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South West News and Events |
| Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs – by Alison Trewhela |
Posted on: Wed Feb 6 2013 |
Yoga for back pain?
Have you ever wondered whether you should try yoga to help your back pain, but been unsure how to begin? Now there is an evidence-based, entry-point yoga programme designed to enable those with a history of general low back pain to gradually learn how to improve their health.
It is now understood that people with back pain need to keep physically active, to learn to improve posture, and to address emotional issues and stress factors. We therefore know that back pain requires a biopsychosocial approach and it seems that yoga manages to combine all these multi-disciplinary factors within one package.
Research-Proven Yoga
The University of York’s Department of Health Sciences led the largest-ever yoga research trial (2006-2011), generously funded by Arthritis Research UK, and a standardized yoga programme was designed and taught successfully by the specially-trained teachers. This ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ gradually-progressing programme was designed to be appropriate for beginners with a tendency for recurring low back pain. The randomized controlled trial’s positive results were published in November 2011 in one of the top international medical journals - The ‘Annals of Internal Medicine’ – wherein it concluded that it is ‘a safe and effective activity that clinicians could consider recommending for patients with a history of low back pain’. The published paper compared this yoga programme to other rigorously-tested treatment options and found it to be more effective (session for session) than all of them and 30% better than ‘usual care’.
Visit www.yogaforbacks.co.uk social enterprise website for more information |
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| Handihealth SouthWest November 19th Plymouth University | |
Please Sign-up for the event using Eventbrite
This one day Handihealth workshop brings together 40 people - a mix of developers (in particular SMEs), clinicians, academics, who are interested in the development of apps, particularly interested in 'open source' and connectivity between small systems. Presentations and discussions will be varied at aimed at this mixed audience. All the presenters will try to be as ‘interactive’ with the participants as possible. Some will dip into technical aspects, others will be at the more clinical/business/research end - but hopefully all understandable by this mixed audience.
Practical Things: A sandwich lunch will be provided – note that we change rooms from Rolle Building 115 to Roland Levinsky Building 209 half way through with a 200 yard walk between. Both buildings have lifts. If anyone has special needs for mobility, diet, or other aspects please let ray.jones@plymouth.ac.uk know. The afternoon slot from 2.40-3.45 has been left for open discussion but please let ray.jones@plymouth.ac.uk know if you have some suggested topics.
The provisional programme is
10-10.30 Coffee/tea /networking (Rolle Building 115)
10.30-10.55 Hello Handi and How not to develop healthcare apps (lessons from one who should have known better) Rob Dyke
10.55-11.20 Bringing clinical data together locally – the CSAM experience Roland Gude
11.20-11.55 Finerday: Bridging the barriers to scalable e-care. Howard Bashford
11.55-12.20 Apps Interoperability & Standards - Current Issues. Tim Benson
12.20-12.40 Diabetes App Challenge: description of the project and demo of the apps submitted by young people with diabetes.
Emily Ashurst and Ray Jones
12.40-12.50 Something to think about before lunch: Bariatric surgery for obesity and a call for collaboration on app development
Jon Pinkney and Ray Jones
12.50-1pm Walk and fresh air! Leave Rolle Building 115 and walk to RLB 209
1.pm Lunch Sponsored by Microtest. Roland Levinsky Building 209 and networking till 1.45pm
1.45—2.15 Patients Know Best Catherine Clapton/Kirsten Gamet
2.15-2.40 Legal Issues (including IPR (Protecting/Sharing) and Product liability). Ian Grimley
2.40-3.45 Tea/coffee and general discussion. Please let ray.jones@plymouth.ac.uk know of topics that you would like on the agenda. One is what way forward for patient health records?
3.45 Thanks & Closing Remarks – Rob Dyke, Roland Gude, and RayJones
4.00 Close of formal session
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| The NHS and Industry Challenge Event hosted by ABHI and Medilink SW |
Posted on: Fri Oct 12 2012 |
Medilink South West In partnership with the Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI) presents:
The NHS and Industry Challenge Event
12:30 - 17:30, 23rd October 2012
The Grand Hotel, Broad Street, Bristol, BS1 2EL
The event will bring together diverse opinion from healthcare providers and health technology companies to identify and address how the development, marketing, adoption and use of technology can be improved in the healthcare setting through an exchange of views and experience.
See the Medilink South West website for registration details: www.medilinksw.com.
