Liverpool-based MedTech innovator Enteral Access Technologies Ltd (EAT) has secured £500,000 in a bridging round led by British Design Fund for its patient safety device.

The round also saw continued support from existing investors, with the funding intended to contribute to EAT’s work in advancing patient safety through innovation in enteral access.

The company’s flagship product, DoubleCHEK, is a device designed to prevent misplacement of nasogastric feeding tubes, a persistent and dangerous issue in clinical settings and one of the most frequently reported Never Events in the NHS – serious, preventable incidents that should not occur when proper safety procedures are followed.

DoubleCHEK’s CO₂ indicator helps flag accidental lung placement by detecting carbon dioxide, which is an indication that the nasogastric tube is in the airway and not the esophagus, and should be removed prior to full insertion. When there is no indication of CO2, the tube can be fully inserted to the stomach where DoubleCHEK’s pH indicator can then confirm the acidic environment of the stomach. This combined approach provides a fast, reliable, and easy-to-interpret bedside check, reducing reliance on X-rays and subjective interpretation, and aligning with emerging NHS safety guidance.

The company was founded by George Gallagher, an electrical engineer and seasoned entrepreneur who recognised the scale of the challenge with misplaced nasogastric feeding tubes – a treatment he himself needed as a child.