In northern England, the Bristol 3D Medical Centre has been launched as a new specialist hub for 3D scanning and printing. Located in the Beckspool building of the North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT), it is the first NHS facility in the UK to consolidate all relevant stages of patient-specific medical device production—from digital capture to additive manufacturing—under one roof.
The centre primarily supports clinical applications in reconstructive and plastic surgery. Using advanced 3D surface scanners and CAD-based design workflows, it enables the creation of anatomically precise models for prosthetics, surgical planning aids, and training tools. Combined with modern resin-based 3D printing technologies, it allows for the production of custom-fitted components, such as facial prostheses or craniofacial devices.
Amy Davey, Senior Reconstructive Scientist at NBT, said: “Surface scanning patients for prosthetics means that patients can be scanned while moving, and this technology can use that movement to aid the prostheses to accommodate movement. The old method of producing a helmet for babies with plagiocephaly and brachycephaly required a general anaesthetic to eliminate movement whilst the mould of the baby’s skull was produced. With 3D surface scanning, the baby can move around freely and happily and a 3D printed helmet subsequently produced from that scan.”
Davey said: “3D printing also uses advanced plastic resins whose properties closely resemble those of the bones themselves, allowing a far more ’natural’ implant or prosthetic. 3D scanning over time can be useful in quantifying a patient’s progress and enabling any necessary adjustments to be carried out, particularly for treating and monitoring scars.”
In addition to treating individual patients like David Richards from Devon—who received a custom-coloured facial and ocular prosthesis following a severe injury—the centre also focuses on preoperative planning. 3D-printed models of internal organs, such as kidneys with highlighted vessels and nerves, support surgeons in preparing for complex procedures.
“The funding from Southmead Hospital Charity enabled us to purchase the main 3D surface scanner, as well as the accompanying software, desktop surface scanner and AR headset,” Davey said. “We will start using it to treat patients requiring prosthetics and reconstruction, immediately increasing our current capacity for this work by 50%. We feel very fortunate to have received the funding from the charity, which will help us to provide great patient care by providing a more relaxing and less intrusive scanning process and, as the equipment is state-of-the-art, it ensures that ourselves and UHBW are providing healthcare that is fit for the future.”
The centre’s technical infrastructure has been largely funded by Southmead Hospital Charity, including the acquisition of visualization tools such as the AR headset.
Sally Bennett, Director of Southmead Hospital Charity, commented: “We are thrilled that we have secured funding for the equipment within the centre and are delighted that it will have a large positive impact on the experience of patients.”
Professor Tim Whittlestone, Chief Medical Officer said: “I am delighted that the Bristol 3D Medical Centre is now open and operational. On behalf of the Bristol NHS Group of hospitals, I would like to thank key donors to Southmead Hospital Charity. Thanks to these donations, this has become one of the first centres of its kind in the UK and another innovative partnership between NBT and UHBW.”
According to the centre, the new systems have boosted prosthetics production capacity by around 50%. The long-term goal is to establish additive manufacturing as a routine part of clinical workflows rather than a niche application.
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