A rapid blood test being trialled in three major children’s hospitals could transform emergency care
As reported by National Health Executive, the NHS is testing a new 15-minute blood test that could revolutionise emergency care for children by quickly revealing whether an infection is bacterial or viral. The innovation aims to help doctors spot and treat serious illnesses such as sepsis and meningitis much faster.
Funded by NHS England, the pilot is running at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool, St Mary’s Hospital in London, and the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle. The device, called MeMed BV, is designed to support faster decision-making in busy emergency departments.
Currently, children’s blood samples are sent to labs, meaning results can take hours to return. During that wait, doctors may need to prescribe antibiotics as a precaution or risk delaying vital treatment. The new test gives results within 15 minutes, allowing clinicians to start the right treatment sooner, cut unnecessary antibiotic use, and improve patient recovery times.
Clinicians involved in the trial have already seen encouraging results, including quicker treatment for cases of meningococcal meningitis and sepsis.
Running until March 2026, the MeMed BV trial is part of wider efforts across the NHS to speed up diagnosis, reduce strain on emergency departments, and improve patient safety.
For General Practice Managers, this breakthrough could ease follow-up workloads by helping reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and antibiotic prescriptions, freeing up time and resources in community care.
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