The Medilink UK Awards 2009 are the healthcare technology sector’s equivalent of the Oscars and celebrate cutting edge technologies, outstanding business achievements and international success and collaboration.

Each of the three shortlisted companies were winners of their category at the Business for Life Awards hosted by Cels in December 2008 and received automatic entry into the national awards.

Bolden-based IDS Ltd have been shortlisted in the Export Achievement Award category after achieving an impressive 88 per cent increase in export sales last year. IDS manufacture healthcare products which supply the clinical research sector and have recently expanded their sales into South America and Eastern Europe.

Tynetec Ltd has made the shortlist for the Growth in Sector Award category due to its success in the design and manufacture of social alarms, telecare sensors and access control systems. The Blyth-based company increased its’ turnover by 29.9 per cent in 2008.

Gateshead-based Neural Pathways has been shortlisted in the category which celebrates a company’s partnership with the NHS. The company has worked with the health service on an innovative community service providing specialist rehabilitation to people with complex neurodisabilities.

Sponsored by Xiros Plc, the awards ceremony will be held at Haberdashers’ Hall, London on Monday 16 March. The Medilink UK Awards 2009 are being run in association with UK Trade & Investment, Health Technologies KTN, BERR (Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, the NHS National Innovation Centre (NIC) and NIHR (National Institute for Health Research).

The nominees for each of the five awards – Export Achievement, Innovation, Growth in Sector, Partnership with the NHS and Start Up – are selected by a panel of sector specialists from the 12 UK regions.

All the winners will be announced on the day and there will also be speeches from a wide range of specialist from across the healthcare industry.

The complete nominee list for this year’s awards include:

• Export Achievement Award (sponsored by UKT&I) - IDS Ltd, Mediwatch UK Ltd and Inditherm Plc
• Innovation Award (sponsored by Health Technologies KTN) - Medalytix, Prosurgics Freehand and The Binding Site
• Growth in Sector Award (sponsored by BERR - Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform) Kingkraft Ltd, Tynetec Ltd and Penn Pharma
• Partnership with the NHS Award (sponsored by the NHS National Innovation Centre (NIC) – Neural Pathways, Docobo and Home Telehealth
• Start Up Award – (sponsored by the NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) – Trio Healthcare Ltd, Medalytix and 4FX Healthcare Ltd

For more details about the Medilink UK Awards visit www.medilinkuk.com