Primetech technology assisting major UK health initiative

Primetech, one of the UK's leading specialists in mobile satellite communications, is proud to be associated with an ambitious and far-reaching project to improve the prevention and treatment of a wide range of painful and life-threatening illnesses.

The charity UK Biobank is asking 40-69 year olds across the Swansea area to help with scientific research into a wide range of diseases and ailments. People who agree to take part will spend a couple of hours in a new, specially designed hi-tech mobile assessment unit, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.

The UK Biobank mobile unit incorporates Primetech's Micro-Sat, a low profile, fully automated, self seeking satellite.

This is hugely beneficial to UK Biobank as the data collected from the participants - health and lifestyles information, weight, height and blood pressure measurements - will then be transferred immediately, safely and securely via the Micro-Sat satellite to the charity's headquarters in Manchester.

Whilst the UK Biobank mobile unit will be stationed initially in the Swansea Council Civic Centre West car park, it will eventually take to the road allowing the charity to target more remote communities in Wales.

To aid communication, Primetech has also provided a Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone service within the unit which ensures that calls can be made into and out from the vehicle therefore removing reliance on the availability of mobile phones - often a real issue in isolated areas.

Henry Walker, Director of Primetech, said: "we were delighted to be selected to work with UK Biobank on this important, worthwhile scheme. It is another prime example of the versatility of our satellite system, which has recently been built into two incident command units for Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service and Lincolnshire County Council's new fleet of mobile library vehicles, providing high speed Internet access to residents in remote rural locations."

The UK Biobank mobile unit was unveiled by the Health Minister, Edwina Hart, at a function attended by the Swansea Lord Mayor, local councillors, eminent university scientists and representatives from UK Biobank.

Andrew Trehearne, Head of Communications at UK Biobank, emphasised the importance of Primetech's technology: "this is a major project for the UK. With our goal of recruiting 500,000 participants, there is a vast amount of data that needs to be transferred and stored quickly and securely. We were immensely impressed by the capability of Primetech's innovative satellite system and it is an integral part of the vehicle's state of the art equipment.

For further information visit:
www.primetech.co.uk