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Research by the University of Huddersfield has helped shape policy and practice in the field of surgical site infection (SSI) and wound management. It has contributed to best practice guidance and helped to raise practitioner, industry and public awareness of the importance of effective clinical interventions in infection prevention, tissue viability and wound care. These efforts, recognised by numerous awards, have been supported by significant industry engagement and the successful development and use of on-line tools to share best practice, promote evidence-based care and highlight the value of an inter-disciplinary approach to the problem of SSI.
As a result of research on moisture sensing, Professor Patricia Connolly developed and successfully clinically trialled a disposable, sterile, moisture sensor which enabled real-time measurement of the moisture level in a wound without disturbing the dressing. Ohmedics Ltd was spun out in 2009 to market the disposable sensor and associated hand-held meter. The system, known as WoundSense™, gained the CE mark in 2010. The device is available commercially and is in use in hospitals in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, is starting to penetrate international markets, and had first sales to the NHS in the UK in 2012. The system is being piloted for use with remote monitoring `telehealth' technology. The British military currently (July 2013) have the system in clinical trial for monitoring of complex trauma wounds. The creation of Ohmedics has given specialist employment to 6 people in the company and helps support another 4 skilled jobs at UK contract manufacturers.
The work of Cardiff University's Wound Healing Research Unit revealed a need for, and led the development of, a disease-specific Health-related Quality of Life (QoL) instrument; the Cardiff Wound Impact Schedule (CWIS). CWIS is able to quantify in a psychometrically sound manner the impact of chronic non-healing wounds upon a patient's QoL. The tool, a first of its type, is accurate and sensitive to changes in the healing status of chronic wounds, particularly those of the lower limb. CWIS has been adopted internationally advantaging QoL assessments in both commercial and practice settings to yield economic and practice impacts as well as direct patient benefits.
Professor David Becker and colleagues at UCL's Department of Anatomy (now Cell & Developmental Biology) identified the gap junction protein Connexin43 (Cx43) to be a new therapeutic target for wound healing. Becker then developed NexagonTM, a topically applied antisense gel that knocks down Cx43 production, and both accelerates the healing of acute wounds as well as stimulating healing in chronic wounds. He co-founded a company, CoDa Therapeutics, to develop this technology. The company has raised $42m in finance and has completed good manufacturing practice (GMP) manufacture, toxicity testing and Phase 1 safety trials for both skin and eye indications. It has recently completed both Phase 2a and 2b clinical trials for venous leg ulcers. Nexagon has been given approval for compassionate use on a number of occasions and, in 2009, Nexagon gel was granted Orphan Drug Designation by the Food and Drug Administration in the US for treatment of persistent epithelial defects of the eye.
Research carried out in the International Observatory on End of Life Care (IOELC) at Lancaster University led by Professor Payne has played a major role in influencing the strategic direction of service and policy development globally. IOELC initiated the systematic collation of development data and delivered the first research-based international analysis of the development of palliative care. For example, research on access to opioids in 12 resource poor countries in central and eastern Europe via the ATOME project has delivered major impact, leading to significant changes in legislation and policy and improved access to pain medication, and palliative and end of life care for millions of people around the world.
The research has led to the design of a new clinical pharmacy service model, centred on community pharmacies, to improve the care of patients with palliative care needs living in the community. This resulted in better provision of information for patients (and their carers) and new training resources and staff development opportunities for the multi-disciplinary palliative care team. Funding has been secured to rollout the new service across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board (NHS GGC - 1.2M population) in 2013. The research has also supported a successful bid to explore the service model in a remote and rural Health Board (NHS Highland) and has informed specific programmes of Macmillan Cancer Support UK, pharmacy workforce planning, and the Boots Macmillan Information Pharmacists initiative.
The emergency care team at Warwick Medical School has a strong track record of high-quality health sciences research encompassing evidence synthesis, health-services research and clinical trials. Our trials of a 03b2-agonist (salbutamol) in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have influenced therapeutic recommendations in the International Sepsis Guidelines (2013), reducing the use of this potentially detrimental therapy. Our cardiac arrest research informed the 2010 international guidelines on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) led to the generation of new intellectual property, and prompted industrial collaborations to build new technologies, such as TrueCPRTM (2013). These have led to improved CPR practice and improved patient survival. Furthermore, our research has led to major policy changes and to a redesign of UK emergency healthcare, improving cost efficiency, the patient experience and clinical outcomes (e.g. 95% of patients were treated within 4 hours - up from 65%; and people leaving without been seen reduced to less than 5%).
The ability of healthcare professionals to empathise with patients has been shown to enhance patient satisfaction, improve symptoms and promote well-being. Research at University of Glasgow has developed the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure — the first validated, patient-rated questionnaire developed in a primary care setting that measures patient perceptions of healthcare professionals' empathy and quality of care. The CARE Measure is formally embedded into healthcare professional training standards through its inclusion in Scottish General Practitioner (GP) appraisals and the Royal College of General Practitioners Membership (MRCGP) and Interim Membership by Assessment of Performance (iMAP) processes; through these means more than 8,000 GPs are using the CARE Measure. It has also been incorporated into the Scottish Government's policy on Healthcare Quality and adopted by the General Medical Council and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
King's College London (KCL) researchers developed and disseminated the Camberwell Assessment of Need (CAN) which provides a scientifically rigorous and flexible approach to assessing the mental health and social needs of people with a wide range of disorders. Mental Health services around the world are striving to increase the patient-centeredness of their care. The CAN supports this needs-led care planning to help transform mental health policy and practice. KCL work has resulted in CAN being the most internationally recognised and researched assessment tool available. The CAN is widely used in mental health policies and locally adapted versions are routinely used in clinical practice within both statutory mental health services and nongovernmental organisations in the UK and around the world.
A novel pressure-relieving technology has been developed to enhance the quality of life of a range of people. This has enabled the development firstly of a novel compression therapy system for the prevention and treatment of venous leg ulcers especially for middle-aged and older communities as well as having the potential for huge savings to the NHS. Secondly, is a unique pressure-relieving cushion to reduce pressure sores with specific applications for wheelchair users. Baltex Ltd, UK are successfully producing both commercially. An exclusive agreement has been signed with a global medical device company, BSN Medical for marketing the single-layer bandage.