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Hub support helps eLucid mHealth win crucial NHS approval

Overview:

eLucid mHealth is a Manchester healthcare company, founded in October 2013, with a vision to drive improvements in healthcare and patient safety through the use of digital technology. Support from the Hub helped the company secure a contract with the NHS in its first wave of innovation technology test beds, a project aiming to give dementia patients more independence. 

The challenge:

Company CEO Graham Howieson turned to the Business Growth Hub for support and advice around business strategy, planning and finance but was also keen to explore how the Hub’s contacts and links could help him gain access to the NHS supply chain.

The solution:

Graham worked with business growth adviser Yousef Taktak on business strategy within the medical technology market, including targeting the NHS supply chain. Yousef also referred Graham to a number of contacts within the Hub partner network, including Greater Manchester Academic Health Science Network, who were able to provide important insights into understanding patient care needs.

Elsewhere, Business Finance Solutions (BFS) – also part of the Manchester Growth Company - provided the firm with a loan of £49,000 and this allowed the company to recruit two new members of staff to begin developing relationships with the NHS and healthcare companies across the world.

The support also helped the company to gain access to Public Health England’s NHS Test Bed programme,  part of the Technology Integrated Health Management (TIHM) scheme set up to help develop a new range of sensors, wearables, monitors and other devices.

A key aim of the programme is to develop devices that will enable people with dementia to live in their own homes for longer, giving them the ability to take control of their own health, whilst keeping in touch with GPs and carers on a regular basis.  The Alzheimer’s Society estimates that over one million people will be living with dementia by 2025.

eLucid’s devices interconnect and continuously monitor medication levels and timings through a facial recognition app. This information is relayed back to carers and clinical health professionals to allow them to monitor the patients’ medication and flag possible issues, enabling them to deliver tailored and responsive care. Remote dispensing devices will also help address the £350m problem of patients not taking their medication, which can lead to further health issues

And eLucid’s devices have now received validation from the NHS, paving the way for full commercialisation.

Graham explains: “One of the biggest healthcare issues of today is the need to improve efficiency and effectiveness of patient-centric care and digital technology is set to play a major part in transforming the delivery of accurate medication and wellness solutions.

“The test beds project is enabling us to test our technology for the first time in a real world setting. Now they have received the NHS seal of approval we’re confident they will provide dementia patients with more independence, resulting in a cost-effective outcome for all stakeholders.”

Yousef adds: “Helping to put together strategies and connecting with experts is essential to this project as it can shape the nature of the technology provided, ensuring it delivers the most effective solutions. The idea is for the systems in place to be user-friendly and accurate to aid carers and GPs, to understand the issues that each patient faces on a daily basis and create a tailored programme of care.

“eLucid has a range of products which are capable of making a significant improvement in the quality of life experienced by patients across the UK. We look forward to continuing our relationship with the company as it continues to implement expansion plans, here in Manchester.”

The company is continuing to work with the Hub and is now looking at potential new areas of funding, with Access to Finance and the North West Business Angels.

 

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