologies available through the project can also be used in the production of single use, patient-specific surgical devices (such as cutting or drilling guides to accurately translate surgical plans into the operating theatre). What is 3D Photography? 3D photography captures both the colour image of a surface and the surface contours. This makes it a useful tool for feeding into computer aided design software, which is then used to design and fabricate devices to accurately fit the surface of the anatomy. Being able to view anatomy in 3D also allows for better visualisation of conditions where it would not normally be possible to quantify something such as a change in volume or the affected area of a condition.
This type of technology is currently used extensively by prosthetists who fabricate both facial and body worn prostheses, custom splits for burns victims and those who work with cleft patients. Surgeons also make extensive use of 3D printing to fabricate models and devices for use during surgery. Additionally, these technologies are currently used by rehabilitation engineers who fabricate custom contoured wheelchair seating and posture management systems. This is just one example as there are many areas where this technology would improve patient treatment and help to streamline the overall treatment process.
www.cartis.org/astn
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SA8000® Standard for Rocialle SA8000 is the certification of Social Accountability International, the nongovernmental, international organisation, dedicated to improving workplaces and communities by developing and implementing socially responsible standards. It is one of the world’s first auditable social certification standards for decent workplaces, across all industrial sectors. Based on the UN Declaration of Human Rights it spans countries and industries to create a common language for the measurement of social performance. It takes a management systems approach by setting out the structures and procedures that companies must adopt in order to ensure that compliance with the standard is continuously reviewed. To comply with SA8000, Rocialle has adopted policies and procedures that protect the basic human rights of workers at the sites of its suppliers around the world, as well as those at its sites in the South Wales.
These are the nine elements in the SA8000 Standard: 1. Child Labour
5. Discrimination
2. Forced or Compulsory Labour
6. Disciplinary Practices
3. Health & Safety
7. Working Hours
4. Freedom of Association & Right to Collective Bargaining
8. Remuneration
Rocialle is pleased to confirm that it has been awarded the coveted SA8000 Social Accountability Standard. Rocialle, with a wide range of medical packs and single use surgical instruments, packed and sterilised at its facilities in the UK, is helping healthcare providers to improve efficiency, control infection and drive down the cost of high quality medical products. In Acute care, Rocialle serves almost every National Health Service Trust in the UK and is part of Berendsen Plc, a FTSE250 company. Liam Keene, Quality Manager at Rocialle said, “The SA8000 Standard is central to our work here at Rocialle.
9. Management Systems
Certification proves our commitment to social accountability and to treating our employees and those of our suppliers ethically and in compliance with global standards.” Economy Minister for Wales Edwina Hart congratulated Rocialle on being the first medical device company in the UK to gain the certification and commented, “Gaining this prestigious certification is a major achievement particularly as Rocialle is the first company in its sector to do so. It is important that all employers in Wales are committed to employee welfare, as healthy workplaces are inherently more productive and add value to the economy of Wales. The fact that five of the thirteen UK companies to gain this certification are based in Wales is testimony to the quality of our employers. I am pleased to see that Rocialle, one of our life sciences companies, which has recently increased its export activity with Welsh Government support, is also leading the way in implementing responsible business practices.” SA8000 improves the management and performance of a company’s supply chain, ensures compliance with global standards and reduces the risk of negligence, public exposure and possible litigation. It can also reinforce the loyalty of employees, customers and stakeholders. Managing Director, Steve Burt, said, “We are proud to have earned this certification. It’s satisfying to have confirmation that we are going about things the right way. Of course, we are hoping that it also helps us win business; it’s only right that customers look for evidence of social accountability when deciding where to place orders.”
