This event is being delivered in partnership with Roche Diagnostics.

Respiratory infections are a major contributor to winter pressures in healthcare, particularly within secondary where they drive increases in emergency attendance, admissions and hospital bed occupancy. Implementing a community-based “Test and Treat” pathway incorporating a Point-of-Care Test (POCT) offers a practical and scalable approach to reducing patient deterioration and avoiding unnecessary hospitalisation. By providing rapid, on-the-spot results, POCT enables medical professionals to distinguish between viral and bacterial infections, support appropriate prescribing decisions, and initiate timely treatment. Through close collaboration between industry, the Health Innovation Network and the NHS, these diagnostic tests can be effectively deployed in community settings, supporting the NHS’s shift toward preventive, proactive, and locally delivered care. This approach not only transforms care delivery, but also strengthens system resilience during periods of high demand.

This event will take place at 12:30pm and last approximately 1 hour.

CPD

This meeting is worth 1 CPD point (self credited).

Our speaker

Dr David Linden BEng, PhD, MBA, CEng, FIMechE

Dr David Linden brings over 30 years of senior leadership experience across research, product development, marketing, and commercial strategy in healthcare. In his current respiratory roles with the Health Innovation Network, he leads cross-organisational initiatives spanning industry and the NHS, to assess the real-world impact of innovations on patients and the healthcare system, finding the most promising solutions for national NHS adoption programmes. With a proven track record in invention and business development, David is driven by a passion for identifying and accelerating game-changing innovations that tackle the NHS’s toughest challenges, stimulate economic growth, and deliver measurable improvements in patient outcomes.

Our chair

Dr Natasha Ratnaraja

Dr Ratnaraja is a consultant in infection at University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire. She is the Chair for RCPath's Medical Microbiology and Medical Virology Specialty Advisory Committee. She has an interest in laboratory diagnostics and standards and the development of infection services. Dr Ratnaraja authored the BIA/RCPath "Best practice standards for the delivery of NHS infection services in the United Kingdom."