RECENT NEWS

Mercury Health, the healthcare delivery arm of Tribal Group plc, has been appointed as the preferred bidder on a contract to provide a range of diagnostic services to NHS patients in the West Midlands. Under the contract, which will last for an initial period of five years, Mercury Health will be providing up to 190,000 diagnostic procedures annually.

Health Minister Andy Burnham has launched the second year campaign in the National Patient Safety Agency’s “cleanyourhands” initiative.

The SonoSite MicroMaxx ultrasound system has received a 2006 Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA) and is one of 106 award winners out of 1,494 applicants.

The Healthcare Commission has urged NHS hospitals to step up efforts to improve the prescribing and dispensing of medicines.

Jayne Wheyway has been appointed by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) as the safer practice lead for children’s services.

Acampaigning MP, a patient dignity initiative, a cancer website, and a cleaning programme all received top accolades at the first ever Patients Association Awards – staged at the 2006 Cleaner Hospitals, Safer Healthcare Summit, in London.

Acompany which provides state-of-the-art treatment for those who suffer pain from the effects of varicose veins plans to speed up care offered to patients on the NHS and dramatically reduce waiting lists.

Dräger Medical UK has announced the first UK installation of the Zeus anaesthesia system, one of the most advanced clinical anaesthesia systems in the world, at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

GE Healthcare has initiated a first-in-man clinical study designed to validate information provided by a molecular imaging agent in evaluating the extent and nature of cancer.

BMI Healthcare has launched a comprehensive weight loss service for private patients.

Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust has been fined £100,000, and ordered to pay £10,000 costs at Winchester Crown Court after admitting a failure to ensure the safety of patients through the proper supervision of two doctors subsequently convicted of manslaughter.

TachoSil, a new surgical patch approved for bleeding control, has shown to be superior to standard treatment in lung surgery. A new study shows that use of the patch reduces air leaks and shortens the period of hospitalisation.

Huntleigh Healthcare has announce two major milestones in the development of its software systems business.

Cambridge-based Ophthalmos, specialist in the design, development and marketing of medical devices for use in ophthalmoscopy, has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance to market its Optyse lens-free ophthalmoscope in the USA.

The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has advised the NHS in England and Wales to review and improve measures for prescribing, storing, administering and identifying high doses of morphine and diamorphine.

To enhance the comprehensive services offered by Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, two additional SONOLINE Antares ultrasound systems have recently been installed, complementing six Antares previously purchased, three of which use a combination of 3-Scape real-time 3D imaging and fourSight 4D imaging technologies.

The First HPA Pointers (Prevention of Occupational Infections, Treatment and Exposure Reporting Strategies) Conference on 16 and 17 November in London is being promoted as an exciting event for everyone involved in occupational health, infection control, public health, health protection, risk assessment and the management of infected healthcare workers.

Many of Britain’s hospital staff are worried that hand-cleaning initiatives are in vain as nurses risk spreading infection through dirty uniforms – this is revealed in a Patients Association survey.

The Medical Technology Group has welcomed calls for an increase in medical technology funding in the NHS, and the elimination of “silo” budgeting that fails to account for long-term benefits of technology use.

Health informatics professionals are at the centre of improvements to patient care, it was stressed at a recent conference.