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www.rocialle.com
From Dogs to Dementia In 2006, before smart phones got really smart, the owners of CareWhere Ltd asked the question of why someone could not track the location of their runaway dog on a phone. They thought that something must exist, as GPS was already appearing in phones but the internet delivered nothing that used modern telecom technology. CareWhere Ltd has taken complex location (GPS) and telecommunication technology and created practical products and solutions for everyday use. However, the company started life as Retrieva – creators of ‘The world’s most advanced Dog Collar.’ Market research involved a trade stand at Crufts and the positive response confirmed the company’s thoughts. Over the next few years Retrieva applied themselves to creating the solution and the result was a very clever tracking collar using multiple technologies.
In 2010, Retrieva started selling- learning more about incredibly difficult dog customers and getting support from their owners, who recognised the benefits of the product. The company then started to receive calls from carers who needed something to help them look after vulnerable people. Sometimes this was for a child or young adult with learning difficulties and sometimes for someone with dementia who needed to walk freely and safely in their local community. Retrieva comprised a box and collar both of which could report everything directly to a mobile phone and this is what people wanted most. They did not want a call centre service because they now understood how the technology worked – on a direct basis. Some even bought the dog collar, “because when Mum goes for a walk she never takes a phone, but always takes the dog”.
The next step for CareWhere was to create a belt version which delivered numerous additional advantages: l Comfortable, discreet and unobtrusive which means that the wearer quickly
forgets it is on.
l Certainty of wear. The belt confirms it has been connected (on), and
disconnected (removed). So the carer knows with certainty whether or not the belt is being worn
l Robust – originally designed for dogs so it is waterproof and secure l Power management designed into the system. The company’s expertise in
portable tracking and management gives typical recharging intervals of 5-7 days.
l Safe areas. The system has various ways of creating safe ‘geofence’ areas
and can provide alerts when the wearer enters or leaves these areas.
www.carewheresolutions.co.uk
In 2013, the technology was upgraded to add movement sensors to the system which meant that it was able to detect falls, movement and activity during the course of the day and could identify if patterns changed over time. The company explains, “The idea is not to ‘track’ instead, it is about enabling freedom and independence for vulnerable people and to provide an extra, nonintrusive level of care for when they go about their daily lives. Going for a walk does not mean someone is ‘missing.’ If someone gets lost or confused or gets on the wrong bus then knowing where they are means that a response can be quick and proportionate to the need.” Feedback from carers indicates that using this belt has transformed lives, as it often eliminates the need for constant supervision and security concerns. This means that families, partners and carers are able to get on with their lives and that people can stay living in their homes for longer. This reduces the cost to society and families, and benefits the vulnerable person through retention of independence, activity and skills. In 2014, a new phone app for the dog collar was launched – ‘Dog Tracker Plus,’ which has a simple interface and this is currently being reworked as a ‘CareWhere Safe’ version for use with the belt and portable monitor. Some of the company’s more visionary customers are already using the new dog app with the belt. As someone said recently, “I don’t care whether it says ‘Where’s Pokémon’, I just want to know where my husband is.” Carers need simple workable solutions wherever they may come from. CareWhere has exported more belts to France than it has sold in the UK and feedback has shown that in Europe there is more of an acceptance of both the social care problem and the technology innovation to deliver part of the solution. The surprise for CareWhere has been the drive, demand and feedback coming from partners, families, parents and carers. They are not bothered that a solution has come from a different place. Most are able to just see and accept the link between a lost dog who cannot interact with technology and a vulnerable person.
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Meeting the Unmet
MEETING THE UNMET Partnerships help to improve infection control University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust has replaced traditional bed pan washing with the Vernacare System of hygienic human waste disposal at its University College Hospital (UCH) site. This aims to help improve standards of infection prevention, free up nurses’ time for frontline patient care, and improve environmental performance. Vernacare, based in Lancashire, is a UK manufacturing business which developed the Vernacare System of hygienic patient toileting 50 years ago. Today, Vernacare’s products are exported to 48 countries and supply the largest range of medical pulp products to the NHS. The Trust has installed 70 Vortex pulp disposal units across all hospital wards. This involved replacing plastic receptacles with a range of Vernacare’s single-use solution, including urinals, bedpans and washbowls. These then disintegrate after use when placed in Vernacare’s Vortex disposal machines, which use a fast, cold water process to liquidise the waste - producing a free flowing slurry that is easily accepted by sewerage systems and is discharged to the drains. Alternatively, the disposable items can be placed in clinical waste systems. Estates Manager Stephen Bagot, who chaired the installation project team, said, “The move to the single-use method was led by the infection control agenda. Having used Vernacare’s Vortex model at other sites we were happy with its performance and the fact that the waste thoroughly disintegrates, therefore doesn’t cause blockages.
