Friends of Savernake Hospital Support Innovative Blood Testing System

In October the Friends provided a grant to Great Bedwyn Surgery (on the outskirts of Marlborough, Wiltshire) to assist with the operational costs of a trial by the GPs of a new piece of blood testing equipment. 

The Alere Afinion Test System allows GPs to determine in minutes, by way of a simple skin prick test, whether a patient requires antibiotics.

As Great Bedwyn Surgery’s Practice Manager, Keith Marshall, explained, “It is estimated that the prescribing of antibiotics costs the NHS last year around £192 million, although around 1 in 4 prescriptions is likely to have been ineffective.  This machine will allow GPs to correctly ascertain whether they will be effective, and in the longer term reduce prescribing costs.

“Whilst it is still early days, initial tests in the first 10 days of usage resulted in 5 patients being tested and antibiotics being prescribed to only 2 patients, where otherwise a prescription for antibiotics would have been the GP’s most likely option.”

Such a system may go some way in addressing the other concern arising from using antibiotics when they will not be effective (as well as overuse) – namely antibiotic resistance and the rise of superbugs.

This innovative new technology which is a similar size to a home printer also has the ability to measure HbA1c levels which are the main indicator as to whether a patient has diabetes. This can be done randomly – again with a simple finger prick test – for example when GPs are carrying out standard NHS health checks on the 40-75 age group, or as part of the management of already diagnosed diabetic patients.

Great Bedwyn Surgery’s new test system has already attracted the attention of the national media with ITN news visiting Great Bedwyn Surgery on 23 October 2015.  The report, which includes an interview with the surgery’s Dr Tim Ballard (Partner) can be watched at: http://www.oldschoolsurgery.co.uk/website/J83615/files/ITV1LONDON_10-23-2015_18.42.25.mp4.

More information on antibiotic awareness can be found on the NHS’s website at: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/ARC/Pages/AboutARC.aspx.

The Friends wish Great Bedwyn Surgery every success with this trial.

The Friends of Savernake Hospital and the Community is a charity set up to support individuals and organisations involved in healthcare both at Savernake Hospital and in the wider community.  It aims to enhance the quality of life of those affected by ill health and or disability, and supporting their care and wellbeing.

If you would like to apply for a healthcare-related grant or learn more about the Friends or become a volunteer visit www.friendsofsavernake.org.