Crawford Healthcare treatment used at York hospital could save NHS millions

A form of treatment for chronic wounds developed by North West firm Crawford Healthcare and the University of Manchester could save the NHS millions.

A new study has shown that the KerraContact Ag dressing co-created by Knutsford-based woundcare firm Crawford could deliver £125m in yearly savings for the NHS.

The treatment was used to prevent a near-certain leg amputation at York District Hospital, after traditional antibiotic treatment failed. More than 5,000 limb amputations take place in England each year at a cost of around £25k per operation.

Now, the case is expected to pave the way for a rethink of the way in which the NHS tackles chronically infected wounds.

The KerraContact Ag dressing used in the study features the new silver-based Oxysalt technology, which Crawford secured exclusive development rights to in February.

Crawford CEO Richard Anderson said: “This is a real coup for life sciences in the North and is a spectacular example of how innovation in healthcare can be a key driver in the success of the Northern Powerhouse.

“The dressing involved, along with those in our R&D pipeline, is the first to feature our new Oxysalt TM technology, which the University of Manchester has found to be the most clinically effective to date.”

He added: “Not only will it transform the way the NHS cares for patients, but it will ensure vital savings, reduce the devastating oversubscription of antibiotics and, ultimately, improve lives.”

Nicola Wilson, a vascular nurse practitioner based at York District Hospital, said the patient’s health deteriorated rapidly when an arterial ulcer became infected, leading doctors to decide that amputating the lower leg was likely.

She explained: “I had been told that there was little chance of saving the gentleman’s leg, but we were trialing the new dressing and I thought it was worth a try.

“The wound began to show signs of healing in just one week. By the second week, I was astounded to find that the infection had completely cleared.”

Nicola added: “As a result, the elderly man was transferred to a rehabilitation unit and discharged home to his wife a few weeks later.”