Full Programme
12.30 Registration and networking lunch
Session 1:
Gugs Lushai, MD of Medilink South West: Welcome and introduction
Mike McMillan, CEO, NHS Innovation South West: Addressing the challenges of innovation commercialisation in the NHS
Lisa Symons, Head of Procurement and Supplies, Cornwall Clinical Supplies: Growing pains around procurement
Martin Levermore, MD of Medical Device Technologies International: Commercialising NHS sourced innovative products
Challenge Workshop 1 – Facilitated roundtable discussion
Plenary session – Workshop groups report back
Coffee and networking
Session 2:
Andy Taylor, Executive Director, ABHI: A view of technology adoption from an industry perspective (ABHI)
Mark Treleaven, First Data Bank: The SME view
Challenge Workshop 2 – Facilitated roundtable discussion
Plenary session – Workshop groups reporting back
Sue Wilde-Greer and Gwyn Tudor, Sales Manager/ Director, Medilink South West: Closing summary and next steps
The discussion - held between delegates, the ABHI and NHS Innovation South West - will be collated and presented during the event. Findings will be compiled into a document intended to bring healthcare providers and industry closer together.
Cost
ABHI and Medilink South West Members £50 +VAT
Non-members £80 +VAT
Who should attend?
Any person from a company, NHS organisation, or academic department who plays a role in the development, marketing, adoption and use of technology in healthcare.
Close - This event will close with a drinks reception for the Biomedical iNets South West Annual Innovation Awards 2012. All delegates will be invited to attend this dinner free of charge. Please register for this event by emailing Charlotte Tyson, Medilink SW Coordinator, charlotte.tyson@medilinksw.com.
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| Medilink South West Finance & Law Event | |
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Medilink
South West Finance
and Law Event
In
partnership with iNets BioMedical South West
Tuesday
18th September 2012
The
Rougemont Thistle Hotel, Exeter
Registration is
FREE
Click here for Finance and Law registration and
information.
Medilink South West is proud to announce our next event
which will discuss many of the challenges highlighted to the team during
Medilink company visits.
The event will highlight key aspects of the
current finance and law landscape for companies and collaborative projects
involving R&D partners (academic and clinical).
As well as taking
this opportunity to update the region on Medilink South West's engagement
activity, presentations and discussions will include the benefits of technology
audits, IP protection, developing an innovation strategy as well as funding
support examples from the Technology Strategy Board’s SBRI and SMART
programmes.
The day will be augmented by a concise understanding of the
importance of the Bribery Act, R&D tax credits, licensing and support
available for new market entry into the BRIC and MENA territories. Speakers will
be advising on how to find sources of funding for the translation of healthcare
innovations into commercial products and routes to market.
Round table
discussion in break out groups will provide the opportunity for delegates to ask
the experts about their specific experiences and challenges.
This seminar
is designed for small to medium sized businesses, start-ups, university
spin-outs and NHS staff interested in the development of intellectual property
and taking innovation ideas forward.
If you are interested in finding out
about opportunities to exhibit, or if you have any other queries please email
Ruth Campbell ruth.campbell@medilinksw.com.
Many
Thanks
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| Bristol telehealth patients gain sense of control over their conditions and feeling of independence |
Posted on: Fri Jun 15 2012 |
People in Bristol living with long-term health conditions who have been using mobile phone-based telehealth monitoring equipment have welcomed the control and independence the devices have given them.
Last July NHS Bristol awarded a £1.4m contract to healthcare technology company Safe Patient Systems to provide telehealth monitoring to patients with long term conditions. The contract – one of the largest single roll-outs of a teleheath system anywhere in the UK – enables people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart disease to benefit from daily remote clinical monitoring from the comfort of their own homes using innovative touch-screen mobile phone technology.
A study of users of Safe Patient Systems’ Safe Mobile Care across COPD heart disease – carried out by NHS Bristol found the devices simple to use and easy to fit into their daily routines.
One COPD patient commented: “I was so worried about messing up the programme, but the way it was introduced was done very well. Once you used it a couple of times that was it.”
Other heart patients said they gained a sense of control over their conditions as well as benefitting from not having to attend a clinic regularly. Two patients also said the system had helped them develop the confidence and knowledge to manage their conditions more effectively.
One person felt he was getting more attention by being part of the telehealth scheme and that he had more direct contact with the heart failure nurse.
