A Celebration of Innovation with Oxford Hospitals Charity

Wood Centre for Innovation based Oxford Hospitals Charity, together with Leonardo Royal Hotel Oxford, hosted the Oxfordshire science and business community at an inspirational event on the 6th of November to showcase some of the groundbreaking clinical projects supported by the charity. It was a celebration of innovation with impact!

A selection of cutting-edge projects and medical advancements supported by funding from Oxford Hospitals Charity was presented, including breakthrough treatments and state-of-the-art equipment.

The event also provided an opportunity to learn more about how the work of the Charity, which relies entirely on donations, fundraising and gifts in wills, enhances the services provided by the NHS, through funding equipment, training and services.

The impact of one of the innovative projects supported by the charity was highlighted by guest speaker, Dr Anton Pick, a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine at Oxford Centre for Enablement located at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington. He is introducing a novel, UK-first, non-surgical treatment for patients suffering from spasticity, due to severe strokes, cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis.

Cryoneurolysis freezes target nerves to block nerve conduction, while not damaging the nerve beyond its ability to recover. The process facilitates regeneration of the structure and function of the affected nerve. It has immediate effect in relieving spasticity and avoids the challenges of many of the painful, ongoing and inconvenient traditional treatments such as splinting, medications, botulinum toxin and surgery. Dr Pick shared patients’ stories of the impact on their lives, in big things like walking taller and simple things like being able to hold a spouse’s hand.

Also profiled, with a demo stand at the event, was the amazing tech from BrainLab used by the Paediatric Neurosurgery Team, thanks to funding from Oxford Hospitals Charity. Using VR and AI, neurosurgeons can visualise a patient’s brain in 3D, showing positioning of tumours and helping neurosurgeons prepare for surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible safely.

Also on display were the collaboration between TheHill and tech start-up MyMynd with their digital mental health platform for the NHS, which proactively identifies issues for early intervention; the VR headsets used by the Play Specialist Team at Oxford Children’s Hospital supporting patients through difficult medical procedures; and the portable ultrasound Butterfly iQ devices used by the Hospital at Home programme to monitor patients outside the hospital setting.

Live music, drinks and canapes provided a relaxing environment for engaging discussions among the business leaders, scientists, clinicians and philanthropists of Oxfordshire’s innovation and charity communities. It was a celebration of innovation, but also a celebration of the contributions from charity supporters that facilitate these innovations which bring lasting impact to the patients and staff in Oxfordshire hospitals.

Contact Naomi Stewart Hale to chat about how your business could support their work.