During the event, clinicians, researchers and leading figures in diabetes care came together to discuss the urgent need for the development of novel solutions to combat rising rates of diabetes diagnoses in the UK, and to accelerate advances in patient self-monitoring technologies.
A study conducted by Diabetes UK in 2021 revealed that in the previous 15 years, diabetes diagnoses in the UK have doubled. The study confirmed that almost 4.1 million people are living with any type of diabetes in the UK, with an approximated additional 850,000 people likely living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. While improved diet, increased physical activity and sustained weight loss can be effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, the development of novel technological solutions will be key in improving patient ability to manage and self-monitor the disease.
The seminar was the eighth, and first in-person event (since the Covid-19 lockdowns) in the MedTech Navigator programme. The series of events organised by HTE to facilitate knowledge transfer between Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), entrepreneurs, health professionals and clinicians.
The keynote speaker was Liz Perraudin, Senior Policy Officer at Diabetes UK, who said: “It was a pleasure to see so many people sharing an interest in tackling the diabetes crisis through innovation in one room. I was pleased to help ensure that the day’s discussions were firmly centered on what people living with, and affected by, diabetes tell us about the daily challenges they face."
“The event was a welcome opportunity to encourage cross-discipline collaboration with the aim of addressing one of the most pressing health crises of our time.”
The 60 attendees also witnessed a series of talks and presentations from frontline clinicians, parents of children with type 1 diabetes, MedTech CEO’s and HTE’s market opportunities experts. Some of the key discussion topics centred around improving public health to reduce type 2 diabetes diagnoses, systems interoperability and making life easier for patient and clinicians by reducing the number of interfaces used.
Dr Anne Blackwood, HTE CEO said: “We are pleased to have hosted our first in person event since the start of the pandemic. The event enabled us to bring together top industry professionals, clinicians and academics, in an effort to combat one of the biggest and most pressing issues that healthcare professionals around the world are currently facing. Driving down the rising rates of diagnoses is of high importance, but the event also enabled us to highlight the need to improve self-monitoring, and discuss novel solutions to complications resulting from suboptimal management of the disease.”
Expanding on the role that HTE can play on rising diabetes rates, Joop Tanis, Director of MedTech Consulting at HTE, added: “Through utilising our collective experience and time in the industry, it has become clear that without a collaborative effort between healthcare providers, innovators, commissioners and users, we face an uphill battle against rising diagnoses rates. Events such as our recent seminar offer us a unique opportunity to connect and inform professionals, and work together towards finding real solutions.”
First established in 2004 by founding members the Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, HTE has acquired an impressive and ever-expanding track record of commercial success, working alongside partners to bring new medical technologies to market.
For further information, please visit: https://www.healthtechenterprise.co.uk/