The Safe Mobile Care system – which has been shown to deliver* a 59%-87% reduction in unplanned hospital admissions and net savings of up to £3,400 per patient – uses familiar touch-screen mobile phones programmed with personalised care plans created from the system’s web-based application software. Every day the medically accredited phones prompt patients to complete clinically validated questionnaires and automatically capture relevant vital signs using wirelessly connected monitoring devices.
Reponses are automatically sent in ‘real time’ from the device to Safe Mobile Care Triage Management software. If these indicate that a patient’s condition may be worsening, an automatic alert is generated and sent to a nurse or doctor. They then advise the patient what course of action should be taken.
Patients in the study also found out the effectiveness of the alert feature which is designed to make clinical teams aware of adverse change in test results as well as any instances of monitoring responses not being completed when they should have been.
One patient said: “I was once late doing the test and my nurse phoned up to see if I was all right.”
Another said: “Knowing that this information is being sent on a daily basis to my nurse is very comforting and makes me feel as though I am not far away from help if my condition worsens.”
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| Breast Care : United Care | |
15th June 2012 09:30 - 16:00
UWE Exhibition and Conference Centre,
BS34 8QZ
Breast cancer treatment and care continues to develop improvements to ensure that women with breast cancer receive up-to-date and well co-ordinated care.
This one day conference will focus on the latest developments in research, diagnosis, treatment and care of women with breast cancer. It will be an occasion celebrating the collaboration between scientific and clinical care.
Throughout the day there will be talks from leading experts on:
Diet and Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer in Asia
New Biomarkers
Research
Treatment
Support and care
CPD credits will be available for participants
Tickets: £49.00 (£10.00 concession)
Ticket includes lunch, refreshments and car park
* The concessionary admission price applies to senior citizens, students, cancer patients or carers and unemployed
Registration: Urszula Strzemiecka
Tel: 0117 32 81110
Email: ibst@uwe.ac.uk
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| New Book Published : The Future of medical education (developed and developing nations) | |
The premise of the book is quite simple: in terms of health and social
care, we need to learn to work differently in both the developed and
developing worlds in this decade and beyond and that requires new approaches to training and education. Knowing what we know with c 5.7 billion in developing nations and c. 1.3 billion in the developed, we cannot go on as if we are still in the 20th century. I really feel this message has to
reach a wider audience just having returned from the World Health Assembly in Geneva. The book is one vehicle for doing so.
http://radcliffe-oxford.com/books/bookdetail.aspx?ISBN=1846199697
Here is also a link on The Lancet website to a book review just completed by
Peter Sharp, who is CEO of the UK Centre for Workforce Intelligence (CfWI).
http://healthprofessionals21.org/index.php/news-a-events/109-lueddeke-book-r
eviewed
I am also pleased to say that Professor Afaf I Meleis, Margaret Bond
Simon
Dean of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing,and former President (2002-10) and Counsel General Emeriti of the'International
Council on Women’s Health Issues,' in her review of and extensive commentary on
the book, as a Lancet Commissioner, concluded that:-'
This book could be transformative and a turning point in medical education.'
She further recommends that the book 'should be a required reading for educators, students and managers in medicine, nursing, public health and other health / social care professions. It is a driver and facilitator
in advancing progress in interprofessional education.
Thank you and best wishes- George
Dr George Lueddeke
Consultant in Higher & Medical Education Development Southampton,
Hampshire
United Kingdom SO40 4XG
Tel:( +44) 023 8042 8966
E-mail: glueddeke@aol.com
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| Innovation |
Posted on: Tue May 8 2012 |
If you want to keep abreast of what is happening in the innovation field locally and nationally follow us on Twitter - @innovationsoe
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| Safe Patient System Wins |
Posted on: Tue May 8 2012 |
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Safe Patient
Systems wins £1.2m NHS Somerset telehealth contract
Pioneering healthcare
technology company Safe Patient
Systems has secured its second major telehealth contract by winning a £1.2m
NHS Somerset tender to monitor the symptoms of 4,000 patients suffering from
long-term health conditions over the next three years.
One of the largest
roll-outs of telehealth monitoring, the contract will enable people with
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart disease and
diabetes to benefit from daily remote clinical monitoring from the comfort of
their own homes using innovative touch-screen mobile phone technology.
The Safe
Mobile Care system – developed by consultant surgeon David Morgan FRCS–provides patients with familiar touch-screen mobile phones specially
programmed with personalised care plans created from the system’s web-based
application software. Every day the medically accredited phones prompt patients
to complete clinically validated questionnaires and automatically capture
relevant vital signs using wirelessly connected monitoring devices.
