RECENT FEATURE ARTICLES
Healthcare structure: an important change
Kate Woodhead RGN DMS offers an insight into the Health and Care Act 2022 and discusses the implications for healthcare delivery
COVER STORY: Training vital for effective hygiene
Essity’s Liam Mynes considers the importance of training in order to ensure good hand and surface hygiene outcomes in the healthcare and elderly care sectors.
Non-invasive serological testing for H. pylori
Endoscopy is considered the ‘gold standard’ method for investigating dyspeptic symptoms caused by Helicobacter pylori, but this invasive procedure represents an immense drain on medical resources. Professor Peter Malfertheiner discusses a clear role for the non-invasive ‘serological biopsy’ in the gastric cancer care pathway, and current clinical management of atrophic gastritis.
BMA analysis of staff protection in pandemic
The British Medical Association has undertaken one of the largest, most detailed analyses of doctors’ views and experiences of the pandemic. The first two reports, to be published by the BMA, highlight serious failures to protect staff, during the COVID crisis.
Tackling staff retention: the power of listening
A recent survey has revealed that half of frontline healthcare staff have changed or considered changing their job. By taking the time to listen and communicate, we can create a better and more supportive environment within healthcare, says Sean Nolan
‘Best care everywhere’: tackling inequity
Access to health services might be equally available across ethnic groups, but barriers to receiving equitable care remain a key problem in healthcare systems across the world, including the NHS. Greg Samios explores new solutions designed to ensure all patients receive the best and most inclusive care, regardless of their ethnicity, language, or cultural background.
Clinical guide to troubleshoot wet packs
‘Wet packs’ create a potential pathway for the migration of microorganisms from the outside to the inside of the packed set, so identifying underlying issues is a vital part of quality control. Dr. Georgia Alevizopoulou provides a troubleshooting guide and discusses some of the factors that lead to ‘wet packs’.
A new frontier for positive post-surgical outcomes
Bernard Ross discusses the value of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery and the role of MedTech in improving outcomes.
Advancing training in decontamination
Beverley Mitton discusses the importance of providing training in decontamination to ensure competency. Ensuring staff understand both how and why tasks are undertaken is vital to ensuring sustainable best practice and patient safety.
Making a plastic-free future achievable
Is there a more environmentally acceptable alternative to using single-use surface disinfection wipes that contain plastic? Esther Jansen believes there is a better solution that could help hospitals reduce their impact on the environment.
EBME: improving efficiency and outcomes
The EBME Expo took place 28-29th June and proved to be a well-attended and informative event – providing a showcase for thought-provoking insights into biomedical engineering and operating theatre technology. Louise Frampton reports.
The workforce crisis in the NHS continues to bite
Kate Woodhead RGN DMS discusses the findings of a Health and Social Care Select Committee report which has highlighted a crisis in the workforce. She calls on the Government to act on the findings, but also calls for more work to be done to ensure the NHS is a good employer.
The digital surgery revolution
Digital technologies have the potential to transform surgery and medical device manufacturers are now evolving to advance this technology-driven revolution. So, how could ‘digital surgery’ lead to reduced variation, improved outcomes, and increased efficiency? Louise Frampton reports.
COVER STORY: Releasing time to care
Few would disagree that busy nurses and clinical staff should be allowed to focus on patient care rather than spending time searching for stock. Materials management specialist Medstor has made it its mission to facilitate this and, with a thirty-year history of working with the NHS and private healthcare providers, has played an important part in streamlining processes in hospitals across the UK and beyond.
The emerging role of photodynamic disinfection
Against a backdrop of increasing antimicrobial resistance, Jo Shorthouse discusses the efficacy and application of photodisinfection in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs).
Fears for wound care patients after pandemic
A new report finds that many nurses fear that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the outcomes of those living with a wound. Experts warn that “going back to business as usual” is not an option.
Achieving a sustained reduction in SSIs
Mr Simon R Dodds, a consultant general surgeon, at University Hospitals Birmingham, provides an insight into how a successful improvement initiative achieved a sustained 80% reduction in surgical site infection using a care bundle.
Advancing the adoption of day case surgery
There is a need to tackle variation across Trusts in the adoption of day case surgery. The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust has made day case surgery its default approach and is on a mission to expand it further.
Proactive surveillance of surgical site infection
Proactive surgical site infection surveillance is crucial to driving improvement, as well as to identifying patients who may be in need of rapid intervention. The development of a remote monitoring platform could have the potential to transform the way hospitals tackle this challenging issue.
Incident investigation in blood transfusion
In this article, Serious Hazards of Transfusion laboratory incident specialist Nicola Swarbrick and Dr. Jeni Davies focus on a specific area of transfusion science haemovigilance practice – incident investigation – that was the topic of a SHOT webinar held last year.
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Upcoming Events
Central Sterilising Club Annual Scientific Meeting
Crowne Plaza, Newcastle Upon Tyne
3rd - 4th April 2023
DECON UK 2023
Hilton Birmingham Metropole
18th April 2023
Infection Prevention and Control 2023
National Conference Centre, Birmingham
25th - 26th April 2023
Oncology Professional Care
ExCeL London E16 1XL
23-24 May 2023
EBME Expo 2023
Judds Lane, Coventry, England, GB, CV6 6
28th - 29th June 2023
AfPP Annual Conference 2023
University of York
10- 13 August 2023
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