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The latest innovations in healthcare, including integrated cardiometabolic care, an open-architecture ILOS platform for independent living and a blood sensor for early Parkinson’s detection.
Non-invasive light-therapy treatment for Dry AMD
Ophthalmic provider Optegra Eye Care has launched eye-light – a non-invasive light modulation treatment designed to slow vision loss in patients with dry age-related macular degeneration (Dry AMD).
Developed by Espansione using Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT/PBM), it uses medical-grade LED wavelengths (yellow ~590 nm and red ~630 nm) delivered through closed eyelids via a mask. The 12-minute sessions energise retinal cells, with clinical studies demonstrating that over 20% of patients gained five or more letters on standard vision charts after four months alongside reductions in mean drusen volume.
The treatment protocol comprises eight sessions over four weeks, with potential top-up courses required after four to six months. Available to self-referred or optometrist-referred patients aged 50 and older, the non-surgical service is rolling out across Optegra’s hospitals in London, Manchester, Colchester, Bradford and Hampshire.
“Dry AMD is the most common version of this disease, but until recently patients have only been given advice on diet and lifestyle, such as to stop smoking,” said Saruban Pasu, ophthalmic surgeon and AMD specialist at Optegra. “The excellent outcomes we are seeing with this treatment are hugely encouraging, and we are delighted to invest in expanding its availability across a number of our hospitals, so more patients can benefit.”
Open ILOS platform to unify housing, health and social care
Technology-enabled care provider Tunstall Healthcare has introduced the Independent Living Operating System (ILOS), an open-architecture platform connecting housing, health and social care data to support proactive telecare management.
The device-agnostic system transitions alarm receiving centres (ARCs) away from siloed alarm handling by aggregating data from digital sensors, wearables and emergency response devices. ILOS uses artificial intelligence and real-time data analytics to identify changing patient needs, which means that care teams can intervene before health crises occur.
Built on open APIs, the platform integrates with shared care records and responder networks, maintaining compliance with NHS, housing and social care standards. Following a 12-month beta trial across select UK care environments, the system is now available for commercial deployment across ARCs nationwide.
“Independent living technology has traditionally been built around individual devices and isolated responses, and ILOS represents a move towards a more connected model,” said Nikki Williams, director of solution and innovation at Tunstall Healthcare. “ILOS is also device-agnostic by design… meaning it will work with any alarm, wearable or sensor with a digital pulse, with minimal configuration to match bespoke provider settings.”
Rippl and Doctor Care Anywhere to roll out weight management programme
Employee recognition and benefits platform Rippl and digital healthcare provider Doctor Care Anywhere (DCA) have introduced a 12-month digital weight management programme for its members.
The service, DCA Weight Management, combines clinical assessments, prescribed weight-loss medications (such as GLP-1 therapies), dedicated one-on-one health coaching and continuous clinical oversight. Delivered online through the Rippl platform, the benefit is accessible to deskless and frontline workforces across the UK, as well as up to five friends or family members per employee.
Suitable for adults with a BMI of 30 or above (or higher than 27 alongside co-morbidities such as Type 2 diabetes or hypertension), the service relies on UK-registered clinicians to review health assessments before prescriptions are fulfilled and delivered via DCA’s pharmacy infrastructure.
“Our members tell us they want benefits that make a real difference to their health and everyday lives, and weight management is high on that list,” said Rippl chief executive Will Roberts.
Reset Health and Pharmacy2U launch Averly Health
Chronic disease specialist Reset Health and online pharmacy platform Pharmacy2U have launched a joint venture, Averly Health, to create a national, integrated care provider for cardiometabolic conditions.
The new entity combines Reset Health’s clinical protocols and patented digital care tools with Pharmacy2U’s digital prescribing and fulfilment infrastructure, which currently processes medication orders. Averly Health offers an end-to-end clinical pathway covering initial screening and assessment, GLP-1 prescribing and dispensing, behavioural support and long-term population outcome monitoring for conditions including obesity, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Designed to partner both with integrated care systems and independent providers, the platform unifies previously fragmented care stages into a single digitally tracked pathway behind continuous outcomes data collection. The service integrates Reset Health’s CQC-regulated Roczen metabolic care model – which holds a time-limited NICE recommendation for NHS weight management – with nationwide medication dispensing to improve patient adherence and reduce health inequalities.