John Swanson, Senior Infection Control Nurse, said, “We introduced Vernacare’s disposal system at UCH because it is a best practice method of infection prevention. It is a key element in our Trust wide C difficile reduction campaign. The response from nursing staff has been extremely positive. It’s far quicker and more hygienic than the bedpan washer system we were using. Vernacare has helped train all staff in using the machines and their engineers provide us with ongoing maintenance and support, which ensures that any machine downtime is minimised.”
Other ancillary products have also been developed by the company, such as the Vernacare commode chair, cleaning and disinfecting wipes, cleansing foams and an indicator tape to place around toileting equipment to signal that it has been properly cleaned. For this reason it was a logical decision to specify the Vernacare system at UCH. It uses less energy than the bedpan washer system and runs on a cold water cycle, so it also makes sense from an environmental perspective.” The company’s stringent quality control measures ensure superior leakproof product performance and the prevention of malfunction to disposal equipment.
www.vernacare.com
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Combating the spread of Ebola in Sierra Leone Vernacare’s infection prevention products are helping to combat the spread of Ebola in Sierra Leone. The Lancashire manufacturer’s disposable toileting products stem the spread of all infections, including Ebola. As part of its emergency response, the UK government has deployed Vernacare’s disposable bedpans and urinals, together with its bedpan supports and hygienic commode chairs. The company has dispatched an express order of its infection prevention products to Sierra Leone. This will remove the risk involved in using reusable plastic, ceramic and stainless steel bedpans and urinals, which if not properly decontaminated present a major safety threat.
Meeting the unmet
Emma Sheldon, Global Marketing Director for Vernacare, said, “Since Ebola is spread via bodily fluids, handling the faeces, urine or vomit of infected patients presents a risk. Our single-use products will hold waste for long periods without any chance of leaking and can be disposed of safely after use providing assurance to both patients and healthcare workers. Our commode chairs, which are used in conjunction with disposable
bedpans, dismantle to enable effective cleaning and decontamination after use. Department of Health guidelines state “For non-ambulant patients, disposable bedpans should be used and the contents to be solidified with highabsorbency gel”. This is a best-practice method used across leading hospitals globally, where Vernacare’s Vernagel absorbent powder is used in bedpans to solidify liquid waste and avoid spillages of urine and diarrhoea.
“We are proud to play our part in helping to stem the spread of Ebola and stand ready to increase production and issue other products in our range, such as vomit and wash bowls, to meet further global demand.” Emma Sheldon, Global Marketing Director for Vernacare
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UK Lifescience Industry Magazine
B&V Group collaborates successfully with the NHS and AHSN Issue 7 of UK Lifescience Industry summarised the opening of the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) in England and detailed how this network was being developed across the NHS, industry, academia and with other major stakeholders to identify and spread healthcare innovations at both pace and scale. Richard Sinden, Head of Life Sciences at B & V Group has worked closely with East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN) and provides a company’s perspective on the working partnership.
Group’s experiences with the NHS to date where the company was asked to make recommendations to inform Policy about how companies can work better with the NHS.
