NHS Innovations North
Full list of 2008 winners
Winners - Innovative Technology or Device Category
1st Prize
The Bright Idea…Improved Leg Bath
Leg ulceration is a common and painful problem that currently affects over 10,000 people in the UK alone. Part of the treatment involves soaking the affected leg in medicated solutions. Traditional bathing methods can cause problems due to the limited mobility, general frailness and in some cases, the obesity of the patient. The improved leg bath, as developed in conjunction with DLAB – Integrated Design Labs, based at the Institute of Digital Innovation at the University of Teesside, addresses these issues and provides a leg bath which is both comfortable for the patient and easy to use by community nurses in the patients own home.
The Innovators…
Maureen Scott, Community Staff Nurse, Forest Hall Health Centre – Maureen Scott is a Community Staff nurse who has worked for North Tyneside Primary Care Trust for four years. In her role she delivers care to housebound people. Her work includes wound care, palliative care, chronic disease management & health promotion with many other nursing and social care needs being addressed on a daily basis.
In collaboration with
Brian Wilson, Director - DLAB
Mike Gilkes, Operations Director - DLAB
Paul Li, Designer - DLAB
Ema Findley, Designer - DLAB
Gordon McWilliam, Designer - DLAB
North Tyneside Primary Care Trust
2nd Prize
The Bright Idea…Improved Cannula Dressing
This improved cannula dressing allows a line to be clearly identifiable and secure, whilst allowing the inspection and assessment of the site for control of infection purposes. This facilitates the high level of care associated with cannulas and makes monitoring easier for the clinician.
The Innovators…
Patt Hogg, ITU Nurse, University Hospital of North Durham – Pat Hogg has worked as a staff nurse in the ITU environment for twenty-three years, firstly at Shotley Bridge Hospital for twelve years and the last eleven years in the ITU at Durham. As well as her clinical role she is also the Clinical Governance Lead for the ITU department.
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Barbara Jameson, ITU Nurse, University Hospital of North Durham - Barbara Jameson is a senior sister and has worked in ITU for twenty five years, having spent fourteen years at Shotley Bridge Hospital and since 1997 in the ITU at Durham. Her role is both clinical and managerial encompassing all aspects of critical care.
Barbara and Pat were instrumental in the successful submission that won the ITU at ShotleyBridgeGeneralHospital the Charter Mark Award in 1997.
CountyDurham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
3rd Prize
The Bright Idea… Electronic Home Flow Meter
1 in 3 of all men will suffer from bladder outlet obstruction during their lifetime and urine flow measurements are invariably the first line of investigation. The flow rate clinic plays a significant part in most hospital urology departments, but is an unrepresentative environment for such a test. The Home Flow Meter is portable and easy to use by the patients in their own home. It provides a reliable indication of flow rate and urinary habits, to assist in the diagnosis of problems such as outlet obstruction.
The Innovators
“The Urology Group at RMPD and the Freeman Hospital”
Michael Drinnan, Consultant Physicist, Regional Medical Physics Department (RMPD) Newcastle GeneralHospital
& Clive Griffiths, Consultant Physicist, RMPD, FreemanHospital - Michael Drinnan and Clive Griffiths were responsible for a number of the ideas that led to this new flow meter and set the direction of the project.
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Jennifer Caffarel, PhD student, RMPD, FreemanHospital - Jennifer Caffarel is currently in the final year of her PhD and conducted the experimental work for the new flow meter and its clinical assessment.
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George Parkin, Medical Technologist, RMPD, Newcastle GeneralHospital & Mike Whitaker, Medical Technologist, RMPD, FreemanHospital – George Parkin and Mike Whitaker developed the electronic and ergonomic designs for the flow meter, making it suitable for home use and low cost
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Rob Pickard, Consultant Urologist, FreemanHospital & Wendy Robson, Urology Specialist Nurse, FreemanHospital
– Rob Pickard and Wendy Robson are part of the clinical urology group that collaborated with RMPD to develop the Flow Meter.