Reponses are automatically
sent in ‘real time’ from the device to Safe Mobile Care Triage Management
software. If these indicate that a patient’s condition may be worsening, an
automatic alert is generated and sent to a nurse or doctor. They will then
advise the patient what course of action should be taken.
Safe Mobile Care is already
being used across a number of NHS trusts, including NHS Bristol where Safe
Patient Systems was awarded a £1.4m contract last July as part of one of the
largest single roll-outs of any teleheath system anywhere in the UK.
Piloted by South Birmingham
PCT with 100 COPD and chronic heart disease patients across a 12-month period,
the system delivered a 59%-87% reduction in unplanned hospital admissions and
net savings of up to £4,000 per patient per annum across the patient group.
Safe Mobile Care has also
been found to improve patient outcomes and the need for patients to visit their
GP or to call them out on a home visit. Furthermore, it has been proven to
increase the number of patients that clinical teams can monitor at any one
time. And, with 15 million people in the UK suffering from long-term conditions such as
COPD, asthma and diabetes accounting for approximately £7 out of every £10 of
NHS spending, its benefits look to be widespread. In addition, 42% of acute bed
days are taken by only five per cent of inpatients, most of whom have long-term
conditions.
The simplicity of the Safe
Mobile Care system is a key strength as it is quick and easy for healthcare
professionals to ‘prescribe’ individual care plans from the system’s web-based
Triage Management software that are then instantly uploaded to the touch-screen
mobile device. Patients like the fact the device is mobile and easy to use,
both inside and out of the home. It also has multiple language options and
easy-to-follow voice instructions to make it accessible to people of all ages
and ethnicities: in fact, the average age of current users is 76.
It also requires no costly
pre-installation checks, broadband installation nor complex technical support
as the system’s devices can also be installed by a nurse or carer. The patient
can be easily guided through any medical questionnaires, vital sign monitoring
device and/or medication requirements by the person caring for them.
Mark Doorbar, chief
executive of Safe Patient Systems Limited, said: “We are pleased NHS Somerset
has chosen to work with us on delivering a programme that will enable patients
with long-term conditions to stay in the comfort of their own homes while at
the same time as benefiting from more regular clinical support.
“Telehealth offers many
benefits to patients and clinical teams alike but if these are to be
experienced widely, the solution has to be low-cost, straightforward to roll
out at scale, easy for patients to use and simple for nurses and carers to work
with. Developing a solution that delivers on all these elements has been a key
objective for us and we believe our Safe Mobile Care system has the answers.” |
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| Clinical Lead Job Position - Supporting Long Term Conditions |
Posted on: Mon Apr 4 2011 |
Clinical Lead Job Position - Supporting Long Term Conditions
HIEC(SW) is seeking 2 clinical leads to
support the development of self-care for long term conditions across the South
West. The aim of the roles is to provide specialist advise and leadership
to individuals and organisations across the SW that will lead to demonstrable
improvements in care for individuals.
The programme is taking place during a
period of significant change in the NHS. The aim is that the outputs from
the programme will be fit for purpose for the emerging GP Consortia to take
over and will also inform the development of the Learning4health continuing
professional development platform that is currently under development.
The post holders will form part of a
team that includes the HIEC, SHA and other interested parties.
The posts will be available for 1 year
in the first instance and the post holders existing organisation will be
reimbursed for salary costs and expenses incurred.
For further information please contact
Sasha Karakusevic, Director of HIEC(SW) or Karen Tanner, Long Term Conditions
lead at the SHA
Applications by letter with copy of CV
to be received by May 10th. |
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| Ideas & Inventions |
Posted on: Thu Jan 13 2011 |
The Intellectual Property Office www.ipo.gov.uk is running a free workshop In Plymouth.
This is from their website:
Protecting your ideas and inventionsWednesday 26 January 2011, 09:00 - 13:00
Book now for this event What's it about?
Would you like to better understand how patents and designs can be used to protect your ideas and inventions?
Do you need to find out how to make the most of your business' intellectual property using trade marks and copyright?
Come along to this FREE event to find out the answers and much more!
This event will provide a great opportunity to speak with local businesses, professionals in intellectual property and business support organisations.
Take our FREE quick and easy online IP Health Check today. Then bring along the confidential report it creates to discuss with one of our IP experts at this event.
View our short video and see what attendees at our previous events had to say about how useful and enjoyable they found the day.
