FEATURE ARTICLES

Could smartphones democratise healthcare and relieve the pressure on healthcare facilities? Louise Frampton discusses how the combination of mobile devices with diagnostic tools could offer new possibilities to test, track and treat conditions – from rapid diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and HIV, to the tracking of Ebola outbreaks.

The NHS is treating more patients but has not yet achieved the fundamental transformation in services and finance regime needed to meet rising demand. Short-term fixes have made some parts of the NHS seriously financially unstable, according to the National Audit Office (NAO).

Urgent action is needed to transform ophthalmic services to prevent devastating and avoidable sight loss for patients. Lack of timely follow-up for glaucoma patients is a recognised issue across the NHS and research suggests that around 22 patients a month suffer severe or permanent sight loss as a result of delays.

Surgical site infection surveillance saves lives, but theatre staff need to take a more proactive role, says Pauline Harrington, National surgical site infection surveillance manager at Public Health England. Louise Frampton reports.

The consequences of ‘efficiency savings’ are being felt within the urology and continence care sector, according to Chris Whitehouse, chairman of the Urology Trade Association. He warns that cutting costs for urology devices risks causing avoidable urinary tract infections, and reducing the quality of life of patients.

The mortality rate for breast cancer has fallen dramatically, with the development of new tests and treatments. The latest research offers hope for further improvements, not least through the development of artificial intelligence to aid diagnosis. The Clinical Services Journal reports on the latest advances.

Trevor Dale, an expert in human factors training, believes that the NHS still has a long way to go in creating a ‘just culture’, where organisations learn from mistakes, human factors are understood, and hierarchy is flexible. So, what exactly does a ‘just culture’ look like?

Group B Strep is the most common cause of severe infection in newborn babies in the UK. Despite a risk-based prevention strategy being in place since 2003, to tackle early-onset infection, rates have significantly increased. Jane Plumb and Kate F Walker discuss the current UK approach and what needs to change.

The NHS is currently in a ‘technological meltdown’ as a result of decades of under-investment in technology, according Dr. John Sandham, chairman of the EBME Expo. EBME and IT departments are also on a ‘collision course’ and there is a need to address the knowledge gap between the two disciplines, if the NHS is to succeed in its vision for a digital future. Louise Frampton reports.

A National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death recently found delays in the processing of care in over a third of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). With over 10% of deaths in hospital related to PE, how can the NHS further improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this potentially deadly condition?

Dr. Tim Sandle looks at the latest known data, facts and recommendations about the ‘novel’ coronavirus, including how this might impact on current policies – particularly in terms of infection prevention and the use of appropriate disinfectants.

Global action on drug resistant infections is not happening at the scale and urgency required. Kate Woodhead RGN DMS highlights the findings of a report by the Wellcome Trust, which identifies the need to educate on antimicrobial resistance.

At Arab Health, an alternative approach to treating faulty mitral valves was highlighted at the ABHI demonstration stand. Dr. Robert Smith, consultant interventional cardiologist at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Specialist Care, London, reports.

On Thursday 13th February 2020, NHS England’s annual infection-prevention and control conference will take place at the National Conference Centre, Birmingham. High on the agenda will be the latest strategies to tackle the burden of healthcare-associated infection, against a backdrop of rising antimicrobial resistance.

The search for novel antibiotic agents, and those that exert their antimicrobial effect in different ways, is currently high on the research agenda. Here, Sarah J Pitt and Alan Gunn review an innovative approach using mucus from common molluscs.

Katja Lemburg explains why it is crucial to have good capillary blood sampling procedures for point-of-care haemoglobin testing.

The opening session at the IDSc Conference bought together, for the first time, all parties that are involved from the design to the processing challenges relating to decontamination of robotic medical devices.

From improving safety in theatres through checklists, to the latest research on protein removal on surgical instruments, the National Performance Advisory Group’s conference on Theatres and Decontamination will aim to drive improvement. This year’s event will focus on efficiency and safe practice in the workplace.

It is estimated that there are around 123,000 cases of sepsis in England every year, resulting in around 36,900 deaths. In the fight against sepsis, modern haematology and haemostasis technology can assist in providing an early diagnosis of this devastating condition.

A new state-of-the-art endoscope reprocessing unit at the Luton & Dunstable University Hospital is ensuring the highest levels of patient safety, while reducing decontamination costs.