FEATURE ARTICLES

The final Ockenden report on maternity services at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has highlighted problems with staff shortages, a lack of training, failures to investigate and learn from incidents, and a culture of not listening to families. So, what can we learn from these failures in maternity care and how can safety be improved?

David Ezra, managing director at healthcare technology company Vantage Health, sets out his vision for tackling the demand on outpatient services.

The Westminster Health Forum Policy Conference recently debated the ‘Next steps for patient safety in the NHS’. High on the agenda was a focus on whole system learning, opportunities for regulation and the need for patient involvement. Louise Frampton reports

Taking place on the 5 May, World Hand Hygiene Day 2022 recognises that a strong quality and safety culture will encourage people to clean hands at the right times and with the right products. Dawn Stevens discusses the importance of protecting healthcare workers’ hands, and the role this has in promoting hand hygiene compliance.

George Gallagher discusses why Never Events keep happening, why they matter and what we can all do about them to improve outcomes

The Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) has launched a white paper: Robotic Assisted Surgery and New Models of Surgical Care, which sets out the case for a national multi-stakeholder strategy for Robotic Assisted Surgery to support its uptake across the NHS. In this article for CSJ, the chair and vice chair of ABHI’s Robotic Assisted Surgery Group, Nick Margree and Chris Gray, explain the thinking behind the paper.

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS offers an insight into the current staffing crisis and its implications for patient safety. She voices concerns around the challenges for NHS recovery, in the absence of a long-term strategy for workforce development.

Getinge has invested significantly in developing a dedicated team to support decontamination departments with consumables – ensuring uninterrupted uptime of sterile services, optimal efficiency and cost management, patient safety, as well as sustainability.

For the first time, the Infection Prevention and Control Conference will take place over two days, focusing on the latest infection prevention and control best practice – including elements for community and mental health, as well as acute nursing. CSJ provides an insight into the highlights at the event.

The donation of vital equipment and paediatric operating theatres is assisting hospitals in low-income countries to provide safer surgery for children – helping to save lives, while also making a significant economic impact. Louise Frampton speaks to Kids Operating Rooms (KidsOR) – a charity that is dedicated to opening child-friendly operating rooms in low-resource settings.

Nick Rodger looks at how hospitals can promote safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness for critical care teams by embracing digitisation within the NHS.

Tim Bryant discusses the challenges presented by the elective backlog and offers an insight into how technology can help hospitals manage the recovery process – through effective management of operating theatres and patient flow.

Graham Kendall, director of the Digital Healthcare Council, outlines the Council’s thoughts on digital health innovators and its strategy to support NHS Trusts with their strategic digital healthcare opportunities in the wake of COVID-19.

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS discusses the Health and Care Bill and what it will mean in terms of healthcare delivery – from integration of care systems to new ways of working.

In this expert opinion statement, Professor Richard James, Emeritus Professor of Microbiology, University of Nottingham Medical School, considers the microbiological risks presented by inhalation and direct skin contact with surgical smoke

Isopharm iLearn provides staff of all levels with full details of the decontamination processes undertaken by sterile services and endoscopy departments and is helping to shape the future of ongoing CPD, and staff development in decontamination.

The Government has set out a blueprint to address backlogs built up during the COVID pandemic and tackle long waits for care with increased expansion in capacity for tests, checks and treatments. CSJ highlights the key pillars of the strategic plan.

A specialist NHS laboratory, hosted by Newcastle Hospitals, is helping to accelerate the development of new, cutting-edge COVID-19 tests, as well as technologies that could give an early warning of virus threats

Efficient point-of-care testing for COVID is critical to managing admissions and infection control for hospitals, particularly during Winter peaks. Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals have implemented a solution that is capable of speeding up detection of respiratory viruses – delivering a result in just a few minutes.

A new event, launched by two major NHS Trusts, will provide valuable insights into decontamination and infection prevention – from protein removal, and water microbiology, to ventilation and automated room disinfection.