RECENT NEWS

MoD spin-out raises £1.5m to develop AI-driven sepsis and infection tests

UK start-up Presymptom Health has raised £1.5m in follow-on seed and grant funding that will help accelerate time to market of its AI-driven sepsis and infection tests - with the company aiming to roll-out its technology to the NHS from mid-2025.

A combined PET-MRI scan could improve treatment for patients with early breast cancer

Using a combined scanning technique on patients with early-stage breast cancer improved treatment in almost three out of ten cases in a trial presented at the 14th European Breast Cancer Conference.

Portakabin completes specialist decontamination unit at King George Hospital

Portakabin, a leader in modular construction, has handed over a brand-new state-of-the-art decontamination suite, considerably upgrading and improving endoscopy patient care for Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Non-culturable Legionella identified with sequencing

A new study shows how whole genome sequencing for Legionella could be used when culturing isn’t an option. The work points to new avenues for public health surveillance of infectious diseases.

NHS Execs more diverse, according to new report

There are more black and minority ethnic (BME) staff in senior positions in the NHS than at any point in its history, according to an annual report into race equality across the NHS.

Ultrahuman raises $35mn to accelerate growth and research in the health monitoring space

A pioneer in wearable tech, Ultrahuman has announced a $35 million equity and debt investment round. The series B funding round saw participation from venture capital firms Blume Ventures, Steadview Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, Alpha Wave and Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal. Ultrahuman will deploy the funds towards building further manufacturing capacity and deeper research in the health tracking space.

Award-winning CDC expands imaging services in Barnsley Town Centre

Since April 2022, Barnsley’s 240,000 citizens have benefitted from more accessible diagnostic testing thanks to a state-of-the-art Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) situated in the Glass Works shopping mall in the heart of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. With the aim of expanding healthcare services to the local community, the project involved installing Aquilion Prime SP, a CT from chosen supplier, Canon Medical Systems.

Care Quality Commission and Healthwatch England call on people to ‘Share for Better Care’

People are more likely to feedback about commercial services and products than their experiences of health and social care, according to new research by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and health and care champion Healthwatch England (HWE).

Sodexo extends partnership with Royal Stoke and Haywood hospitals

Sodexo Health & Care has reinforced its long-standing relationship with the Royal Stoke University Hospital (RSUH), part of the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) and Haywood Hospital, part of the wider Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT).

ABHI launches package of support to navigate Chinese market

The Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) has announced a comprehensive package of support to help UK companies successfully navigate the complexities of the Chinese market.

Daily fibre supplement improves older adults' brain function in just 12 weeks

A daily fibre supplement improved brain function in over 60s in just 12 weeks. The study, published in Nature Communications, showed that this simple and cheap addition to diet can improve performance in memory tests associated with early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

Cancer deaths plummet in middle-aged people

Fewer middle-aged people are dying from cancer in the UK than at any point over the last 25 years, a new study from Cancer Research UK has revealed.

British attitudes need to change on talking about death to support end of life discussions

A change in how British people and health professionals talk about death is needed to avoid delays in crucial conversations about end-of-life care, resulting in traumatic consequences for patients and their families, England’s Health Ombudsman has warned.

North of Scotland go live with System C hospital electronic medicines management

The six NHS health boards across the North of Scotland have gone live with a joint electronic medicines management platform to enhance clinical decision-making and reduce the risk of errors.

Temporary NHS staff a ‘lost voice’ in crucial patient safety investigations

HSSIB’s latest investigation has found that not involving temporary NHS staff in serious incident investigations may ‘undermine’ its ability to improve patient safety.

Surgeons call for reform and funding as NHS waiting lists remain high

Latest figures show NHS waiting lists decreased slightly for the fourth month in a row in January, but remained high - prompting the Royal College of Surgeons to call for reform and increased investment to tackle the issues.

NHS AI expansion to help tackle missed appointments and improve waiting times

The NHS is set to roll out artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce the number of missed appointments and free up staff time to help bring down the waiting list for elective care.

New action to tackle ethnic and other biases in medical devices

The government has announced action to tackle potential bias in the design and use of medical devices, as it accepts recommendations from a UK-first independent review into equity in medical devices.

Fulbourn Medical and Brandon Medical Forge Alliance as part of the Brandon Medical Group

Brandon Group Ltd has acquired Fulbourn Medical, marking a significant milestone in both companies' histories. Fulbourn Medical now joins Brandon Medical Company Limited as a sister company, strengthening its collective services and product offerings.

NHS Staff Survey shows signs of improvement

The experiences of staff working in the NHS in England have improved across a range of important areas, according to the results of the world’s largest workforce survey.

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IDSc Annual Conference 2024

Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel
26th - 27th November 2024

IV Forum 2024

Birmingham Conference & Events Centre (BCEC)
Wednesday 4th December 2024

The AfPP Roadshow - Leeds

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11th February 2025

The Fifth Annual Operating Theatres Show 2025

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Infection Prevention and Control 2025 Conference and Exhibition

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29th – 30th April 2025