State-of-the-Art & at the Front Line

The workshop has so far mapped out the current situation, identified barriers to improving equitable access to healthcare, categorised those barriers and begun to think of ways in which they could be overcome.

We've also had a tour of state-of-the-art facilities at the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM) at Central University of Technology. They've created a fantastic facility dedicated to producing high quality parts for the medical field and beyond.

CRPM has ISO 13485 certification covering the design and production of patient specific medical devices

Patient specific implants

In contrast, one part of the group visited a rural clinic to witness the front line of rehabilitation and out patient care. Initial reports indicate that there's a wealth of knowledge available and that the front line staff are extremely keen to deliver the best care possible, but that resources are stretched. There seems to be a huge drive to embrace new techniques that can make the most of scarce resources.

The workshop will continue to refine viable project ideas, working closely within the group and identifying who else needs to join the collaboration.