From hospital to home
How a tiny sensor is transforming heart failure care
Backing the healthtech that changes lives
For years, Leslie Birkenhead and his wife Anne faced heart failure together - the constant worry, the unexpected hospital stays, never quite knowing what each day would bring. Today, thanks to a tiny sensor now recommended by NICE, the worry has gone. Leslie is gardening, going on holiday, and living life to the full once more.
For the 920,000 people living with heart failure in the UK, frightening emergencies, repeated hospital admissions and a life defined by uncertainty are familiar experiences. Heart failure patient Leslie Birkenhead knows that reality well. "I never knew what each day would bring," he says. "Some days, something just didn't seem right but by the time I realised anything was seriously wrong, I was already on my way to A&E."
"When someone you love has heart failure, it’s a 24-hour-a-day job: constantly worrying and never knowing what's coming next. It consumes your whole life."
Heart failure accounts for approximately 1 million hospital bed days each year in the UK. It costs the NHS around £2 billion annually, with many costs related to hospital admissions. But new NICE healthtech guidance is opening the door to a medical technology that could fundamentally change that experience for thousands of patients. A sensor the size of a paperclip is offering patients and clinicians something they have never had before: early warning of deterioration, with time to act before a crisis hits.
Early warning, early action
The CardioMEMS HF System is a wireless sensor implanted in the pulmonary artery during a minimally invasive procedure carried out under local anaesthetic. "The procedure was straightforward," Leslie recalls. "And to have such a change in your life from such a simple procedure is remarkable."
Once the monitor is in place, patients take daily pressure readings by lying on a special pillow and pressing a button. Those readings are transmitted wirelessly to their clinical team, who then monitor for early signs of deterioration and adjust treatment before symptoms escalate into a crisis.
Traditional remote monitoring of heart failure deterioration tracks changes like weight, blood pressure or heart rate but these often rise relatively late. CardioMEMS measures pressure in the lung artery, which increases much earlier as heart failure begins to worsen.
As Dr Andrew Flett, consultant cardiologist at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, explains: “Pulmonary artery pressure is one of the earliest markers of deterioration that we have. This gives us a crucial window to act, long before symptoms develop.”
Dr Andrew Flett, consultant cardiologist at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Andrew Flett, consultant cardiologist at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
Evidence from 3 randomised controlled trials supports this, demonstrating that CardioMEMS was associated with a 34% reduction in heart failure hospitalisations compared with usual care.
Dr Flett advises that the technology delivers best results when patients are actively engaged: willing to take daily readings and to act on clinical advice when their team gets in touch. Where the right patients have been identified, he notes, outcomes have been consistently positive.
More control, less fear
The benefits extend beyond early detection. "This is a totally new concept for heart failure patients," says Dr Flett. "For the first time, they can see in real time that their behaviours, diet and medication have a direct impact on the pressures in their heart. That knowledge changes how they manage their condition."
For Leslie, who had the device fitted in 2020, the difference has been profound. "You cannot cure heart failure, but you can manage it. With this monitor, your body is talking to you from the inside. I know what my readings mean; I know what to do, and I can get on with my life.”
As her husband’s carer, Anne monitors Leslie’s readings through an app on her phone, enabling them to take action together before problems escalate. When Leslie recently became breathless and his readings trended upward, an extra water tablet was prescribed and brought them back to normal with no hospital visit needed. As Anne puts it, "Before the device, everything was guesswork. Now we can see Leslie's readings and act on what they tell us. That's the difference."
Since 2020, Leslie has not been admitted to hospital for heart failure. Before having the device, he was rushed to A&E at least once a year. "Since I’ve been using the monitor, it's eliminated emergency admissions and reduced regular check-ups. Before I had this device, I couldn't make plans or go on holiday. Now I do both. That's what this technology has given me."
For Anne, the impact has been every bit as significant. "This technology has changed my life more than I can put into words. It's made everything so much easier."
Leslie and Anne are living life to the full once more
Leslie and Anne are living life to the full once more
NICE says paperclip-sized sensor could help thousands monitor heart condition from home
NICE says paperclip-sized sensor could help thousands monitor heart condition from home
Patients fitted with the CardioMEMS HF sensor take daily pressure readings by lying on a special pillow and pressing a button
Patients fitted with the CardioMEMS HF sensor take daily pressure readings by lying on a special pillow and pressing a button
A green light from NICE
In February 2026, NICE published healthtech guidance recommending CardioMEMS for adults with chronic heart failure who have been hospitalised and are at risk of further admission. At £9,500 per device, NICE experts calculated a cost of £14,037 per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained - good value for taxpayers and a solid case for routine NHS adoption.
For Anne and Dr Flett, who both submitted evidence to NICE during the guidance consultation process, this was a watershed moment.
"Having a positive recommendation from NICE means clinicians across the country can now say to their management teams: this technology is recommended, it's cost-effective, and we can build a business case. That removes a huge barrier that has previously limited access for patients."
"I stopped mentioning this device in my heart failure support group because it felt cruel, like dangling a carrot people could not reach. Now that NICE has recommended it, I talk about it freely. It's fantastic. Not just for us, but for everyone who could benefit. I hope every NHS trust takes notice.”
Discover what support looks like
Lives like Leslie's are changed for the better when the right technologies reach the right people at the right time. Whether you're commissioning NHS care or developing the next breakthrough, discover how NICE can help.
For NHS decision makers: If you’re considering healthtech solutions for your trust or integrated care board, explore NICE's healthtech guidance to understand how evidence-based recommendations can support confident commissioning decisions.
For healthtech developers: If you have a promising technology that aligns with NHS needs and you are seeking to scale use across the NHS, discover how NICE's healthtech guidance can support your innovation journey.
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