Midlands hospital uses endoscopy tech to examine small bowel

Good Hope Hospital, part of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), has begun using capsule endoscopy technology to examine the small bowel.

The hospital already runs one of the Midlands’ most established capsule endoscopy services within UHB, performing a high number of procedures each year since 2012.

The service helps diagnose conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and iron deficiency anaemia, where visualising the small bowel – an area traditionally difficult to reach – is essential.

The latest generation of the technology, a patch-based system called Genius, supplied by MedTech company Medtronic, was introduced in February 2026.

It replaces the traditional belt and bag equipment used to capture images of the small intestine and offers a less invasive and more comfortable way to examine the bowel.

Rachel Hilmo, capsule endoscopy practitioner at UHB who has helped lead the launch of the new tech, said: “Patients swallow a small capsule that contains a camera and light.

“As it travels through the small bowel, it takes thousands of pictures that help us identify conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or the causes of iron deficiency anaemia.

“Traditionally, patients have had to wear a bulky belt and carry a crossbody bag with a small computer that receives the images. It can feel quite restrictive and uncomfortable, and some patients don’t want to go out in public while wearing it.”

The Genius system replaces this with a discreet adhesive patch placed on the abdomen, which contains the necessary technology to receive and store the images.

Currently, patients return the patch to the hospital the next day so staff can download the data. The long-term aim, however, is for the technology to transmit information directly to a secure cloud-based system, allowing clinicians to view results remotely and reducing the need for hospital visits.

Feedback from initial patients, along with the clinical team’s evaluation, will help determine whether the technology could be rolled out more widely across UHB’s endoscopy services.

Hilmo added: “Because our capsule endoscopy service is already so well established, we were selected for the limited market launch.

“We are proud to be part of testing new innovations that make a genuine difference to patient experience, and it feels like we are on the cusp of a big step forward in this field.

“It has been a whole team effort to make this happen, and I would like to particularly thank Tim from our IT services who was instrumental in helping us set up the technology.

“With advances in artificial intelligence and digital integration, capsule endoscopy will only become more effective and patient friendly. It’s exciting to be part of that progress.”

Medtronic, who supply the Genius endoscopy system, was hit by a cyber attack last month that led to unauthorised access to some of its IT systems.

In a public statement, published on 24 April 2026, the firm said that patient safety had not been impacted and that immediate steps had been taken to contain the incident.