NEWS
Medilink award for Mast Group’s FIT aid
Mast Group has been awarded the Medilink UK National Primary and Social Care Partnership Award for its collaborative work to improve accessibility in bowel cancer screening through the development of the MAST FIT aid. Presented at the Medilink UK National Awards, the award recognises outstanding partnerships that improve patient care and healthcare outcomes. Developed in collaboration with NHS England, the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, the Royal National Institute of Blind People and Thomas Pocklington Trust, the MAST FIT aid is helping people with sight loss, limited dexterity and other accessibility needs complete faecal immunochemical (FIT) testing more independently and with dignity. The award recognises the strength of
partnership working that has brought together healthcare professionals, charities and people with lived experience to address inequalities in bowel cancer screening. Receiving the award on behalf of Mast Group, Iain McElarney (pictured
NHS launches new measles vaccine drive
NHS England is aiming to improve vaccine coverage with a new campaign drive targeting children aged from 12 months to 11 years old who have missed one or both doses of the measles vaccine.
above), said: “We are extremely proud to receive this national recognition. The FIT aid is the result of a genuine collaboration between Mast Group, NHS colleagues, patient organisations and people with lived experience, all working towards the shared goal of making bowel cancer screening more accessible. This award reflects what can be achieved through partnership and reinforces our commitment to developing innovations that improve patient care and help reduce health inequalities.”
CE mark for Beckman Coulter’s p-Tau217 blood test
Beckman Coulter Diagnostics has received the CE mark under IVDR for its Access p-Tau217 assay, a blood test designed to support clinical evaluation of amyloid pathology in patients with signs and symptoms of cognitive decline. The new CE-marked assay
measures phosphorylated tau (p-Tau217), a well-established biomarker associated with Alzheimer’s disease, enabling scalable assessment in routine clinical setings. Blood-based approaches can complement existing diagnostic pathways by offering a more accessible, operationally scalable method for evaluating Alzheimer’s-related pathology within laboratory workflows. In addition to the CE-marked IVD
assay, Beckman Coulter Diagnostics is introducing its Access BD-pTau217 RUO assay, designed to selectively detect the short form (or low molecular weight) pTau217 in blood samples using the DxI 9000 Analyzer. By targeting the short form of pTau217 originating in the brain,
the new research assay is designed to enhance biological specificity and provide precise characterisation of central nervous system phosphorylated Tau217 signals in blood. Early research findings suggest that higher biological specificity may help improve interpretability of biomarker detection in complex research datasets and support clearer differentiation of tau-related pathology in Alzheimer’s disease. Both assays are enabled by the DxI 9000 Immunoassay Analyser (pictured), ensuring laboratories can efficiently manage clinical and research tests on a single high-precision analyser.
In addition to measles, mumps and rubella (MMR/V), the vaccine will also include protection against chickenpox (Varicella). Parents of children aged under six will be contacted by their local GP; while families with children aged between six and 11 will be invited by the NHS App, SMS, email or leter. The campaign will run until March 2027.
Figures published
by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show there were over 800 cases of measles in the first half of 2026 and two reported deaths; compared to 959 cases for the whole of 2025. There have been clusters of measles cases reported in areas of the country, with every region of England seeing cases. Figures also show a gap of 7.5% in
vaccine coverage between the least and the most deprived areas of the country. The vaccination rate for both MMR doses at age five years in England is 84.1% (Jan – March 2026), lower than the 95% target set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and in January this year the WHO confirmed that the UK had lost its measles elimination status.
NHS Director of Vaccination
Caroline Temmink said: “Measles can be devastating for families, with sometimes tragic consequences, which is why we’re reaching out to parents to help them protect their children. These childhood illnesses are serious and some of them in rare cases can be fatal, but they are entirely preventable.” Public Health Minister Sharon
Hodgson added: “Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect children from serious diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox. These illnesses can be devastating, but they are preventable through routine childhood immunisation.
August 2026
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