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Three-way partnership seeks way to tackle chronic disease

HealthThe University of Warwick, GE Healthcare, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Trust (UHCW) and Coventry Council have joined forces to create ‘Warwick Healthcare Partnership’ (WHP) in an effort to seek solutions to some of the most important chronic diseases responsible for millions of deaths per year worldwide.

The three-way consortium brings together expertise from academia, industry, medicine and the community to address the key health problems of heart disease, neurology, infant and maternal health, that affect resource-poor communities whether in Coventry or Africa.

WHP will hope to see industry offering innovative technology and process excellence, the University bringing excellence in research and network of global collaborators, and UHCW lending its excellence in clinical medicine and its access to a fully integrated health economy.

Prof Tim Jones, Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Warwick, said: “Problems like heart disease and high infant mortality are simply too complex and important for one organisation to tackle alone. That’s why, by joining forces and sharing our expertise in this consortium, we hope to advance healthcare and patient treatments in a speedier, efficient and more effective way.”

Marc Barlow, Head of Strategic Marketing at GE Healthcare, added: “The WHP will bring together world-class researchers, educationalists and skilled practitioners in innovative healthcare delivery in under-resourced populations - whether in Coventry or Africa. The philosophy behind the partnership aligns perfectly with GE Healthcare’s ‘Healthymagination’ strategy which aims to improve access to care, improve the quality of care and manage the cost of care.”

The Partnership is currently working on a number of initiatives including an investigation of a new hand-held ultrasound scanner for the surveillance of life-threatening aneurysms in doctors’ surgeries. This may help to rapidly identify life-threatening aneuryms ‘in the community’ - improving access to live saving diagnosis, the quality of care as well as reducing the cost of healthcare.

The WHP launch will be marked on 30 May with an inaugural lecture given by Professor Garret A. FitzGerald, MD, FRS, Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology, McNeil Professor in Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Chair Department of Pharmacology, Director, Institute for Translational Medicine & Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.

The lecture takes place at 4pm on 30 May at the International Digital Laboratory at the University of Warwick. The lecture is free but registration is required and will be followed by a drinks reception.

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Notes to Editors:
For further information contact Kate Cox, Communications Manager on +44 (0)2476 574255/150483, m: +44(0)7920 531221 or kate dot cox at warwick dot ac dot uk.