B & V Group was delighted to receive the “Collaboration with the NHS Award” from the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN) at the Medilink East Midlands’ Innovation Day earlier in the year. This success stimulated the company to work proactively with the EMAHSN on a number of projects and also resulted in face-to-face meetings at Downing Street with the Policy Minister, Oliver Letwin. This followed a personal invitation from Mr Letwin to discuss B & V
From initial meetings with the EMAHSN it became apparent that there is a particular focus on diabetes in the region. This focus is largely attributed to an aging population; better diagnosis and higher levels of obesity. The human and financial costs of the disorder are considerable and any new technology which can improve the patient outcome is of particular interest to the regional AHSNs. In turn, success stories can then be rolled out as case studies to breed further success across the country.
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UK Lifescience Industry Magazine
According to recent statistics released by the NHS, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has increased to more than 3.2 million. This means that six percent of UK adults are diagnosed with diabetes, although the true percentage is thought to be significantly higher as this figure excludes undiagnosed type 2 diabetics. Woundox Irrigation Solution, is a Class 3 medical device manufactured by B & V Group and marketed by Martindale Pharma for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers. By pooling their expertise in antimicrobials and process plant design, B & V Group and Martindale Pharma have ensured that both the production and the end use of this new product meet the regulatory requirements and improve patient health. Diabetic foot ulcers are closely linked to diabetic neuropathy and nerve pain, with around 10 percent of diabetics developing a foot ulcer at some point. A combination of potentially reduced sensation to even minor injury, narrowed arteries
Meeting the unmet and reduced healing due to fluctuating sugar levels results in wounds which if untreated can become infected and may even require amputation. Woundox contains the same antimicrobial generated by white blood cells (phagocytes), works alongside the body’s natural defence system and is optimised at a pH which favours healing, therefore supporting the treatment of diabetic leg ulcers. This product caught the attention of the EMAHSN as it has been introduced to wound care units within the NHS with the potential for a joint case study with a health centre in the East Midlands. The same active ingredient used in Woundox is also being used to treat water within NHS hospitals and to disinfect surfaces, providing a multipronged attack against the same microbes which are implicated in wound infections. According to Public Health England, Water borne pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stentrophomonas maltophilia and related species accounted for 4,242 cases
of bacteraemia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland during 2013. The EMAHSN in conjunction with Medilink East Midlands is holding a diabetes innovation exchange event on 27th January 2015 where B & V Group and Martindale Pharma will present on the opportunities presented by Woundox in the treatment of diabetes patients with leg ulcers. Another strategic focus for this collaboration is the training of NHS staff via the B & V Training Academy which offers courses, with the achievement of Ofqual accredited qualifications, which will ultimately benefit staff, patients and visitors alike. At the meeting, Policy Minister, Oliver Letwin was pleased to hear that the collaboration with the AHSN is yielding positive outcomes and he was particularly interested in ways the NHS and Government can support SMEs. The observation was made that many new ideas are failing to get off the ground because they originate from individuals and companies without the resources
to fund these new technologies. This failure is in part due to both the increasing regulatory requirements and the time taken for new products to be incorporated into the NHS. The Minister was interested in B & V Group’s experiences with overseas regulators, especially the time taken to approve new technologies, as many UK companies find it is easier to export than to gain access to the NHS. The Minister praised the involvement of health industry focused networks such as Medilink and trade organisations such as the Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI). Ultimately, the AHSNs are well positioned to accelerate the adoption of new technology across England and liaison with their sister networks in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland should accelerate uptake of new technologies which will benefit the NHS patient health in the UK.
