FEATURE ARTICLES

Award-winning approaches to improving hand hygiene compliance are being highlighted for their contributions to national efforts to reduce healthcare-associated infection (HCAI).

A recent report from the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death has highlighted the need for improvement in the care provided for patients undergoing amputation.

Andy Jones, Hospital Manager at Fairfield Independent Hospital, St Helens, explained how the hospital needed to increase its endoscope decontamination capacity to satisfy increased patient numbers.

The Institute of Decontamination Sciences (IDSc) will host its annual conference and exhibition, 1-3 December 2014, at the Hilton Hotel Blackpool. High on the agenda will be raising standards in endoscope decontamination. The ‘dental dilemma’ will also be discussed.

A recent report has revealed that many NHS Trusts are unaware of the full scale, cost and impact of healthcare-acquired infections such as sepsis and norovirus. The Clinical Services Journal reports.

Following World Sepsis Day in September, the need to speed up diagnosis and improve treatment of sepsis has been high on the agenda. The Clinical Services Journal reports.

Faecal and urinary incontinence affects a growing number of people around the world, but some experts feel it is not receiving the focus or the funding that it deserves. MANSOOR PARVAIZ discusses the opportunity for institutions like the NHS to review the way that continence care is organised and free up resources to improve the quality of life of incontinence suffers. In particular he examines the findings of a new report, which offers guidance for policy makers, payers and clinicians across the globe.

NHS procurement has been subject to much scrutiny recently. NICOLA HALL discusses why she believes that the latest Government procurement tool has room for improvement.

Delivering a sustainable healthcare system in a challenging financial and organisational environment is a key priority that is currently being addressed by NHS commissioners. A recent report highlights supported self-management as being key to achieving these goals.

With the operating room becoming increasingly reliant on high-technology equipment it is important that the design of all devices used in this environment keep pace with these changes and new surgical techniques.

TRACEY MILLER discusses the challenges posed by the Choice Framework for local Policies & Procedures (CFPP) and highlights the importance of vigilance, training and transparency, to ensure patient safety.

Investing in research of the patient experience is key to a sustainable provision of healthcare in the UK. The Clinical Services Journal reports on a programme by South Tyneside District Hospital endoscopy team which will ultimately help to create an improved service for patients.

Each year, the EM Cottrell lecture takes place at the Infection Prevention Society conference in honour of the first ‘whole-time infection control sister’. This year the EM Cottrell lecture was delivered by Dr Evonne Curran, nurse consultant infection control, Health Protection Scotland, on the theme: The times they are a changing. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

At the recent Infection Prevention annual conference, held in Glasgow, Scotland, efforts to reduce surgical site infection were high on the agenda. KATE WOODHEAD, RGN DMS reports.

The Infection Prevention Society annual conference discussed the latest issues affecting public health and patient safety. This year, the event took place in Glasgow, offering an opportunity to shed light on Scotland’s initiatives to reduce heathcare-associated infection, as well as best practice from across the UK. One of the key questions debated included: can we get to zero? LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

NHS England estimates that the gap in NHS funding will hit £30 billion by 2021 while, in the short term, new figures show that 80% of acute Trusts reported a deficit – prompting intense debate over the need for increased investment and transformational change.

SUZANNE CALLANDER reports on the benefits offered by the use of a molecular assay technique to identify respiratory viruses.

There is a growing call for the development of childhood cancer treatments to come into line with those of adult cancers. To allow this to happen, current loopholes in the EU Paediatric Regulation need to be tightened. SUZANNE CALLANDER reports.

The latest end of life audit shows there is significant room for improvement in the way hospitals care for dying patients. However, a new approach to end of life care has been announced which aims to address some of the key problems identified in recent years.

JULIE GILLSON and GAIL LOWDON provide an insight into how the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust reduced its infection rate within the orthopaedic department and developed a robust surgical site infection surveillance service.