AN INVENTION that eliminates the risk of needlestick injury the accidental puncture of the skin with a potentially contaminated hypodermic needle looks set to take the medical world by storm.

Point Blank, a small, electrically powered needle destruction unit that sits on a base charger, is the invention of John Hamilton, who has just moved to the Chalke Valley.

It is being marketed by Helen Holdsworth, from Bishopstone.

The two are partners in Technical Solutions UK, which seeks to provide solutions to technical problems.

Mr Hamilton, who has worked in the fields of plastics, metals and electronics, said he was approached last year by a Hampshire company called Morgan Everett, which is big in the field of clinical waste machinery used in hospitals.

It had an idea for a needlestick injury prevention device and asked him to find the solution.

With Point Blank, a syringe is positioned vertically above the insertion point at the top of the machine and the needle pushed firmly down until contact is made with the electrodes.

The needle is heated to 1,350 degrees centigrade enough to vaporise its metal and render the remains completely sterile.

The needle is destroyed within a second and the melted metal stump permanently seals the syringe itself.

The disposable cartridge takes 1,000 needles before replacement and can be disposed of in a yellow non-contaminated waste sack, as can the syringe.

"It's designed, made and sold in Britain," said Mr Hamilton.

Ms Holdsworth said that, in 2001 to 2002, there were 23,000 needlestick injuries recorded by the NHS and 250 million needles used.

Currently, syringes are regularly placed in kidney dishes after the injection and picked up afterwards for disposal and this is often when injuries occur.

Staff are not allowed to take the components apart, so the whole thing is disposed of in a sharps box, which holds about 35 syringes and is expensive to dispose of because it contains contaminated waste.

"We hear about road accidents all the time, but needlestick injuries are much less talked about and they are so easy to prevent," said Ms Holdsworth.

"They account for 16 per cent of all NHS staff injuries and victims are at risk from blood-borne viruses such as Hepatitis B and C and HIV.

"Point Blank works out cheaper than the traditional method, is clean and quiet, takes up very little space and is fully portable it fits in a briefcase and can go on a trolley when a nurse is doing a ward round and no-one gets injured."

She said the machine costs £250, plus VAT, and replacement cartridges are £40.

They hope Point Blank will not only be in every hospital across the country, but in every doctors' surgery, veterinary clinic, nursing home, dental surgery, pharmacy and prison and be supplied to midwives and district nurses.

For more information e-mail tsmail@btinternet.com or ring 01722 780966.

Technical Solutions UK is looking for plastic moulders and electronic assembly firms so the machines can be made locally.