www.bvwater.co.uk
SEE US AT MEDICA Hall 16 UK Pavilion
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UK Lifescience Industry Magazine
Best Industrial Partnerships by Farr The Farr Institute is named after the British epidemiologist, William Farr (1807-83). One of the ‘founding fathers’ of medical statistics, Farr’s most significant contribution to public health was setting up a system that routinely recorded the causes of death. Such detailed statistics provided the raw data which allowed a far more detailed analysis of death within the general population. “Diseases are more easily prevented than cured and the first step to their prevention is the discovery of their exciting causes.” (William Farr) The Farr Institute’s vision is to harness the knowledge from health records data and other sources to improve the health of patients and communities by establishing a pre-eminent interdisciplinary UK health informatics research institute. With a £17.5 million research award from a 10-funder consortium, plus additional £20 million capital funds from the Medical Research Council, the Farr Institute aims to deliver high-quality, cutting-edge research linking electronic health records with other forms of research and routinely collected data, as well as build critical mass and expertise in health informatics research. It is comprised of four nodes (centres) which are distributed across the UK and led from the University College London (Farr Institute London), University of Manchester (Farr Institute@ HeRC), Swansea
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UK Lifescience Industry Magazine
University (Farr Institute CIPHER) and the University of Dundee (FarrInstitute@Scotland. The Farr will provide the physical and electronic infrastructure to facilitate collaboration across its four nodes, support their safe use of patient and medical data for medical research, and enable partnerships by providing a physical structure to co-locate NHS organisations, industry and other UK academic centres.
Building industrial partnerships forms a significant part of this vision with current relationships held between the Institute and Alere, Deloitte, Hitachi, TPP and GSK to name a few. To highlight the importance of this, The Digital Health Assembly: Open Innovation Conference 2015, in partnership with the Farr Institute, welcomes digital health professionals from around the world to unite in a common goal – to accelerate
In its first year, it has: l Generated a total of 259 research publications l Recruited 57 researchers and other staff l Secured 82 further grant awards- worth a total of £114 million l Presented at over 140 conferences, seminars and other events
The Institute acts as the nexus of the wider UK Health Informatics Research Network (UK HIRN and has spent much of its first year working to establish its external presence, its physical and electronic infrastructure and internal processes, as well as securing grants to take forward its research programme. One of the Institute’s priority areas centres on engagement, collaboration and communication.
www.digitalhealthassembly.com
developments in ehealth through Open Innovation. Staged in Cardiff, Wales, this event will focus on the themes of Big Data, Empowering Patients and Staff and Innovative Business Models. Here, top level global presenters will share their insights and experiences of how they are enhancing the evolution of healthcare through Open Innovation.
www.farrinstitute.org
SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff, UK 10th - 12th February 2015 Featuring The Farr Institute
Open Innovation International Conference Focusing on accelerating developments in Digital Health through Open Innovation
“Innovating in partnership with those outside your organisation by sharing the risks and rewards of the outcome and process” (100%Open) This three day international conference will welcome digital health professionals from around the world to unite in a common goal – to accelerate developments in eHealth through Open Innovation. Created for digital health professionals who are keen to leverage the power of Open Innovation in their own organizations.
Why Attend? •
Meet with hundreds of attendees that are coming to learn, discover, embrace and embark upon their Open Innovation journey and who are actively seeking new contacts and potential new partners
Over 35 international speakers will descend on Cardiff to explore the potential of Open Innovation across three of the hottest topic areas in healthcare today:
•
Understand the value, methods and first hand experiences of Open Innovation within the Healthcare sector
• • •
•
Stay at the forefront of the Digital Health evolution and get actively involved in cutting-edge discussions
•
Communicate your own expertise with a specialist audience and share your latest ideas and innovations
•
Make new international contacts at the Enterprise Europe Network brokerage meetings and find Horizon 2020 partners
Big Data Innovative Business Models Empowering Patients and Staff
Who Should Attend? If you have an interest in Digital Health, are involved in eHealth innovations in your organisation or simply want to learn more about the power of Open Innovation then this conference is designed or you.
Featured Speakers
Pēteris Zilgalvis, J.D.
