RMPD excels in the design and development of new medical devices to meet a recognised clinical need. Research and development is an integral part of the duties of scientific and technical staff and ensures that they are at the cutting edge of their field.
As a result the Regional Medical Physics Department (RMPD) is a hotbed of scientific innovation and one of the department's key objectives is to ensure that its medical devices are commercially exploited and their advantages are propagated rapidly throughout the healthcare field.
Over the past twelve years, RMPD has developed a highly effective technology transfer programme. A number of partners work with the department to ensure the successful transfer of innovations to industry including Sunderland based technology transfer company, RTC North, BTG International, the University of Northumbria at Newcastle and a range of industrial companies. Consequently, over no innovations were displayed at the County Durham Interprise Foot event in March this year.
The partnership with RTC North has lasted over a decade and has led to the commercialisation of a number of RMPD's in-house innovations. Agencies such as RTC North offer skills that are not normally available within the NH5, including market research, funding, locating and introducing suitable partners - so allowing RMPD to concentrate on developing the medical products of the future.
A prime example of a product already making this kind of impact in healthcare circles is the Laser Doppler Imager, invented and built by RMPD. The product, which achieved Millennium Product status, emerged from a partnership between North East doctors and medical physicists and without this unique relationship, the device, which is used in assessing burns, would never have been developed.
Lynsey Thompson, project manager at RTC North, who coordinates collaboration between RMPD and manufacturing companies, explained: "The laser doppler imager demonstrate precisely the sort of work we need to be doing, taking ideas from the NHS into industry, in order to benefit North East companies and further boost our economy. We are currently setting up a new project at RTC North, to help commercialise more innovations emerging from the region's hospitals."
The new project, the North East NHS Hub, is a collaboration between RMPD, RTC North, One North East, the DTI, Government Office for the North East, the NHS R&D Directorate and North East universities. The Hub will be based at RTC North and will capitalise on the company's proven record of facilitating technology transfer in the medical sector.
Head of RMPD, Professor Brian Diffey, said: "We can only continue to develop cutting edge medical devices if we have outlets like the NHS Hub and our existing technology transfer programme. The Hub is a significant development for the North of England and will help us to make the most of the expertise and talent that exist within RMPD. With the help of our partner organisations we will be able to commercialise a greater number of medical devices, generating income for all concerned. The effect on the economy as well as on healthcare can only be positive and it is encouraging that this region is taking such steps to ensure that the R&D activities, undertaken by RMPD and other similar institutions, have as wide an impact as possible."
Regional Medical Physics Department, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7DN, UK.
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Regional Medical Physics Department, a Clinical Directorate of the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
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