Could your firm help cut MRSA?

OLDHAM businesses with products or technologies that could help to prevent the spread of MRSA or similar infections are being asked to come forward to take part in a new NHS programme.

The NHS is seeking the most effective new solutions from across all industry sectors to help in the fight against healthcare associated infections (HCAIs).

The Smart Solutions for HCAI programme offers businesses the chance to have their product assessed by a team of experts with a view to evaluating it in a hospital setting and potentially supplying it across the NHS.

The Smart Solutions programme aims to identify new technologies generated by businesses in healthcare or other commercial sectors that are not currently in use, or have not been widely adopted, within the NHS.

These may include new types of medical equipment, but could equally be technologies currently used in non-healthcare applications, such as new types of packaging, coatings or textiles.

The programme is open to businesses or other non-NHS organisations of any size, from any sector. Project director Bryan Griffiths from TrusTECH, the NHS innovation hub for the North-West, which is managing the project on a national basis, said medical equipment, aerospace, automotive, food and drink, engineering, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing were among the sectors which could offer potential solutions.

He added: “Our intention is to find the most effective new solutions to control HCAIs. We are keeping an open mind as to where these could come from.”

Visit the website at www.smartsolutionsforhcai.co.uk for further details.