FEATURE ARTICLES

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.

Dr Richard Deed, service delivery lead for Health Innovation Manchester, and technology director at NHS innovation specialist, TRUSTECH, looks into Greater Manchester’s thriving health industry and why it is uniquely placed to lead the way.

Accredited by NHS Digital, InterSystems has been working with NHS Trusts to enable streamlined adoption of Child Protection Information Sharing.

A comprehensive database will track and record patient experience of scalp cooling,inaneffort toreduce chemotherapy-induced hair loss.

Around six million people in the UK experience continence issues to some degree, making it an important factor for quality of life and a significant health issue for the NHS.

Dr Andrew Kemp PhD (Bio), Dr Vanessa Hodgkinson MBBS, BSc, FRCA, FFPMRCA and Miss A Bugg MSc (Microbiology) take a retrospective and prospective view of the use of alcohol gels as hand sanitisers in healthcare.

Hygiene and cleaning protocols will always be the first line of defence in healthcare environments. However, Addmaster’s Karl Shaw believes in an ever-changing system, it is important to look at the whole picture and identify what other cost effective options can be put in place to reduce the risk of surface contamination.

The Central Sterilising Club’s Annual Scientific Meeting provided delegates with a unique opportunity to view a discussion on endoscopy decontamination – and whether there is a ‘chemistry cartel’. The Clinical Services Journal now offers you the opportunity to read both sides of the argument and to take part in this debate.

There are a number of ways to monitor the sterilisation process to ensure that it is successful. The two principal methods used are biological and parametric monitoring. Richard Bancroft, science & technical director at STERIS Corporation explores the pros and cons of each method.

Dipak Duggal, MRPharms, MBA, director global solutions & marketing at BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) Dispensing Hospital International, shares his unique insights into solutions to reduce medication errors.

The water quality demanded by the HTM standards is ever more demanding and staff at Southampton General Hospital decided it was time to replace their aging water treatment systems. Bradley Unwin, MIDSc EngTech, business development manager at water treatment specialist Lubron Water, explains how this was achieved.

On 26 April, medical equipment healthcare professionals assembled at the Milton Keynes DoubleTree Hilton Hotel for the ninth EBME Innovations Seminar. A lively series of talks highlighted the importance of sensible healthcare technology management by using technology to improve patient outcomes.