Dr. Tevfik Bedirhan Üstün
Claus Deudal Pedersen
Dr. Ali Jazaïry
Head of Unit, Health and Well Being, Directorate General Communications Networks, Content and Technology, European Commission
Coordinator, Classifications, Terminologies, and Standards at World Health Organization
Chief Innovation Officer at the Centre for Innovative Medical Technology at Odense University Hospital
Senior Counselor, Innovation and Technology Sector at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (Invited)
Register online today to reserve your seat, become an exhibitor or partner as a conference sponsor
www.digitalhealthassembly.com or email us at info@digitalhealthassembly.com
@DHAssembly
Partners
#DHA2015 Media Partner
€1.24m project stimulates biomaterial innovation Medilink East Midlands is the UK partner for this transnational project aimed at stimulating innovation in biomaterials across 5 leading European clusters Launched in March 2011 and lasting 4 years, with a total budget of €1.24 million, this project is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg IVB North West Europe programme. This project aims to stimulate innovations in biomaterials, materials intended to interface with human biological systems, by creating multidisciplinary collaborative research across 5 leading European clusters: Eurasanté and Atlanpole Biotherapies in France, Bioregio Stern in Germany, LIOF in the Netherlands, and Medilink East Midlands.
Case Study: Developing materials for medical device manufacture A Biomat-IN development voucher has allowed testing of the suitability of polymer coated medical grade ceramic powder for new manufacturing processes. The rapid development of advanced manufacturing processes has promised improved medical device manufacturing capability. However, most of the new processes utilise materials which are not biocompatible or which have not achieved the necessary, highly expensive, regulatory clearance. Dr Wei-Jen Lo of Wollaton Medical Consultancy Ltd has proposed applying a thin polymer coating to existing regulatory approved medical grade ceramic powder
to overcome this problem and a BiomatIN voucher for EUR10,000 was awarded to allow commissioning of the Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tübingen in Germany to undertake the testing and in vitro clinical evaluation of several coated powders. The initial in vitro validation of the coated powder looks promising and Wollaton is now exploring the utilisation of the coated powder with new manufacturing technologies to produce solutions such as small granules for drug delivery or as part of 3D printing technologies to form different shapes and sizes of medical devices for implantation.
www.biomatin.eu
Life Science Industry Conference 4th December 2014, Cardiff, Wales One Conference - Two Essential Streams
• Pharmaceutical Development
• Medical Technology
The UK HealthTech Conference 2014 is to be held at the St David’s Hotel, Cardiff. The one day event will be a valuable day of briefings and networking for those within the pharmaceutical and medtech communities. Over 300 delegates are expected to come together in an integrated congress to understand critical strategic trends that will impact on the life science industry. The event will offer both the latest insights from . key opinion leaders and networking with regulatory authorities and executives from the world’s leading industry, clinical and research organisations.
Conference Rates:
Dinner and Networking:
Delegate Rate £250 (£175 for MediWales Members) Exhibitor Packages £850 (£600 for MediWales Members) Sponsorship Packages from £2,000
Following this event there will be a drinks reception and dinner.
