FEATURE ARTICLES

A Royal College of Radiologists’ (RCR) Workforce Census noted a startling statistic: 49% of substantive consultants who left the workforce over the past year were under the age of 50, with the median age of fulltime substantive consultants leaving by 45. In this article, Dr. Dan Rose considers some of the contributing factors and potential solutions.

A survey by the CQC, in 2024, showed that many people were positive about their interactions with urgent and emergency care staff, but as the NHS has struggled through the Winter period, ambulance handover delays, ‘corridor care’, and a lack of pain relief have raised concerns.

The mission to reduce the incidence of surgical site infection continues to gain momentum, with a high impact programme of expert insights at this year’s OneTogether conference. CSJ provides an overview of this must-attend event.

A lack of diversity in medical device testing can lead to clinicians unknowingly deploying devices that perform inadequately in certain demographic groups. Stuart Grant and Sheena Macpherson highlight the impact on patient outcomes and how to manage the risks.

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS provides an overview of the latest global reports on the state of infection prevention and control (IPC). These reports reveal the considerable variability in the implementation of core components of IPC and highlight the need for significant improvement.

As pressure mounts to tackle the NHS patient backlog, global medical device manufacturer, Mindray explores how its A9 anaesthetic machine is helping anaesthetists effectively tackle the backlog while enhancing patient safety and reducing environmental impact.

Head of Innovation at InnoScot Health, Robert Rea discusses how NHS Scotland must aim to meet its 2040 target through cutting-edge innovation. He outlines the challenges and opportunities going forward.

Nick Westall, Chief Technology Officer of Athera Healthcare, explores the many ways data is being processed across the NHS to convert it into actionable insights that help deliver better patient care, outcomes and safety

How can the medical devices sector move beyond ‘green washing’ and improve its sustainability credentials? Graeme Cameron, Dan Wilson and Rich Shaw answer some burning questions on the role of industry and NHS procurement in helping achieve Net Zero.

In England, the NHS produces around 600,000 tonnes of waste annually, costing more than £115 million to dispose of. Thomas Needs, from Incision, provides an insight into how digital technology can enable theatre teams to reduce waste, cut costs, and improve sustainability.

The Clinical Services Journal recently visited Starkstrom’s new state-of-the-art demonstration and training facility. Here, the latest vital infrastructure and new technologies can be explored, touched and configured – helping to visualise and optimise operating theatres of the future.

At a Westminster Health Forum policy conference, earlier this year, Dr. Hayley Pinto, Education and Training lead at The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, discussed some of the biggest challenges facing the NHS, in meeting Net Zero targets. She warned that ‘we could consider our collective failure to tackle climate change as a safeguarding issue for an entire generation’.

Apprenticeship degrees are often underutilised, but they are a good way to upskill staff, while simultaneously looking after practice needs. However, given the NHS’ unique challenges, suitable upskilling opportunities are often hard to find. In this article, Stacey Hayes-Allen, Director of Corporate Partnerships at Arden University, discusses how the health and care sector can utilise apprenticeships to ease the sector’s widening skills gap.

A new report published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has revealed the true scale and impact of the UK’s gynaecology care crisis, with over three quarters of a million (763,694) waiting for months and years with serious gynaecological conditions.

Around 1.6 million twins are born each year worldwide, as multiple pregnancies continue to increase. However, these pregnancies carry greater risks of perinatal mortality and morbidity. Jane Hanford, explores how the evolution of high-quality ultrasound and imaging innovation, particularly Superb Micro-vascular Imaging (SMI) technology, is helping sonographers to identify potential risks early on, and allow for more effective treatment options.

The integration of AI in healthcare holds transformative potential to enhance patient care, but it also brings forward essential ethical considerations that need addressing to ensure fair and equitable deployment.1,2 Dr. Julia Mokhova and Kenza Benkirane discuss this significant topic and argue that AI should be “an assistant, but not a doctor”.

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS discusses the future of the NHS and the debate around the ten-year plan. The Prime Minister has said the NHS needs ‘major surgery not just sticking plaster solutions’, but with an exhausted and demoralised workforce, will some of the proposed solutions for change be the final straw for some?

The NHS faces one of the most significant challenges in its history: tackling the elective care backlog. So, could insourcing help provide an answer? Portland Clinical explains why this strategy is increasing in popularity and how it can make a difference.

The NHS plans to stop purchasing from suppliers who do not meet or exceed its commitment to Net Zero and yet the HealthTech industry continues to face barriers and challenges to bringing sustainable medical devices to market. So, what can the NHS do to encourage innovation in sustainable HealthTech and ultimately reduce its carbon footprint?

An important study, involving the South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, in the UK, and two other hospitals in Europe, has shed new light on how operating theatres can increase staff safety, improve theatre efficiency and reduce clinical waste.