SIMPLYHEALTH FUND MEDEQUIP4KIDS PROJECT TO PROVIDE RAPID MENINGITIS DIAGNOSITIC EQUIPMENT IN BOLTON

Over the last 12 months the UK's leading cash plan provider, Simplyhealth, has donated more than £44,000 to Manchester based children's health charity, MedEquip4Kids. It's most recent donation of £42,492.75 will help fund a state-of-the-art BioFire Film Array at Royal Bolton Hospital, a revolutionary piece of equipment that rapidly diagnoses meningitis.

Consultant microbiologist at Royal Bolton Hospital, Dr. Pradeep Subudhi, said the new equipment was potentially lifesaving. He said:

“Infections of the central nervous system such as meningitis and encephalitis need urgent and appropriate treatment. Most currently available laboratory methods can take from 24 to 48 hours for diagnosis of bacterial meningitis and three to seven days for diagnosis of viral meningitis or encephalitis.

“The new equipment, which Simplyhealth has funded, will mean we can get results of these tests in around an hour. We'll be able to inform the clinicians of a positive result allowing targeted therapy and reassurance to the patients and families. Just as important is the reporting of negative results, which may enable treatment withdrawal and possibly a shorter hospital stay.

"This is a fantastic development for Bolton and we're very grateful to Simplyhealth and MedEquip4Kids for funding it."

Paul Cocker, Senior Fundraiser at MedEquip4Kids added.

“Simplyhealth has been hugely supportive of MedEquip4Kids and helped us provide some of the most incredible medical equipment available to hospitals in Greater Manchester. It must be a dreadful experience to not know if your sick child has meningitis or not and this new equipment will be invaluable in ensuring speedy diagnosis and treatment".

Simplyhealth have also funded MedEquip4Kids projects to support resources at local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and vital breathing equipment at Tameside General Hospital. Mark Hamson, spokesperson for Simplyhealth said:

“MedEquip4Kids provides a fantastic service in ensuring children and young people receive the best possible care when unwell. We're delighted to fund these vital pieces of equipment including the BioFire Film Array which will help to quickly diagnose meningitis. This is a really important step to help ensure children receive appropriate life-saving treatment significantly quicker and reduce the agonising worry so many families go through while waiting for a diagnosis."

To find out more about MedEquip4Kids projects, and how you can help, visit www.medequip4kids.org.uk or call 0161 798 1600 to speak to the MedEquip4Kids team.

ENDS