“The NHS and other healthcare systems need practical ways to extend access to care while maintaining high standards of clinical quality, safety and patient experience. Averly Health delivers those outcomes through one integrated service that is built for national scale,” said Josh Bottomley, chief executive of Pharmacy2U.
An electronic blood sensor for early Parkinson’s detection
Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in collaboration with the University of Oxford, have developed a blood-based electronic sensor capable of detecting molecular signatures associated with Parkinson’s disease with 90.9% accuracy.
The diagnostic platform isolates extracellular vesicles (tiny packages released by nerve cells into the bloodstream) before measuring three distinct forms of alpha-synuclein protein simultaneously. The sensor uses a specialised transistor to amplify biological signals, bypassing the background noise caused by circulating red blood cells and allowing precise measurement of low protein concentrations within 40 minutes.
“Changes associated with Parkinson’s can begin long before a clinical diagnosis but detecting those changes through something as accessible as blood remains extremely challenging,” said Sahika Inal, associate professor of bioengineering at KAUST. “Our approach allows us to detect several forms of alpha-synuclein together at extremely low concentrations. These early results are encouraging, and the next step is to validate the technology in much larger groups of patients.”
In a retrospective evaluation using 59 samples from the Oxford Discovery cohort, the system successfully differentiated between healthy controls, diagnosed Parkinson’s patients, and individuals with isolated REM sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD) – a high-risk precursor to neurodegenerative conditions. While the platform requires prospective, multicentre clinical validation before routine adoption, it offers a potential pathway toward early, accessible diagnostic blood tests for age-related neurological diseases.
SheMed introduces PMOS screening kit
Women’s healthcare provider SheMed has launched a home-based screening kit for polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
The diagnostic kit provides women with a starting point to evaluate hormonal and metabolic markers – including HbA1c, AMH, testosterone, SHBG and total cholesterol – rather than navigating long GP referral wait times. The screening framework is aligned with established clinical diagnostic criteria requiring two out of three key markers: ovulatory dysfunction, hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovarian morphology or elevated AMH.
The service expansion follows the official medical renaming of the condition to PMOS to reflect its multi-system nature across endocrine and metabolic function rather than purely reproductive or fertility issues.
“SheMed has always existed to close the gap in women’s healthcare,” said Olivia Ferro, co-founder and chief executive of SheMed. “This isn’t a departure from what SheMed does. It’s a clearer description of it. Weight management, PMOS support and blood screening all sit inside the same picture: how a woman’s metabolism actually works, and what happens when the healthcare system doesn’t take the time to find out.”
Medway NHS Foundation Trust digitises fire risk management
Medway NHS Foundation Trust has introduced a central digital platform, BIS Lens, to consolidate fire risk safety data across Medway Maritime Hospital.
Developed by smart estates consultancy BIS Consult, the software aggregates fragmented fire risk assessment records, inspection documents and operational data into interactive dashboards. The tool provides the Trust’s fire safety group with estate-wide visibility to help prioritise remedial work – such as fire door replacements, cabling repairs and updated evacuation plans – while aligning with NHS fire safety frameworks HTM 05-01 and HTM 05-03.
By unifying disparate safety logs into a single data repository, the system maintains accessible, traceable building safety records. The deployment follows the introduction of similar estate risk management software created by BIS Consult for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Airedale General Hospital.
“The new system is a significant step in our shift towards digital,” said Neil McElduff, director of estates and facilities for the Trust. “It underpins the strategic direction of fire safety management and will help maintain a safe environment across our hospital. The work to date shows the system’s potential to drive similar insights for other critical areas of risk and compliance across the Trust.”
