FEATURE ARTICLES

In a speech to NHS bosses in 2016, Simon Stevens(NHS England’s CEO) urged doctors, nurses and NHS managers to “grab with both hands” the growing opportunitiestechnology offers both to help promote health and tackle the service’s chronic financial problems by saving on treatment and rehabilitation costs.1

The Hilton Birmingham Metropole, NEC Birmingham, played host to ‘Completing the Picture’ 2018, an annual educational symposium that brought together clinical, technical and procurement health professionals for a unique day of education and discussion.

In February 2016, Lord Carter’s report highlighted the opportunity to save up to £5 billion by tackling unwanted variation – a potential contribution of at least 9% on the £55.6 bn he spent on NHS acute hospitals. So what action has been taken to drive this forward and deliver these savings?

The role that the NHS organisations play in supporting staff who raise concerns about the quality of care and patient safety issues as well as bullying and harassment from others, was a key insight within Sir Robert Francis’ investigations following the failures at Mid Staffs Hospital. The Clinical Services Journal’s technical editor, Kate Woodhead RGB, DMS, reports.

The cleaning of showers and accessories can be time consuming and costly. Jonathan Waggott DipM, MCIM, from Jonathan Waggott & Associates explores the options available to address these issues.

iM Med ran a fascinating study day on 16 May, aimed at staff with lead and management responsibility for endoscope decontamination. CSJ reviews some of the highlights.

A decade following the foundation of Bevan’s National Health Service, pioneering nurse Daisy Ayris MBE was inspired to establish an organisation specifically for advancing the safety of surgical patients. 60 years on, Daisy’s legacy is being celebrated in an inclusive educational event at the University of York open to all practitioners working in the perioperative environment

Lauren Greenwood, content development manager and Kees-Jan Sikma, application consultant digital O.R. at Brainlab discuss the human factor, and why operating room staff are essential to true technology integration.

Breakthrough technology of wearable low-frequency Ultrasound is having a significant impact in preventing catheter-associated urinary tract Infections (CAUTI) in patients with long term indwelling urinary catheters. Lydie Whiteley, BSc. (Hons), product manager at Ideal Medical Solutions reports.

From hearing an Olympic gold medallist to frontline stories of digital adoption in health and social care, Joined-Up Health & Care 2018 provided lessons for urgently needed change.

Quality Improvement for Surgical Teams (QIST) launched The Theatre/Endoscopy Patient Safety Day on 14 June 2018 at Marriott Gosforth Hotel Newcastle. Technical Editor Kate Woodhead RGN, DMS, attended the event hosted by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

From Sunday 30 September to Tuesday 2 October, the Infection Prevention Society (IPS) will host its annual conference, Infection Prevention 2018, at the Scottish Event Campus, Glasgow. The Clinical Services Journal discovers what’s on offer.

The usage of RFID in Trusts is on the increase, primarily due to its flexibility. Whether used for tracking beds, instruments or people, its versatility means that potential applications are almost unlimited.

If the NHS is to futureproof its workforce and ensure all its staff are appropriately trained and developed to deliver high quality care, Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) teams need to think differently and act differently. Martin Stanford and Ryan Campbell, ask how Trusts can help PGME departments drive excellence in the training and development of the NHS workforce.

Aiming to achieve sustained quality improvement, Amy Thompsonand Sheila Dobbs from Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, describe the staff experience of using Photo at Discharge to reduce the burden of surgical site infection(SSI).

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is fast becoming an essential tool in modern medicine, yet access to adequate and appropriate training is still an issue for doctors wanting to introduce the technique into their everyday practice. Dr Sean Bennett and Dr Stephen D’Souza discuss the growing role of ultrasound education and the benefits it brings to the medical community.

An exploration into some of the technologies being used to preserve the disinfected state of the endoscope - and also those being employed before the disinfection, to ensure a successful and efficacious process.

In April 2018, Lord Darzi, former health minister and NHS chair of surgery at Imperial College, London, published an interim report,10 years after his publication High Quality Care for All. Kate Woodhead examines the report which reviews the current state of health and social care,1 a decade after the last report.

Robbie Cormie, Decontamination Lead at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, explains why and how his department has adopted an in situ test for detecting proteins on surgical instruments.

The movement towards a greater reliance upon machine learning, artificial intelligence(AI) and digital technology as diagnostic tools is one that is poised to have a significant impact on UK Trusts. The Clinical Services Journal explores the diverse ways organisations are making the most of these new technologies.