Award-Winning Achievement: Nicki Barker’s CLE Kit Triumphs at Medipex for Pediatric Health Innovation

They’ve only gone and won! Advanced Physiotherapist, Nicki Barker and her team have been named the winners of a Medipex Innovation Award in the Delivering Benefits through Diagnosis and Screening category for their CLE Kit. This recognises innovations designed to improve the detection and diagnoses of health conditions or disease. 

The aim of the Medipex awards is to uncover and showcase innovative ideas for new technologies and other interventions designed to improve patient care.

So what exactly is the CLE Kit? It’s a game-changer in diagnosing Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction (ILO), a condition causing severe breathlessness in children, affecting their daily lives and education. Traditionally, diagnosing ILO involved discomfort and uncertainty, but Nicki’s team has ingeniously devised a method to securely mount a laryngoscope (small camera) on a child’s chest, providing a clear view during exercise tests. This breakthrough not only ensures accurate diagnosis but also spares children from unnecessary medications, paving the way for improved treatments and a better quality of life.

Nicki said: “It’s very exciting to have won not only in our category but also one of two overall Medipex Awards as it recognises the importance of the device we’ve created and the positive impact it will have on children’s healthcare and their lives.

“It’s also encouraging that a piece of work has been chosen that is being led by an Allied Health Professional, which is not always common in the research world. With the project winning an award it is really positive both for the project, but also to highlight and showcase to other Allied Health Professionals that there are these opportunities out there and it is possible to be a part of research.

“I want to say a huge thank you to all the academics, clinicians, patients, families and the research team who have been involved in making this project come to fruition, it is only because of them that this device is proving successful and that we won the award!”

But the journey doesn’t end here! With plans to expand testing, gather more feedback, and make the CLE Kit accessible to all, Nicki and her team are sure to have an even brighter future.

Congratulations, Nicki and team! We’re excited to see the continued success of the CLE Kit and the positive impact it will undoubtedly have on children’s healthcare worldwide.