Experts from Newcastle University have collaborated with South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust and industry partners to lead two of the world’s largest endoscopy trials, along with North Wales Organisation for Randomised Trials in Health.

As a direct result of the research, NHS England announced earlier this year that the Endocuff Vision - a single use, disposable device, developed by ARC Medical Design Limited and designed to enhance colonoscopy for bowel cancer screening - would be fast tracked for use in the NHS, potentially saving lives.

Health awards

The team, led by Professor Colin Rees, from the Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, scooped the Bright Ideas in Health Awards Research Impact: Improving Patient Care award for leading collaborations to deliver practice-changing research.

They were also winners in The British Healthcare Trades Awards for Best Innovation Developed in Collaboration with the NHS.

The latest awards were for ground-breaking, highly successful collaboration, leading to the development of world-leading, practice-changing endoscopy research.

Newcastle University’s Professor Gareth Veal was also a finalist in this year’s Bright Ideas in Health Awards for the therapeutic drug monitoring service he has developed, which allows clinicians to obtain vital information about how much chemotherapy individual young patients should receive.

Professor Steve Clifford, Director of the Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, said: “We are delighted to see this recognition of the hard work of Professor Rees and Professor Veal and their teams, which is delivering improvements in important areas.

“The awards recognise the importance of collaborative research between Newcastle University and the NHS. Bowel cancer kills 44 people in the UK every day and high quality research like Professor Rees’ is essential to improve these statistics.”

Effective partnership

Earlier this year, South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust was also a winner in the Medilink Northern Powerhouse Healthcare Business Awards for the Endocuff Vision collaboration.

In 2016, the Trust’s team won the UK's leading NHS research award in the prestigious Health Service Journal Awards, being recognised as the best in the country for their global impact on clinical research. 

Ken Bremner, Chief Executive of South Tyneside and City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trusts, said: “Professor Rees and his team have a proven track record for delivering high-quality, life-changing and life-saving research and I am proud and delighted that they have been given this much deserved recognition.”

Professor Rees added: “We are honoured to have received these latest awards, which recognise the hard work of the team and demonstrate the effective partnership between South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle University, industry and patients in delivering practice-changing endoscopy research.

“Working together we aim to prevent and diagnose bowel cancer earlier to stop people dying from this disease.”

Press release adapted with thanks to South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust