The Medilink UK Awards 2010: celebrating technologies that will change this decade’s healthcare.
Innovative technologies for operating theatre lighting, dosage formulation, chronic disease management, oxygen therapy maintenance and medication delivery were recognised at the Medilink UK Awards 2010.
The annual Medilink UK Awards celebrate cutting-edge technologies, outstanding business achievements and international success in the UK life sciences sector.
Held at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall in York on the 11th March, the Medilink UK Awards 2010 were sponsored by Sandvik (which has just invested in an European centre of excellence in the UK).
The event was attended by key stakeholders in UK healthcare (industry, clinical and academic), who had the opportunity to hear from leading figures such as Sir Christopher O’Donnell, former Chief Executive of Smith & Nephew and current member of the Ministerial Medical Technology Strategy Group.
The national winners were selected from the winners of the regional Medilink Awards by a panel of judges from every region of the UK. They reflected the growing emphasis on home- and community-based treatments in the world’s healthcare systems.
One step beyond
The HealthTech & Medicines KTN Innovation Award was won by Yorkshire-based Brandon Medical Ltd for its Quasar operating light: the first system to provide high colour rendition across the full visible spectrum, helping surgeons to see small differences in tissue colour. Brandon Medical produces medical lighting and other systems for use in operating theatres and critical care.
The UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) Export Achievement Award went to Nottingham firm R5 Pharmaceuticals, which has increased its export sales tenfold by accessing three new markets. The company provides dosage formulation and evidence services for drugs in tablet, capsule, powder, cream and liquid form.
The winner of the Department of Business Innovations and Skills (BIS) Growth in Sector Award was IntraHealth, based in Peterlee. Intrahealth provides primary care services for long-term conditions, including heart disease, chronic lung disease and anticoagulant monitoring, to 22 surgeries across the UK. In the past two years, the company’s staff level has risen from 101 to 300.
The NHS National Innovation Centre Partnership with the NHS Award was given to Cardiff-based Invacare Ltd for its collaborative work to assist the self-management of oxygen needs. Invacare has developed the HomeFill oxygen system in partnership with Dolby Medical and NHS Oxygen Management. This allows patients to refill their mobile cylinders from their own oxygen store while still receiving oxygen, reducing their dependence on oxygen deliveries.
The Medilink UK Start-Up Award was won by InterVene Ltd, a specialist product developer from Sheffield. Intervene has created a female Luer lock hypodermic syringe, designed for oral and enteral medication delivery in response to a patient alert from the NPSA in March 2007. The company turned over £13,000 in its first year (2008) and is now turning over £1.5 million per year.
Spirit of science
The Medilink UK Awards are an important mark of achievement in the medtech sector, as they represent successive stages of regional and national recognition for companies from industry stakeholders.
Huw Roderick, Business Development Manager Respiratory at Invacare, commented: “To be recognised by fellow professionals and receive an award like this is fantastic. It gives you recognition and is an important stepping stone to move the product forward.”
Graeme Hall, Managing Director of Brandon Medical, said: “We are thrilled to receive this national innovation award. Brandon Medical is dedicated to providing new innovations to improve hospitals and its patient care. Its great to see our investments in research and development recognised in this way.”
Medilink UK is a network of regionally-based organisations working to raise the profile of the medical and healthcare sectors in the UK. Each regional organisation provides a range of support to its member companies.
The network includes BioBusinessNI, CELS, ERBI Ltd, HealthConnect, Health Tech and Medicines KTN, Medilink East Midlands, Medilink North West, MedilinkWM, MediWales, Medilink Yorkshire & Humber, Medilink Scotland and South East Health Technologies Alliance.
Medilink UK Awards 2010 winners