FEATURE ARTICLES

Improving the experience of patients should be at the heart of work to increase capacity in radiology services within the constraints of COVID-19, according to a new report on the specialty from the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme.

When the novel coronavirus arrived in the UK, the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust advanced its IT by “four years in four months” to support clinicians and patients. Chief information officer Adam Thomas explains what it learned along the way.

A new NHS invention is giving anaesthetists greater control and reduces the risk of nerve damage, when performing regional anaesthesia.

In the wake of the Cumberlege review, Richard Armstrong discusses why information gathering alone will never deliver patient safety

In the five years to 2017, NHS Resolution paid over £4 million in compensation to 1,213 claimants for needle stick-related injury.

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS reflects on 20 years of sharing knowledge with African nurses as part of an educational charity, established to enhance practice and exchange experiences

Kerry Dolan discusses how hospitals could develop eco-friendly endoscopy practices and contribute to greener and more sustainable healthcare.

A virtual conference dedicated to advancing ‘connected care’ has highlighted the importance of vital signs monitoring to detect deterioration and sepsis.

Marta Kalas explains how the use of a tool kit, combined with training, can help keep track of changes to regulations and key actions, while caring for patients during the pandemic.

Clinicians are facing unprecedented levels of extreme stress during the pandemic. But what can we learn from past traumatic events and how this be applied to safeguard the mental wellbeing of clinical staff?

With the NHS producing around 590,000 tonnes of waste per year, Leicester Children’s Hospital has recognised the need to take action and has implemented a strategy to reduce its impact on the environment. So, how can hospitals make a difference?

Steve Veck, an electro surgery consultant, discusses the dangers associated with surgical plume and the need for plume evacuation devices.

Kate Woodhead provides an insight into an award-winning quality improvement initiative, implemented at the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS FT, which significantly reduced the incidence of perioperative hypothermia – a well-known risk factor for SSIs.

Dr. Alice Green, Health Enterprise East (HEE), provides an insight into innovation in prostate biopsy that could reduce the risk of infection and make diagnosis safer for patients.

John Amoore describes how the safe and effective application of medical devices can be enhanced by analysis of care processes using holistic models.

Dr. Stephen Jackson argues that clinical decision support technology could provide vital information to help reduce errors and efficiency across the NHS.

With the Government announcing its ambition to ‘bust bureaucracy’, Phil Taylor argues it's time to look at how managing data efficiently and applying the experiences of high reliability organisations can have a dramatic impact on patient safety

Dr. Frank Bakker discusses the key factors that must be considered to ensure the reprocessing of sensitive instruments is performed safely, efficiently and without compromising the integrity of the devices.

A new report has highlighted the role of community diagnostics hubs and transformative technologies in improving outcomes, reducing pressures on the acute sector and tackling inequalities.

A recent report highlighted the patient safety benefits and efficiencies that can be gained through point-of-care scanning. Glen Hodgson offers an overview of the Scan4Safety project.