* All prices exclude VAT
Partner Organisations
Keynote Speakers:
Professor Sue Hill, Chief Scientific Officer for England, NHS
Plenary Sessions:
• Regulatory Update from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA )
John Wilkinson OBE, MHRA
Gary Stapleton, Business Director, 3M, West Europe
• Open Innovation and Big Data in Healthcare Research • Personalised Medicine and Companion Diagnostics • Regenerative Medicine and Wound Healing • Welcome Trust funding for Innovations
Pharma Development Seminar Stream
MedTech Seminar Stream
• The Impact of Regulatory Changes - Falsified Medicine Directive • Security of the Supply Chain
• The Impact of Regulatory Changes - Medical Device Directive and In Vitro Diagnostics • UK Procurement Landscape and Innovation Initiatives • Funding for R & D and New Product Development • Engaging with the NHS - Clinical Unmet Needs
• New EU Clinical Trials Regulation • Funding for R & D and Clinical Trials
For exhibition and sponsorship opportunities or for more information, please contact lucinda.dargavel@mediwales.com, +44 (0) 2920 473456 Visit www.ukhealthtech.com for latest conference updates. Conference delivered by Companion Events:
Media:
Partnering:
UK Lifescience Industry Event Calendar 2014-2015 November 2-6
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting & Symposium, San Diego, US
3-5
Bio-Europe 2014, Frankfurt, Germany
3-7
UKTI: Japan CNS Mission, Tokyo, Japan
5-6
Innovate UK 2014, London, UK
6
Medilink: Designing Innovation for the Health Care Sector, Birmingham, UK
12-14
Life Sciences IP Summit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
12-15
Medica Tradefair, DĂźsseldorf, Germany
13
PCI Event: Too Hard To Handle -EU Clinical Trials Seminar, Cambridge, UK
13
Medical Inventions: Your IP Ownerships & Rights, Nottingham, UK
14
UKTI: Explore Export, Cardiff, UK
17-18
December 1
East Midlands AHSN Cancer Innovation Exchange, Nottingham, UK
2-4
CPhl India, Mumbai, India
3-4
BIOMEDevice San Jose, California, US
3-5
nanoFIS 2014, Hofgasse, Austria
Tokyo International Industry Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan
20
Innovate UK- Technology Inspired Innovation Competition for Feasibility Study Funding, Nottingham, UK
24
Pharma License Congress PharmaVenue, Barcelona, Spain
24-28
BioPharma Trade Mission to China, Shanghai & Beijing, China
25
ABHI: Annual Regulatory Conference, London, UK
25-26
11th Annual Regulatory Conference, London, UK
27
Supply Chain Special Interest Group, Derby, UK
Arab Health, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
27
East Midlands AHSN Diabetes Innovation Exchange Derby, UK
27-28
4th Annual Clinical Development and Trials Asia Congress, Shanghai, China
27-28
5th Annual Pharma R&D Asia Congress, Shanghai, China
4
ABHI Export Seminar: A Focus on the Middle East, London, UK
4
UK Health Tech Conference 2014, Cardiff, UK
8
South East Wales Academic Health Science Partnership Conference, Cardiff, UK
9
Genesis 2014 Conference: Gathering the right evidence for the right outcome, London, UK
9-10
ABHI: Sterilisation & Microbiology Standards Solihull, UK
10
MediWales Innovation Awards 2014, Cardiff, UK
February 1-6
Molecular Pharmacology: Connecting G ProteinCoupled Receptor Mechanisms to Physiological Functions 2015, Ventura, US
5
Scottish Enterprise Life Sciences Annual Dinner & Awards, Edinburgh
9-10
HVM Graphene, Cambridge, UK
10-12
Digital Health Assembly – Open Innovation Conference, Cardiff, UK
11
ABHI: Export Seminar: A Focus on China, London, UK
The International Telecare & Telehealth Conference 2014, Newport, UK
19-21
23
11-12
January 11-16
1st Sustainable Nanotechnology School, Venice, Italy
11-14
International Conference on Biomolecular Engineering (ICBE), Cedar Creek, US
12-14
BioTech Showcase, San Francisco, US
12-15
JP Morgan Biotech Showcase 2015, San Francisco, US
21
Using IP to Help your Business, Nottingham, UK
21-22
Pharmaceutical Microbiology, London, UK
Pharmapack Europe, Paris, France
18-19
Life Sciences Israel, Tel Aviv, Israel
21-26
