The latest innovations in healthcare, including several expansions, an energy performance contract, automatic contract tracing, bedside digital gateways and eye care MOTs.
UK Vein Clinic announces nationwide expansion
UK Vein Clinic has announced an expansion of its national network, with plans to launch 17 new clinics this year. This move will bring the total number of UK sites to 31. The expansion is a direct response to growing patient demand and restricted access to vein care within the NHS. Founded and led by vascular specialists, the clinic has seen rapid growth since its inception in 2020 by focusing on consultant-led, minimally invasive care that reduces the need for traditional surgery.
The rollout will see new locations opening by the summer in areas including St Albans, Edinburgh, Bristol, Sheffield, and the Isle of Wight. Each site will offer a range of services, including diagnostic duplex ultrasound scans performed by vascular scientists and treatments such as radiofrequency ablation and foam sclerotherapy. The group aims to reduce travel times and wait periods for patients suffering from varicose and thread veins.
“With patient demand for specialist vein care continuing to rise, our goal is to bring expert, consultant-led treatment closer to more communities – ensuring people can get back to feeling their most confident and healthy self and back doing the things they love most,” said UK Vein Clinic founder Jason Powell.
Nuffield Health and GE HealthCare launch Oxford diagnostic hub
Nuffield Health and GE HealthCare have opened a new diagnostic imaging hub at The Manor Hospital in Oxford. Equipped with AI-enabled CT and MRI systems, the facility provides faster, more accurate diagnostics for both NHS and private patients, supporting earlier detection of diseases such as cancer.
The launch marks the first anniversary of a 20-year, £200 million collaboration aimed at upgrading Nuffield Health’s UK-wide network. In its first year, the partnership has delivered 144 imaging systems, including advanced mammography tools in Chester and Cheltenham, and new scanners in Derby and Edinburgh.
“The arrival of the latest AI-empowered imaging systems will allow our clinicians to work with even greater precision,” said Alex Perry, chief executive of Nuffield Health. The hub’s new technology also strengthens the hospital’s cardiac service, enabling specialists to manage complex heart conditions with increased accuracy.
eEnergy secures first energy performance contract
eEnergy has announced its first energy performance contract (EPC) with Symphony Healthcare Services, a subsidiary of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, covering LED lighting upgrades across 18 GP surgeries in Somerset. The £700,000 contract is designed to help NHS organisations bypass capital constraints and balance-sheet complexities.
Backed by Redaptive, the energy-as-a-service model allows the NHS to pay for equipment through energy savings rather than upfront costs. “Our EPC solution is designed to remove barriers faced by NHS organisations,” explained eEnergy chief executive Harvey Sinclair. “It provides a platform to scale LED programmes today while supporting a broader pathway to Solar PV and EV infrastructure”.
This EPC is available to all organisations and businesses and is specifically designed for the UK public sector. The solution has been specifically structured to address key barriers that can slow adoption of energy transition and on-site generation in the public sector.
Transform expands orthopaedic services across the UK
Transform is expanding its specialist orthopaedic service, Transform Medical, to provide access to hip, knee, and joint care. Services are now available at Electiva Hospitals in Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, and London, alongside specialist clinics in Birmingham and Nottingham. The network expansion aims to help more patients access timely treatment closer to home while relieving pressure on NHS waiting lists.
The expansion marks a step in Transform’s growth, combining state-of-the-art facilities with a network of experienced consultant orthopaedic surgeons. These teams support patients living with persistent pain, reduced mobility, arthritis, and other long-term orthopaedic conditions. Transform’s approach enables them to offer services at more affordable price points with waiting times that can, in some cases, be as short as a few weeks.
Transform’s orthopaedic team provides both surgical and non-surgical options for each patient’s individual needs and recovery goals. Available treatments include total hip and knee replacement surgery, minimally invasive arthroscopic procedures, and lower limb consultations. The service also includes personalised recovery planning, physiotherapy, and Homecare+ support to help patients return to movement safely.
“For many people, hip and knee pain can gradually take away independence – making everyday tasks like walking, climbing stairs or even sleeping comfortably incredibly difficult,” said Transform’s managing director Lee MacKinnon. “This new orthopaedic service… is about giving patients fast access to expert assessment and high-quality surgery, with a personalised treatment plan that helps them return to movement, confidence and quality of life as quickly and safely as possible,” he continued.
RFiD Discovery launches automated contact tracing for hospitals
RFiD Discovery has introduced automated contact tracing software to help hospitals identify infection exposure and reduce the spread of healthcare-associated infections. These place strain on clinical resources and increase patient mortality, yet manual tracing is often time-consuming and incomplete. This new solution automates the collection of accurate proximity data to enable faster decision-making during infection incidents.
The system uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, where patients wear BLE wristbands and staff carry BLE-enabled ID badges. When individuals or tagged assets come into close proximity, the system automatically records the duration, distance, and location of the interaction without manual intervention. Data is fed into a central platform that provides real-time alerts, visual dashboards, and detailed reports for infection control teams.
Key benefits of the system include faster identification of exposure risks, improved patient safety, and reduced reliance on clinical staff for manual tracing. The solution is designed to integrate with existing hospital infrastructure and can be expanded to support other real-time location services. “Our solution gives infection prevention teams clear visibility, allowing them to respond quickly and maintain safer environments,” said RFiD Discovery’s general manager Arron Duddin.
James Paget partnership introduces bedside digital gateway
Patients at James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust now have access to a new digital bedside service through a partnership with Airwave Healthcare. The service introduces integrated technology that supports entertainment, communication, and direct access to hospital services. The initiative is being piloted on the Trust’s concept ward as part of the Future Paget Programme.
In single-occupancy rooms, smart TV devices mounted at the foot of each bed give patients access to the MyCareTV platform, while multi-bed bays use tablets on lightweight bedside arms. The system also allows patients to stay in touch with family through video calling and access tailored recovery information shared by clinical teams. Future integrations may allow patients to independently control their room’s lighting and temperature or order meals electronically.
The pilot is intended to inform the design of clinical services for the trust’s new hospital, which is planned for next year. Rob Watson, chief nursing projects officer, said that the innovation creates a “digital gateway” at the bedside to help reduce the stress and isolation often associated with hospital stays.
“At its heart, this is about caring for patients in ways that reflect modern expectations. Providing every patient with their own digital access helps reduce the stress and isolation that can come with being in hospital, particularly in single rooms, and reflects our commitment to improving the overall patient experience through thoughtful use of technology,” he added.
The service is being funded by the James Paget Hospital Charity for an initial three-year period.
Centre for Sight launches eye health MOT for over-40s
Centre for Sight has launched an eye health MOT service for people aged 40 and over, offering a detailed, consultant-led assessment to detect early signs of eye disease. The launch comes amid a growing public focus on vision standards for drivers, with many individuals questioning if their sight is as strong as it should be. The MOT is a proactive clinical evaluation designed to identify conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, and macular disease before symptoms appear.
The assessment includes advanced diagnostic screening such as vision checks at multiple distances, a full refraction to determine exact prescriptions, and a visual field test to assess peripheral vision. Patients also receive high-tech imaging, including optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans of the macula and optic nerve, corneal scanning and ultra-widefield retinal imaging. These tests provide a comprehensive view of eye health that is more detailed than a standard check-up.
Following the assessment, patients receive an eye health report reviewed by clinicians, which can be shared with other healthcare professionals. Medical director Sheraz Daya noted that the service is about helping people stay in control of their eye health rather than waiting for problems to develop. The service is available across Centre for Sight’s locations in the Harley Street Health District, East Grinstead and Surrey.
