Health Research Health research news, events and info for the South West

16 February 2010 - Simon Halsey, a design engineer from Bath, was one of a select few who were invited to Downing Street to celebrate their contribution to the NHS. Simon is one of nearly 100 people recognised in a new book – Extraordinary You – Science in Healthcare, which profiles the pioneering work of healthcare scientists within the NHS, and details their reasons for choosing a career in science to encourage more people to join the profession. The book was showcased at a reception in Number 11 Downing Street and was attended by key healthcare professionals, along with Health Minister Ann Keen and Chief Scientific Officer Professor Sue Hill.

Simon works for the Bath Institute for Medical Engineering (BIME), a design and development charity working in the fields of medicine, healthcare and assistive technology for disabled people. BIME is based within the Royal United Hospital Bath but works closely with the PBSPCRC, as well as with a wide range of commercial companies. The charity bridges the gap between one-off design solutions for individual patients and mass retail, and designs and sometimes manufactures products that are desperately needed but which have a limited market.

The project that has given Simon most satisfaction has been designing a paediatric wheelchair called ‘Wizzybug’, which is aimed at very young children. In the past, pre-school children have had very limited access to mobility devices, as it was not recognised that they could control powered chairs. There is also growing evidence that independent mobility is key to a child’s development in these formative years. It was a considerable design challenge but Wizzybugs are already a big hit with children around the country.