FEATURE ARTICLES

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS discusses the role of the independent sector in healthcare and whether it could mitigate the extreme pressures in the NHS – both in acute and primary care services.

Over the last five years, NHS Supply Chain procurement exercises have benefitted from increased frontline clinical engagement, ensuring high-quality and cost-effective products that meet the needs of the NHS. In this article, Sue Green outlines how clinical engagement has supported the development of a robust infection prevention and control framework for the provision of hand hygiene products and services.

During the pandemic, increased demand for alcohol-based hand rub led to some questionable solutions entering the market. So, what questions should healthcare providers ask suppliers to ensure that their product is suitable and effective for hospital use? Thomas Oh, Mandy Michie, Pearleen Ho and Lars Passvogel provide an insight.

Getinge’s digital patient flow management solution, INSIGHT, has successfully improved patient flow, reduced staff stress levels, and increased efficiency for a leading orthopaedic hospital in Japan.

Daniel Sullivan explains how electrostatic technology offers significant benefits for environmental decontamination. A trial has shown that contamination is reduced, while beds can also be turned around much faster, but stakeholder engagement and targeted training are vital.

In this article, Pentax Medical explains how a new brushless solution could offer an alternative to manual pre-cleaning, while addressing hygiene and sustainability challenges faced in daily clinical practice.

A state-of-the-art centralised decontamination centre at Pinderfields Hospital is providing safe and efficient endoscope reprocessing for the Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust, using an end-to-end solution from Wassenburg Medical. The Clinical Services Journal provides an insight into the phased project and looks at how the central hub has evolved.

Alan Abbatt offers an insight into ensuring the correct pH for detergents, to optimise the decontamination of surgical instruments. He considers why pH is important and examines the available guidance.

At the Central Sterilising Club (CSC) Autumn study day, on the 10th October 2022, in Manchester, sustainability was high on the agenda. The event included some thought-provoking discussions on how the environmental impact of decontamination and endoscopy departments could be minimised. Louise Frampton reports.

CSJ spoke to the new chair of the Institute of Decontamination Sciences (IDSc), Trevor Garcia, about the organisation’s direction for the future, its ambitions to drive standards in the sector, and the need for culture change in decontamination science. He believes there is a need to ‘get back to basics’.

One of Europe’s largest Infection Prevention and Control Conferences is set to take place in Birmingham at The National Conference Centre. The two-day event will bring together over 800 attendees each day to explore the latest initiatives from the IP&C Arena.

The future of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) depends on what we do today. Better diagnostics, infection prevention, and surveillance are vital factors in the fight against AMR, argues Greg Quinn.

CSJ spoke to Charles Pallandt, chief commercial officer at Incision, to find out how digital tools for education and training could support operating theatre teams to improve performance, reduce delays and improve safety.

Following a series of articles in the February and March editions of CSJ, on the barriers operating theatre teams face in relation to the WHO Safe Surgery Checklist, Nigel Roberts concludes with a report on a third and final Delphi study round.

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS looks at the reasons behind delayed transfers from hospital, the proposed solutions and strategies, and the challenges ahead.

Dr. Constantin Jabarin discusses the role of EPR clinical decision support in tackling the backlog, in light of challenging targets being set by the Government

James Beckett explains how the use of molecular point of care testing (POCT) has seen exponential growth in recent years, from its hospital-based origins to its widespread community use for detection of infections, sexual health screening and, more recently, respiratory disease diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Point of care ultrasound has become an indispensable tool in ICUs and Emergency Departments, but with studies identifying high levels of contamination on ultrasound probes, how can healthcare providers minimise the infection risks and improve safety for patients? Olivier Mazille calls for improvement and standardisation of disinfection processes.

Is there an issue with ergonomics in surgery and can instrument design help take the strain? Michael Parden highlights the importance of preventing musculoskeletal pain and injury within the surgical community

CSJ spoke to ABHI’s head of international events, Michelle Michelucci, about this year’s action-packed programme and why the show continues to provide such an influential platform.