Dr Nick Gompertz

Nick was a full-time GP in Bruton, Somerset for 21 years, predominantly as a Partner. In 2021 he founded EarSwitch Ltd to develop communication aids for people “locked-in” eg from MND, brain-stem stroke and cerebral palsy.

During development of the Communication EarSwitch, Nick also discovered the benefit of the inner ear-canal for pulse oximetry and other vital signs monitoring . This core/centralised site is unpigmented; so not susceptible to the melanin effects that cause racial bias in many pulse oximeters.

Nick was astounded by how inaccurate pulse oximeters could be and still pass regulatory standards, and believes that the widespread use of SpO2 thresholds in clinical guidelines represents a risk to patient safety due to this poor accuracy. He is supported by a group of senior GPs, physicians, and academics to pressure NICE, MHRA and other stakeholders to publicise and investigate this concern and urgently review their guidelines.