FEATURE ARTICLES

2024 is a key moment in history for Wassenburg Medical. The company will be celebrating its 40-year anniversary in business. Having designed the world’s first automated endoscope reprocessor, the company continues to drive innovation.

As delays for elective surgery continue to grow nationally, compounded by the winter pressures being experienced by most Trusts and health boards, Chris Blackwell-Frost speaks with key people at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust, about how they established a surgical hub for elective orthopaedic surgery in a Vanguard mobile laminar flow theatre.

For chronic pain patients, pain will always be a part of their life. No effort for pain modulation is 100% curative for these patients, which means a careful balance of support needs to be considered. Liza Tharakan, Consultant in Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia and Lead Clinician for the Chronic Pain Service at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham, discusses the role of art in holistic pain management for chronic pain patients.

In this exclusive interview, DePuy Synthes UK’s General Manager, Gavin Meadows outlines his priorities for 2024. Patient outcomes, efficiency, and supporting diverse talent are top of his agenda.

Sean Gaffney says that the use of digitalised blood glucose monitoring systems can streamline diabetes care for those living with the condition, their caregivers and healthcare providers. He provides an insight into how the financial burden of diabetes on the healthcare system could be reduced through the use of connectivity.

The latest Annual Report from the Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) scheme has been published, once again collecting and analysing anonymised information on serious adverse events and reactions in blood transfusion from all healthcare organisations. Victoria Tuckley and Simon Carter-Graham summarise its key points and recommendations, with the aim of learning lessons and improving patient safety

Central to achieving the NHS’s long-standing ambitions for digital transformation will be interoperability, says Jon Pickering. He provides an insight into how technology can drive significant clinical efficiencies

Previously the CEO of the Association for Perioperative Practice (a registered charity) Dawn Stott highlights the role of coaching as part of personal development in healthcare. She believes that coaching can contribute to improvements in patient safety, promote effective teamworking, and help to develop supportive environments for both patients and healthcare professionals

Patrick Grover provides an insight into how focal radiation treatments have transformed the management of challenging brain tumours in recent decades, providing safer options for patients.

Nanobots, miniature robots 10 times smaller than a blood cell, are poised to revolutionise the healthcare industry. Nanotechnology, in combination with next-generation software platforms and supervised machine learning, provide a wide range of powerful diagnostic, monitoring and treatment tools. Chu Canh Chieu provides an insight into the future of nanobots in healthcare.

How can we boost theatre efficiency and the health of our population, while relieving pressure on clinicians? Tara Rampal describes how digital prehabilitation (prehab) could provide an effective solution.

Mark Slack, Chief Medical Officer and Co-founder of CMR Surgical, speaks to CSJ about the impact of robotics and digital technologies on surgical approaches, access to training, patient outcomes, and clinical research.

The NHS is being called upon to tackle diversity, inclusion and belonging in the NHS, following a number of surveys, which have highlighted discrimination. Kate Woodhead RGN DMS highlights some of the key issues and the elements required to drive a change in culture.

Global medical device manufacturer, Mindray, is developing cutting-edge solutions that facilitate seamless data collection, enhance clinical standards, and expand diagnostic capabilities even in non-clinical settings, so patients can be treated quickly and efficiently.

Dr. Andrew Birnie, Dr. Paul Oladimeji and Gemma Stokes highlight the difficulties of adapting diagnostic testing to new clinical threats and ever-changing disease targets, and discuss the modern approaches that are future-proofing the way that we manage respiratory diseases

Associate Professor, Dr. Yew-Fong (Pamela) Lee and Dr. Thomas Oh examine the clinical evidence for the prevention of cross-contamination and spread of healthcare-associated infections, within the context of material compatibility between disinfectant wipes, surfaces and equipment.

Tom Partington highlights the contribution of antimicrobial additives in surgical lights in reducing surgical site infections as part of a multifaceted approach.

Arjun Luthra argues that there is a need to innovate in the field of hand hygiene, as the tools available to combat healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) have remained unchanged for quite some time. Arjun calls for a shift in perspective to address the limitations of current approaches

The Infection Prevention Society recently held its annual conference at the ACC in Liverpool. Central themes, this year, included ‘Antimicrobial Resistance, Preparedness and Environment’. In the wake of the pandemic, innovative technologies aimed at reducing the risk of airborne infection came to the fore and IP2023 highlighted some promising potential strategies going forward. Louise Frampton reports

Important updates have recently been made to the national recommendations around hospital cleaning and disinfection in England, with the publication of the National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness and the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual.¹, ² This article looks at the future of surface cleaning and disinfection in hospitals in reference to these documents.