FEATURE ARTICLES

Healthcare must tackle unwarranted variation

Experts recently joined the Connect Health Change Webinar panel to discuss the challenges and opportunities of unwarranted variation in tackling waiting lists.

Unconscious bias in major trauma recovery

Trevor Sterling, chair of the Major Trauma Group, discusses health outcome inequalities and the role of unconscious bias in major trauma recovery

Innovation in point of care sepsis diagnostics

Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection. Against a background of ongoing diagnostic research, Charlotte Duncan provides an overview and introduces the latest in point-of-care technology.

Green surgery: reducing the OR carbon footprint

The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare and The Royal College of Surgeons of England recently hosted a conference to highlight the first-ever ‘Green Surgery Challenge’.

Discrimination and exclusion in the NHS

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS warns that inequality is standing in the way of the health service’s ability to recruit and retain staff. She calls for cultural change and financial investment to drive improvement.

Decontamination strategies in ICU

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of robust IP&C strategies for ICUs.

POC testing of trauma patients for MRSA

Torbay Hospital has implemented point-of-care testing for MRSA to decrease turnaround times and increase bed occupancy

A ‘whole hospital approach’ to IP&C

Yvonne Spencer describes how a ‘whole hospital approach’ is the cornerstone to infection prevention – involving collaboration between hard & soft FM, infection prevention & control teams, service users, clinicians and other key stakeholders.

Enhancing IP&C in endoscopy services

Debbie McKinney explores innovative approaches to infection prevention in endoscopy services, and the knock-on impacts for cost and efficiency savings.

Rapid detection of infection

Carolyne Horner discusses the diversity of point-of-care tests (POCTs) available for the rapid detection of infection and the key issues relevant to their uptake.

Tackling environmental transmission of HCAIs

Surface transmission has been identified as an important route of pathogen spread, especially within the healthcare environment. Jade Pallett discusses viral and bacterial transmission and looks at the key issues and evidence.

Advantages of quaternary ammonium compounds

There is considerable evidence that contaminated surfaces and the untreated hands of healthcare professionals contribute to the spread of nosocomial pathogens within the hospital setting.

Decontamination strategies in ICU

Speaking at IP2021, Julie Storr called for a ‘hard reset’ in infection prevention and control, to ensure compassionate care is not overlooked, amidst efforts to eliminate risk from infectious diseases.

Worrying findings on mortality rates

An international study has found that high-need older patients had the highest mortality rates of any country, despite performing relatively well on several other measures of quality of hospital care.

Improving outcomes with interoperability

Solving interoperability challenges in relation to healthcare technologies has the potential to improve patient outcomes, deliver financial savings and optimise clinical workflows.

National audit highlights extent of NHS pressures

A new report by the National Audit Office has warned that there is a significant risk that NHS waiting times could lengthen even further and provides a detailed analysis of the challenges ahead.

What can we learn from the Netherlands?

Dave Rudge argues that the UK could learn from the Netherlands’ holistic approach to infection prevention and highlights the need for further studies to provide high-quality data on the role of the environment in transmission.

Breaking research in dermato-venereology

The latest research presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology’s 30th Congress revealed the true burden of skin disease in Europe and prompted debate over the increasing use of consumer apps for diagnosing cancers.

First community diagnostic hub opens in Somerset

Community diagnostic hubs have the potential to make a significant difference to patients waiting for diagnostic imaging and will help reduce the backlog in the wake of the pandemic.

Active or passive safety devices: a useful debate?

Maria Kapoula considers the debate on active vs passive safety pen needles and discusses the question: which type of device is preferable when the full range of human factors are assessed?

Latest Issues

AfPP Regional Conference – Nottingham

Business School, University of Nottingham
20th September 2025

Clinical Engineering Conference

Stansted Radisson Blu
23rd September 2025

Infection Prevention 2025

Brighton Centre, UK
29th - 30th September 2025

AfPP Regional Conference – Oxford

Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford
4th October 2025

BACCN Conference 2025

Blackpool
7th - 8th October 2025

CSC Autumn Meeting

Ramada Plaza, Wrexham
13th October 2025