Winner of Innovator/09 Innovation Catalyst Award
An award winning SME
Medipex Ltd.
In 2009, Medipex received The Innovation Catalyst Award as the result of their work on a project hugely beneficial to the NHS. Richard Clark, CEO of Medipex Ltd. says, “Winning this award demonstrates that our approach is regarded as extremely valuable. We are an innovation catalyst, supporting and promoting innovation, so this type of accreditation is massively important for us. Without doubt it has raised our profile tremendously. We’re certainly very proud to say that we are an award-winning SME and already feedback suggests that we are seen as the pace maker and not the follower.”
“It’s not the job of the NHS to invent things … it’s to make patients better.” says Richard “As a nation we’re incredibly good at generating new ideas, but not so good at converting them into practical solutions.” Medipex Ltd., under Richard’s leadership, is bridging the gap between the National Health Service, companies and investors to bring innovation and business together. Having been given the responsibility of driving innovation forward within the NHS, and making the transition from working directly for the Department of Health to the Strategic Health Authority, Leeds-based Medipex are seeking to establish their credibility within a wider sector. Winning the Innovation Catalyst Award is helping the company achieve this.
The project for which Medipex received The Innovation Catalyst Award was in collaboration with the urology theatres within the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It was recognised that a more efficient and effective method of disposing of low-grade clinical fluid waste would not only be safer and more eco-friendly but also make substantial cost savings. Says Richard, “The Operating Theatre Manager and the Medical Engineering staff saw the pitfalls of a conventional container system, which on change-over could often cause a delay for the surgeon performing a complex procedure. There is a massive pressure on the theatre staff to make sure that the operation runs smoothly.”
It has been estimated that NHS Trusts generate 193,000 tonnes of clinical waste each year. This involves the disposal of fluids, which include saline, blood, human tissue and drugs, which are currently removed in plastic containers and ultimately buried in landfill sites. The containers, however, are cumbersome for theatre technicians to handle and the threat of spillage and cross-contamination is a serious one. The cost of the plastic containers, along with the landfill costs, is estimated at around £25,000 per year.
A prototype system, which allows waste fluids to be removed via the conventional drainage, has been developed on site at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. In consultation with surgeons and the approval of Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency, the prototype system has been utilised within the theatres with great success. “The new system eliminates any man-handling of containers and effectively neutralises the fluids which can then be safely removed via the usual foul-water drains.” Richard explains.
“Normally we’d licence the model to a company, but this is a joint venture between Burkert, the component manufacturer, and Sheffield NHS Trust as way of risk-sharing. The hospital will also help to market the product. It’s an unusual scenario, we’re not aware of any other joint ventures of this type. Our role was to ensure that the idea was good, that it was viable both practically and legally. We drew up the partnership agreement and are helping to market the device.”
Now recognised as the ‘innovation hub’ for the NHS in the Yorkshire and Humberside region, Medipex helps the NHS bodies and their employees in this region to recognise the value of their ideas. The company considers around 150 ideas per year, of which around 10 are carried forward into sound commercial ventures, with another 20 ideas considered on their merits. Guidance and practical support is provided to move ideas forward into development and a final product launch in the marketplace. Since the company’s formation in 2004, over 40 deals have been made, some of which have involved such revolutionary concepts that Medipex has formed separate NHS commercial units with which to administer, develop and market them. Company incubation, the issues of intellectual property, and the acquisition of funding are also expertly handled by Medipex.
