01 July 2015
Andrew Levy: Consultant, professor and inventor
Bristol consultant, professor and
inventor, Andrew Levy, puts patient and student experience at the
forefront of his products.
Andy Levy, consultant endocrinologist at Bristol Royal Infirmary
and Professor of endocrinology at the University of Bristol has an
enthusiasm for designing and creating medical and veterinary
manikins and products. When Andy isn't working in his clinical or
academic role teaching and training doctors, he is busy inventing
in his garden shed.
With lots of manikins and medical devices to his name, of which
three are currently being sold nationally and internationally, it
is clear Andy has a real passion for his side-line hobby.
Andy said: "My inspiration comes from experience. The manikins
are designed for students doing their medical training and exams,
as commercial manikins are sometimes not as realistic as we'd
like.
"When I get an idea I disappear to my garden shed, out from
under my wife's feet, to start creating. I make and invent things
which I feel are useful and can allow us to become better doctors
in Bristol and around the world."
In 2009 Andy entered a competition held by the University of
Bristol called 'Bright Ideas'. He entered an idea for a product
that would keep intravenous (IV) lines in place without them
kinking or dislodging from the patient. Having won the competition,
Andy decided to proceed with the idea. After five years of
prototypes, tweaks and finding a company to produce the product,
Tube Anchor materialised and is currently being trialled on
patients at Bristol Royal Infirmary.
Andy said: "It's rewarding to finally see the Tube Anchor being
used in a clinical environment. Something that seems so small and
insignificant could save patients the pain and discomfort of tubes
kinking or being pulled out, with the added potential to save money
from replacing IV lines when this happens.
"Tube Anchor is being produced locally by a company based in
Bristol called P3 Medical. Although we are still in the
early days of this product, I have high hopes that it can improve
patient experience."
Along with the Tube Anchor, Andy also uses another of his
creations, VibraTip on his hospital rounds. VibraTip is a
pocket-sized device used for diabetic neuropathy and has recently
been noted as having potential to improve the diagnosis of diabetic
peripheral neuropathy by the National Institute of Health and Care
Excellence (NICE).
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