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Highly commended
The Bright Idea… Bed Lifting Device
Occupational therapists frequently have need to raise the height of a bed in the patients home to make it easier for the patient to get in and out of bed. To do this, it is necessary to lift the bed to insert bed raising blocks, using a bed lifting device. Typically such devices are considered to be cumbersome and as a result are sometimes not used, increasing the incidence of back injury amongst occupational therapists. The improved bed jack is portable, safe, easy to use and overcomes many of the problems associated with more traditional methods of lifting beds
The Innovators…
Michael Broadhurst, Head of Bioengineering, RMPD, Newcastle GeneralHospital - Michael Broadhurst is the Head of Bioengineering for the Regional Medical Physics Department and manages the Technical Aid Service across the region, developing bespoke equipment for clients with disability
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Graham Jefferson, Senior Clinical Technologist, RMPD, University Hospital of North Durham – Graham Jefferson manages the RMPD mechanical workshop at the University Hospital of North Durham.
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Highly commended
The Bright Idea…Children’s Drip Bag Covers/Drip Bag Stands
Children resident in hospital can often be afraid of the medical equipment typically used on the ward. The drip bag covers, which have pictures and designs printed on the front were developed by the inventor and her husband and are intended to be slipped over a conventional drip bag to make it less intimidating for the younger patient. The decorative drip stand is intended to be used in conjunction with the drip bag covers and may be moulded in various “friendly designs” to make a hospital stay more pleasant for a child.
The Innovators…
Rebecca Nisbet-Forster, Ward Manager, Palmer Community Hospital, Jarrow & Matthew Forster – Rebecca Nisbet-Forster has worked for the last eleven years at the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust .During this period she has worked in mental health, older people and adult mental health services. She is credited with taking BedeDay Hospital to Charter Mark V and been instrumental in getting a patients therapeutic garden opened at BrinkburnDayHospital .
Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust
Winners - Innovative Service Delivery Category
Joint 1st Prize
The Bright Idea… Experience Programme for Students with Profound Learning Disabilities
School Leaving age students with severe learning disabilities rarely have access to work experience schemes. This means the transition between school and the world of work is all the more daunting. This innovative programme offered students from special schools in the Sunderland area access to work experience placements in a number of settings across the Trust. These have included placements in the post room, administrative roles and within laboratories at City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust. The programme successfully offers real life experiences for the students, breaks down barriers, challenges stereotypes and creates a sense of achievement for students who value being part of the them team for their time with the Trust.
The Innovators…
Stephanie Smith, Equality & Diversity Co-ordinator, Education & Training Centre - Stephanie Smith has worked in the Strategy & Service Development department for two yearswith a remit of improving equality for staff and people accessing City Hospitals.
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Linda Selby, Chief Biomedical Scientist, Sunderland Royal Hospital – Linda Selby has worked in the Biochemistry department for over thirty years. Her close family contact with OakleighGardensSpecialSchool led to the development of this project.
City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Joint 1st Prize
The Bright Idea…Improving the Journey for Transfusion Dependent Patients
For many patients with certain disorders, blood transfusion support is essential to maintain life and relieve symptoms and regular attendance at the hospital outpatient department becomes a necessary part of their lives. The implementation of a more patient-led approach, with a haematology nurse specialist acting as a patient’s key worker and advocate, has led to improved access to services, more efficient utilisation of resources and reduced waiting times.
The Innovators…
Faye Armstrong, Clinical Nurse Specialist - Faye Armstrong has worked in Haematology for nearly nine years now and has been the haematology nurse specialist for nearly 3 years. Her work has included looking at patient pathways of care to improve the service, nurse led patient management, and emotional support for patients, families and carers.
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Jonathon Trattles, Transfusion Nurse Practioner, SunderlandRoyalHospital - Jonathan Trattles joined the blood transfusion laboratory in Sunderland in 2004 and has an extensive background in haematology nursing. He is currently involved in a number of projects to help ensure the safe and appropriate use of blood and blood products.
