more help for MedTech healthcare companies
HEE has enhanced its help for MedTech healthcare companies in the region by creating a new role designated to this specialist service.
 Facilitating access to NHS clinical expertise is crucial in speeding the development of new products and services. HEE's new MedTech Services Manager, Dr Juan F Roman, is now in post, providing a point of contact between healthcare companies and the NHS.
This means that companies can benefit from the expertise of NHS researchers, front-line staff and NHS Trusts, perform clinical trials within the NHS and receive help in identifying key opinion leaders and early adopters within NHS East of England.
Juan says: "This service is already proving popular. It will be very valuable to MedTech companies, especially those based in the East of England, and an important source of income for the NHS, as well as keeping NHS consultants and front line staff updated with the latest medical innovations."
Juan joins from the medical devices industry where he worked at Bayer Diagnostics as Engineer and Technical Project Manager. Throughout his career, first in academia in Spain, Italy and UK and later in medical devices, R&D and manufacturing, Juan has been involved in taking technology into medicine. Juan holds a BSc (Hons) in Physics and an MSc in Optics from the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) where he was a lecturer, as well as an MSc in Optical Technologies and a PhD in Optical Engineering. (Santiago de Compostela - Loughborough University).
Since joining HEE last October, Juan has attended Medica 2007 in Dusseldorf, where he was approached by 11 companies wanting to engage with the NHS. He has also received seven requests for the immediate evaluation of medical devices in a clinical setting.
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new 'burn-bin' cabinet reduces risk of infection
A needle disposal cabinet that reduces the risk of injury caused by discarded sharps which could lead to blood borne infections has been developed by HEE in conjunction with North East Essex MHP Trust and A&R Engineering Ltd.
HEE negotiated a licence deal with A&R Engineering, with royalties coming back to the Trust and supported the company by providing marketing expertise and promoting the cabinets to the healthcare community, local authorities and the prison service.
 Every year around one million workers in Europe suffer injuries from used needles.
Items such as needles, syringes, razors, stitch cutters, scalpel blades, trocars, cannulae and used ampoules contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids may transmit blood-borne infections including HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
Inventor Bob Hudson, a drug rehabilitation worker at North Essex MHP Trust, devised the concept for a 'burn-bin cabinet' to be used by drug addicts to deposit their used needles anonymously.
The prototype was made by A&R Engineering and sold to North East Essex Drug & Alcohol Services (NEEDAS) and Uttlesford District Council. The secure, safe and easy-to-use bin, fitted with a unique one-way disposal slot, was then field-tested by NEEDAS. The results showed that the cabinets were five times more successful at recovering used needles from the community than manned needle exchanges within pharmacies and health agencies.
 Two versions of the cabinet were designed to provide solutions for different locations: a floor standing cabinet for use inside such places as healthcare agencies, pharmacies, A&E and prisons and a wall mounted bin for hostels, public toilets, bars and nightclubs. Both designs have a lip over one-way disposal slot to help stop rainwater entering the cabinet and plastic incineration inside.
Bob Hudson said: "Since HEE has been onboard, we've had a lot of support, encouragement and advice."
new mobile equipment cleansing unit brings brighter future
HEE has helped to develop a new mobile unit to disinfect hospital equipment which has recently been officially unveiled at the Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust in Norwich.
The idea was invented by two members of the Trust's staff. John Downes, a member of the estates team and Val Leggett, a nurse consultant in infection control worked with Kent-based Air Management Systems (AMS) Ltd, which specialises in helping organisations manage their hazardous materials, to build the prototype.
 The Mobile Equipment Cleansing Unit is the first of its kind in the country and enables equipment, including beds, to be wheeled into the unit, disinfected and thoroughly steam cleaned. Its mobility is particularly beneficial for multi-site Trusts such as Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and it also means that noisy steam cleaning tasks can be performed away from the ward, preventing disruption to patients and their environment.
HEE helped to develop the idea after it had been entered in its annual Innovation competition by drawing up a Confidential Disclosure Agreement between the Trust and Air Management Systems, by match funding the costs of developing a prototype with the Trust and negotiating a licence with the company.
Maggie Wheeler, Chair of Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Partnership, said: "The Trust has put itself at the forefront of infection control with the development of this Unit. Our staff, especially John and Val, are to be congratulated for the bright idea which we hope will prove invaluable to many other Trusts and organisations in the fight against healthcare acquired infections."
Rob Donald, HEE Innovation Manager, added: "This is a perfect example of the brilliant innovations we champion at HEE. Front-line staff working in the NHS are in the best possible position to see how a simple idea can be transformed into a product or service delivery improvement to help patients. Any way to help improve infection control in a hospital environment is to be welcomed."
Mark Squires, Head of Marketing, Air Management Systems Ltd, said: "Over the past three years, we have worked in partnership with, NHS innovations (HEE) and Norfolk and Waveney Foundation NHS Trust, to develop a cleansing unit as a proactive initiative to the eradication of hospital Superbugs. The project was built on a simple, flexible but innovative foundation, and then with the assistance from NHS designers and AMS engineers created into a workable solution. Currently AMS is now marketing the MECU unit to both public and private sectors."
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there's still time to sponsor the Innovation Awards 2008!
Entries are pouring in for HEE's 2008 Innovation Competition from staff working in all branches of the NHS throughout the region.
The winners will be announced at a glittering Awards Dinner to be held on Wednesday 16th April at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, hosted by Dr Phil Hammond.
Several sponsorship opportunities are still on offer - would you like to publicise your company in this way?
Different categories of support are available and there is a rolling publicity programme which ensures exposure in the period up to and following the event, as well as the chance to meet NHS staff in an informal setting at the Awards Dinner itself.
The Competition is open to anyone working in the NHS Trusts throughout the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.
Last year's competition attracted over 80 entries from Trusts in the region.
Further information from maggie.lewis@papworth.nhs.uk
contact
If you would like further details on HEE and how it can help you, please contact Maggie Lewis on 01480 364925, or email
maggie.lewis@papworth.nhs.uk
or visit: www.hee.org.uk
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