SPIE Medical Imaging Conference, Orlando, US
23-24
10th Annual Biomarkers Congress, Manchester, UK
25-26
UKTI: USA Distributors Bootcamp, London, UK
26-27
Clinical Applications of Stem Cells, Singapore, Singapore
March
April
June
3-4
22-24
2-3
3-4
23
7-11
MEDTEC UK, London, UK 8th Annual European Life Sciences CEO Forum, Zurich, Switzerland
4-5
BioWales, Cardiff, UK
5-6
Implementation of Biowaivers based on the Biopharmaceutics Classification System, Buenos Aires, Argentina
8-10
CPhl Japan, Tokyo, Japan Anglonordic Life Science Conference, London, UK
24-25
The Clinical Pharmacy Congress, London, UK
28-30
NAIDEX National 2015, Birmingham, UK
29-30
Med-Tech Innovation Expo 2015, Coventry, UK
Bio-Europe Spring, Paris, France
9-11
6th Congress of European Microbiologists, Maastricht, Netherlands
7-12
Computational Aspects – Biomolecular NMR 2015, Lucca, Italy
10
Medilink East Midlands Innovation Day 2015, Nottingham, UK
15-18
Duphat 2015, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
8-11
BioDundee 2015, Dundee, UK
Bio International Convention, Philadelphia, US
May
15-18
ICCS18 - 18th International Conference on Composite Structures, Lisbon, Portugal
Sustainable Nanotechnology Conference 2015, Venice, Italy
5-7
24-26
17
16-19
28-3 July
Arab Lab, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
21-23
Medical Fair India, New Delhi, India
24-25
Pharma Congress, Düsseldorf, Germany
24-26
AbilitiesME, Abu Dhabi, UAE
24-27
The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP), Brussels, Belgium
April 8-10
6th International Congress – BioNanoMed 2015, Hörsaalzentrum, Austria
14-15
8th Annual Clinical Forum 2015, Paris, France
21-23
MEDTEC Europe, Messe Stuttgart, Germany
22
UKTI: Society of Advanced Woundcare Mission, Texas, US
Africa Health 2015, Johannesburg, South Africa 22nd Annual International “Stress and Behaviour” Neuroscience and Biopsychiatry Conference, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
18-20
Saudi Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
19-21
Biobanking, London, UK
19-21
Asia Biotech Invest 2015, Hong Kong
19-21
Global MedTech Compliance Conference 2015, Athens, Greece
19-22
Hospitalar 2015, Sao Paulo, Brazil
CPhl China, Shanghai, China Cancer Nanotechnology 2015, West Dover, US
July 9-10
International Bioprinting Congress 2015, Singapore, Singapore
19
World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, Philadelphia, US
19-24
Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering 2015, Girona, Spain
20-21
24th Annual EU Pharmaceutical Law Forum, Brussels, Belgium
August 10-12
OMICS Conference: Milestones of Innovative Scientific Research in Biotechnology & its Industrial Application, Birmingham, UK
16-21
Inhibition in the CNS 2015, Lewiston, US
17-18
International Conference on Clinical Trial Supply Management, Birmingham, UK
MedilinkUK
working together to raise the profile of the life science industry in the United Kingdom
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UK Lifescience Industry Magazine Partners Medilink UK Member Organisations Medilink East Midlands BioCity Nottingham Pennyfoot Street Nottingham NG1 1GF Tel: +44 (0)115 912 4330 info@medilinkem.com www.medilinkem.com
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South East Health Technologies Alliance Tanglewood Well Street Loose Maidstone Kent ME15 0QF Tel: +44 (0)7905 201857 info@sehta.co.uk www.sehta.co.uk
The Knowledge Transfer Network 5 Breaks House Mill Court Great Shelford Cambridge CB22 5LD Tel: +44 (0) 1223 842 692 connect.innovateuk.org/web/healthktn Life Sciences Scotland c/o SDI 5 Atlantic Quay 150 Broomielaw Glasgow G2 8LU Tel: +44 (0)141 228 2828 lifesciences@scotent.co.uk www.lifesciencesscotland.com www.sdi.co.uk UK Trade & Investment 1 Victoria Street London SW1H 0ET Tel: +44 (0)20 7215 5000 www.ukti.gov.uk enquiries@ukti.gsi.gov.uk
Partner Organisations Association of British Healthcare Industries 250 Waterloo Road London SE1 8RD Tel: +44 (0)20 7960 4360 enquiries@abhi.org.uk www.abhi.org.uk
www.medilinkuk.co.uk