City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
3rd Prize
The Bright Idea…Capacity and Demand Analyzer
A number of resources are required to deliver high quality patient care, such as the provision of staff, the allocation of rooms and the availability of equipment. This analysis tool enables the required availability of a particular resource to be determined in advance. In this way, it helps to prevent the hospital, department or clinic from breaching recommended National Government guidelines, one of which is the referral to treatment target of 18 weeks.
The Innovator…
Jon Stacey, Service Improvement Manager, Royal Victoria Infirmary – Jon Stacey is a physics graduate from Lancaster University, his career path has included research and development and quality management positions with Philips and two years as a Radiotherapy Physicist with the Regional Medical Physics Department at the Northern Centre for Cancer Treatment.
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Highly commended
The Bright Idea…Board Game for Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the umbrella term for a number of chronic lung conditions and affects over a million people in the UK. The “Game of Chest” has been created to inform and reinforce health messages with regard to exercise, medication, diet and general lifestyle for patients suffering the disease in an easily accessible format. The playing of the game forms the culmination of a nine week rehabilitation course for patients.
The Innovators…
Sue Pascoe, Senior Respiratory Occupational Therapist, Bensham Hospital - Sue Pascoe has worked for Gateshead PCT for the last 6 years as a senior therapist delivering occupational therapy to patients in Gateshead with respiratory disease. Her work involves providing a holistic approach to service provision and development encompassing physical and psychological interventions.
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Neil Murphy, Senior Occupational Therapist Intermediate Care, BenshamHospital - Neil has worked for Gateshead PCT since qualifying in 2004. He has worked within a range of specialities including respiratory before successfully obtaining his current post as a senior OT within intermediate care.
Gateshead Primary Care Trust
Highly commended
The Bright Idea…Cleft Lip and Palate DVD
The first few hours after an antenatal or ‘at birth’ diagnosis of a visible facial difference can be highly stressful for new parents. The commonest facial difference, cleft lip, occurs once in every 600 births meaning that even relatively experienced health professionals have little first hand experience with facial clefting. The production of a DVD for both health professionals and parents is a powerful and accessible means of reaching out to a wide audience. The involvement of the Cleft Lip and Palate Association and the parents of about 300 children who have been born with facial difference will ensure that the content of the film will meet the early informational care needs of parents. Issues such as acceptable terminology, how best to break the news of the visible difference and what medical care will be offered to the baby will be integral to the film. A central message of the film is one of hope which parents of children born with a visible difference want to convey to other parents facing this for the first time.
Applicant(s): Peter Hodgkinson, Consultant Cleft and Plastic Surgeon & Sue Brown, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Northern and Yorkshire Cleft Lip and Palate Service, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne - Peter Hodgkinson and Sue Brown are leading this multidisciplinary team project. They are both Leads in their respective fields of surgery and psychology in the Newcastle site of the Northern and Yorkshire Cleft Lip and Palate Service.
The Northern and Yorkshire Cleft Lip and Palate Service was set up in April 2002 and is responsible for providing multidisciplinary care to all children with cleft lip and/or cleft palate in the north of England. The current patient caseload for the Newcastle site is approximately 1400 patient and their families.
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Innovative Technology or Device Category
Photos of winners with Ian Dalton, CEO of NHS North East and Sir Miles Irving, Chairman, NHS Innovations North
1st prize - Maureen Scott and DLAB
2nd prize - Pat Hogg and Barbara Jameson
3rd prize - RMPD Urology Team
Highly Commended - Mike Broadhurst
Highly Commended - Rebecca Nisbet-Forster
Innovative Service Delivery Category
Joint 1st prize - Experinece Programme Team
Joint 1st prize - Jonathan Trattles and Faye Arrmstrong
3rd prize - Jon Stacey
Highly Commended - Neil Murphy and Sue Pascoe
Highly Commended - Sue Brown and Peter Hodgkinson
