AN innovation put forward by a member of staff from West Essex Primary Care Trust has been shortlisted for an award.

Ram Gulrajani came up with a novel method to drain fluid from patients, with the procedure able to be carried out at the patients' home rather than in hospital.

The method, which allows patients to drain fluid from the pleural cavity - the fluid-filled space that surrounds the lungs - has been shortlisted for a Service Delivery Award in the 2008 Innovation Competition, organised by Health Enterprise East, the NHS innovation hub for the East of England.

The competition was open to staff working in all branches of the NHS throughout the region to put forward ideas for products and services which will benefit patients.

Prizes totalling £20,000 will be presented to winners at a awards dinner at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, on Wednesday, April 16.