The futuristic sticking plaster that saves lives... but could kill off bedside nursing
High-tech plaster can monitor heart rate and body temperature
Streams statistics to nurses's computers and mobiles over wi-fi network
Nurses will receive 'beep' alerts if something is wrong by £35 device
Experts say plasters must not be used to 'nurse by remote'
The humble sticking plaster used to be for little more than keeping wounds clean and dry.
But within weeks NHS patients will be 'patched up' with a futuristic version of the plaster that can monitor heart rate, breathing patterns and body temperature.
The device streams these statistics to nurses' computers and mobile phones over a wi-fi network.
Doctors say the disposable £35 patches, which send staff 'beep' alerts if they detect something wrong, will save hundreds of lives a year – and the NHS millions.
Up to 6,000 hospital patients die every year because they are not monitored properly, according to a 2012 report by the Royal College of Physicians.
York Hospital anaesthetist Dr Ian Jackson, who is acting as medical adviser to Sensium Health, said: 'I think we have a game-changer here.
'Every two minutes we get information from the patch, giving us very early indications of whether something is going wrong. There's good evidence that the earlier you identify a patient who is deteriorating, the better chance you have of rescuing them and having a positive outcome. The bottom line is that this could potentially save hundreds of lives every year.
'It could make a huge difference.'
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