CASUALTY equipment devised by a North-East hospital and being developed by a manufacturer in the region, will soon be available to the nation's healthcare industry.

The new accident and emergency (A&E) display unit was developed by the Regional Medical Physics Department (RMPD) at Sunderland Royal Hospital and manufacturing partners Bede Technology, of Jarrow. A licence agreement for global manufacture and marketing is now being finalised between the two parties.

RMPD realised the commercial potential of the device and, once the first prototype was installed in the Sunderland hospital, it approached technology transfer specialists RTC North, the regional technology centre.

Market research established that the A&E display unit was a unique product with a significant niche market. Through its Medilink North-East project it was able to identify Bede Technology as a suitable manufacturer.

The idea for the unit came about after A&E consultant, Cyrus Muwanga at Sunderland Royal Hospital, suggested that the collection and display of patient data could be improved.

He said: "It was felt it would be more effective to have all the vital information on the patient displayed together and clearly on a much larger overhead monitor. This is stored electronically, which saves time and money, and improves patient monitoring."

The first fully working unit is in use at Sunderland Royal Hospital and two more units are planned for installation and final trials at Dryburn Hospital in Durham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead.