710079Westco Medical NG tube DeviceClosedGRD Proof of ConceptInnovate UKWestco Medical has developed and patented a highly innovative and simple device in the sector of enteral nutrition. The company believes its device is a new and positive step forward in ensuring the safe delivery of clinical nutrition to patients who are using nasal feeding tubes by providing a positive test that the feeding tube is correctly positioned before feeding commences. The device is very simple to use and keeps changes in practices for the nursing staff to a minimum in order to easily integrate the Feeding Tube Position Confirmation Device (FTPCD) in to the healthcare and nursing arena. The NHS National Patient Safety Agency recommends that the nasal feeding tube position should be checked before administering each feed. The current test, which involves the withdrawal of aspirate from the patient’s stomach and testing for acidity with pH paper, is imprecise and not always possible. Westco Medical believes, and is backed by opinion from many clinical experts in this field, that this new technology has the potential to become best practice in enteral feeding. This project will combine technical and feasibility aspects. We will conduct an in dept market analysis to ensure that the device is being targeted at the correct user and all potential applications have been considered. The more technical aspects of the project will involve proof of concept for the device, ensuring specificity of the sensor tip for clear test results. Another element of this is the end user interface; we will be looking at a range of light sources to ensure ease of use and reproducibility of results. There will also be an element of compliance to ensure that we are consistent with the medical devices directive.