Healthcare product innovator, FutureNova, is set to launch a new rugged medical grade iPad case to help protect clinicians and patients from the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) as adoption of mobile technology increases within the NHS. Mobile tablets such as iPads have helped transform working practices for NHS hospital doctors, and surgical teams have also found them invaluable in the operating theatre.
However, with approximately 300,000 patients affected by a HCAI every year[1], costing the NHS an estimated £1 billion in total, prevention of transferring infections across hospital equipment is a key concern for healthcare providers. Patients with an HCAI spend an average of an extra 11 days in hospital.
The FlipPad™, made for the iPad Air and iPad Air 2, has been designed to be easily cleaned with standard infection control sprays, and designed to be resistant to shock and accidental spillages, to ensure innovative mobile technology can be used safely.
NHS professionals will, for the first time, be able to handle the new product and receive demonstrations at the Infection Prevention Society Annual Conference[2] from 28–30 September 2015, on stand 24 at the ACC in Liverpool.
The new innovation enables clinicians to use standard surgical gloves to operate an iPad touchscreen via the FlipPad™. It features a new antimicrobial glass that resists bacterial growth and other materials have been tested with a wide range of infection control sprays.
Developed in consultation with doctors and nurses at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, the FlipPad™ can hang on any standard NHS bedrail while a clinician is examining the patient.
The European mobile health market is predicted to grow at 61.6% a year[3] whilst in the UK the Department of Health has plans to arm healthcare professionals with access to information they need about a patient in real time, via mobile devices.[4]
The FlipPad™ will assist the NHS in its efforts to reduce instances of Norovirus and C-Difficile by enabling the use of mobile technology everywhere in the NHS where infection prevention is important.
Professor Tony Young, national clinical director for innovation NHS England, welcomed the increased use of innovative technologies in the NHS: “Digital innovation is essential to improving the quality of patient care in future, and it is clear that mobile technology will be an integral part of that.
"Innovation will be crucial in providing clinicians with the tools they need to improve efficiency and deliver better care for patients, including the prevention and management of healthcare-associated infections."
In recognition of its value to healthcare organisations, the FlipPad™ project has been awarded funding from Innovate UK, an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills.
Mike Casey, a former NHS director and now CEO of FutureNova said: "As the NHS introduces more technology into clinical settings to improve care, there is a real risk for infections to be passed between patients, staff and visitors. With this in mind, we created the FlipPad™ where every aspect of the product has been chosen to ensure it can be easily and safely cleaned with standard infection control sprays to reach the highest hygiene standards. Our team is focused on innovating quality products to support the NHS with patient safety initiatives."
About FutureNova
FutureNova is a licenced Made for iPad Developer, based in The MedBIC Innovation Centre in Chelmsford and Discovery Park in Kent. FutureNova have worked closely with Apple to create a range of products that will integrate with iPad and iPhone.
FlipPad™ is a trademark owned by FutureNova Limited. All rights reserved. iPad® is a registered trademark of Apple. Other products or company names mentioned may be trademarks, service marks or registered trademarks of their respective organisations.
About Mike Casey
As a former director in the NHS, Mike Casey saw a fundamental shift in the use of mobile technology, in particular the iPad, as an aid to deliver improvements in patient care. In setting up FutureNova, Mike is pursuing his passion for mobilising doctors and nurses via mobile technology to deliver more effective care and in the case of FlipPad™ to deliver that care safely and with the highest level of infection prevention in the NHS.
The FlipPad™ is the first of a number of product innovations he and his team continue to work closely with people in the NHS to ensure FutureNova solutions provide true value for improving healthcare delivery.
About the Funders and Supporters of FutureNova
As well as putting large amounts of his own money into the business, Mike Casey has appeared in front of a number of "Dragon's Den" style Angel networks and made nerve racking "fund me" presentations. He has successfully attracted eight individual business angels to support his efforts.
He and his team are also backed by the Low Carbon Investment Fund. It invested in FutureNova because it saw massive potential benefits on lowering the NHS Carbon footprint and supporting the government's initiative to become paperless by 2018.
FutureNova won a highly sought after design award from Innovate UK because they recognised the ground- breaking technology behind FutureNova's products and the obvious benefits to the NHS.
The other major supporter of FutureNova is Kent County Council. Through a Public-Private sector initiative they are encouraging innovative companies focused in Healthcare and Bio-Tech to stimulate the local economy.
1. NICE (2012) Infection: prevention and control of healthcare- associated infections in primary and community care (https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg139/resources/cg139-infection-control-costing-statement2)
2. Infection Prevention Society Annual Conference http://www.ips.uk.net/education-events/annual-conference
3. Deloitte (2015) Connected health: How digital technology is transforming health and social care (http://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/life-sciences-and-healthcare/articles/connected-health.html)
4. National Information Board (2015) Personalised Health and Care 2020: Using Data and Technology to Transform Outcomes for Patients and Citizens (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personalised-health-and-care-2020)