Every year the MEDIWALES Innovation Awards showcase outstanding achievement in the Welsh Healthcare Industry and this year's ceremony was held on Tuesday, 10th December in the Great Hall of the National Museum, Cardiff. Collaboration between the NHS and industry is recognised as an important aspect of transferring innovative ideas into real products and improving the levels of care and service, and increasing the prosperity of Wales.

The award this year was for a tracheostomy support harness for people who are permanently ventilated, yet mobile. The problem to address was the need to hold a tracheostomy tube inplace whilst undertaking normal everyday tasks such as being a passenger in a vehicle, moving around the house or going to the shops. Any movement in a tracheoostomy tube produces high levels of discomfort. The developed harness allows users to lead a mobile and more healthy lifestyle.

For the third year in succession E2L have featured in the MediWales Innovation Awards due to their collaboration philosophy with the NHS. At a gala presentation at the Nation Musuem of Wales earlier in December, the special ’Judges’ category was awarded to Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. The team was led by John Maisey from the Department of Clinical Engineering, UHW, and comprised of Alice Richards and Martyn Davies of the HDU based in Llandough Hospital, Cardiff. E2L have been the industrial collaborating partners to commercialise the concept prototype of a new tracheostomy support harness. E2L Products have been involved with design for manufacture and production and are looking for field trials in January 2015.

"We are extremely happy to be recognised for our innovative thinking for a third year, and with a different collaborative partner, and it would suggest our strategic approach to developing new, worthwhile products in the healthcare sector is paying off " said Lyndon Owen, MD.