Free parking is available at the venue. Venue
The New Continental Hotel Plymouth
Millbay Road
Plymouth
Devon
PL1 3LD |
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| Innovation Prizes |
Posted on: Sat Jan 8 2011 |
NHS Innovation Challenge Prizes scheme launched by Health Minister Lord Howe
INNOVATION IS THE KEY TO A BETTER NHS
Health Minister Lord Howe today called for new ideas to help tackle some of the most challenging issues in healthcare, as he launched the NHS Innovation Challenge Prizes scheme.
The Challenge Prizes will be awarded for achievement of specific challenges, and will range from significant improvements in delivery to major clinical breakthroughs. The value of the awards will vary and reflect the nature of the challenge and the benefit of the innovation to the NHS and its patients. All award winners must demonstrate the innovative value of their ideas to the NHS.
The first set of Challenges will involve finding innovative solutions for delivering treatment and care in the following areas:
Earlier cancer diagnosis;
Increasing independence for those with kidney failure;
Better management of pregnancy;
The reduction of MSSA and/or E.coli bacteraemias across a health economy;
Medicines – reducing waste, increasing benefits;
Ensuring that people seeking urgent and emergency care receive the best care at their first attendance; and
Reducing avoidable attendances at GP surgeries and other Primary Care settings
Launching the Awards, Health Minister Lord Howe said:
“The NHS Innovation Challenge Prizes will create an open playing field; they have been shaped to recognise and reward ideas that tackle some of the most challenging areas of healthcare. As the NHS enters a period where the NHS budget will be stretched further than ever before, delivering more for less and achieving major clinical breakthroughs to transform patient outcomes has never been more important.
“Innovation is a powerful way of improving the quality of patient services. The Challenge Prizes also aim to support innovation that is already happening in the NHS, encouraging the development and spread of new ideas to improve patient care.”
An Expert Panel made up of leading medical scientists, academics, industry experts and innovators will judge applications and recommend what awards should be made. Prizes will only be awarded if they demonstrate significant added value to patients and the NHS.
Alasdair Liddell, Chair of the Expert Panel said:
“The NHS is full of brilliant people, with brilliant ideas. Our problem is that we don't always seem able to take those ideas and spread them rapidly right across the NHS. The Challenge Prize programme will help stimulate new ideas in key priority areas and ensure they are available for everyday use, benefitting patients much more quickly"
The NHS Innovation Challenges will be released on a rolling programme, designed both to encourage rapid implementation and spread of innovative projects, but also to allow for the longer timescale often required for major clinical breakthroughs.
Throughout the year, more challenges will be added. To find out more about the Challenge Prize programme, and to see the specific challenges set for the areas listed above, please go to www.challengeprizes.institute.nhs.uk.
Notes to Editors
1. Full details on the Innovation Challenge Prizes can be found at www.challengeprizes.institute.nhs.uk.
2. For media queries please contact the Department of Health Press Office on
0207 210 5221.
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| Bio I-Net |
Posted on: Fri Dec 10 2010 |
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Biomedical iNet Launch Events
Tuesday 18 January - Leigh Court, Bristol
Thursday 20 January - Castledown, Wiltshire
Thursday 27 January - Tamar Science Park, Plymouth |
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Biomedical iNet
The South West Biomedical iNet will provide free advice and find consultancy and technical support, enabling exploitation of innovation, particularly in new and existing companies.
The iNet will run a three-year programme to accelerate the development of innovation, to translate innovation from universities and the NHS into industry and to aidinternationalisation of innovation through working with organisations such as UKTI and EEN.
Launch events
The launch road shows will not only give you an opportunity to network with other organisations but also you will have a chance to meet with our Expert Review Panel who will consider novel ideas presented by delegates and assess what support could be given by the iNet to aid exploitation of these innovative ideas. The iNet will be funding specialist support to help businesses bring innovation to market. There will also be the opportunity to meet with the consortium partners who represent a broad range of expertise across the sector.
find out more or book now
For further details visit the site, or email us. |
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Programme
09:30 Registration and refreshments
10:00 Keynote speaker:
Dr Jim Murray
10:30 Introduction to the Biomedical iNet:
Professor Richard Luxton
11:00 Networking and refreshments
11:30 Funding options and opportunities
12:30 Networking lunch
13:30 Expert Review Panel sessions - running in parallel to networking sessions
17:00 Close |
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Click here to sign up >>>
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