FEATURE ARTICLES

Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia is caused by a combination of many factors: anaesthesia, surgical exposure, cool ambient temperatures and the infusion of cold intravenous and irrigation fluids.1,2

Five billion people worldwide do not have access to safe surgery and anaesthesia, more than double previous estimates, resulting in more deaths than malaria, AIDS and tuberculosis combined. KATE WOODHEAD RGN DMS reports.

The only stupid mistake is one that you do not try to learn from’, said Trevor Dale, at a recent conference on patient safety. He provided an overview of human factors engineering and the importance of managing fallibility in the healthcare environment. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

STEVEN PEAK provides an insight into a new solution that could provide Trusts with flexible capacity, through the ability to ‘dock’ specialist facilities – as and when required – from MRI units and operating theatres, to endoscopy suites and wards.

ANN MCQUEEN, FIONA CAMERON and CHRIS CONNOLLY provide an insight into a hand hygiene improvement campaign at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh which used the SureWash training system.

Nearly half of all pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed as a result of an emergency presentation to A&E – a much higher percentage than for most other adult cancers. Pancreatic cancer nurse specialist, DIANNE DOBSON, highlights the action that must be to be taken to improve diagnosis and survival.

The MHRA Alert in 2012 bought TOE probe decontamination to the forefront of hospital decontamination policy. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s central endoscope decontamination unit has found a solution to address the challenges of providing rapid, reliable disinfection between each patient.

SUZANNE CALLANDER spoke to JAN THOMAS about the need for the NHS and private healthcare providers to work collaboratively for the benefit of patients.

A recent report from the Health Foundation evaluates the findings of its six-year ‘Safer Clinical Systems’ programme which explored how improvements in healthcare quality could be made using techniques from hazardous industries.

The search for a human blood substitute has seen work undertaken on modified haemoglobins and also investigation into the use of artificial oxygen carriers, as Dr FRANCIS AJENEYE explains.

Inadvertent hypothermia can be prevented by very simple measures – including decreasing patient exposure, providing them with warm clothing, as well as active measures such as fluid warming, warming mattresses and warming blankets.

The Clinical Services Journal revisits best practice guidance on patient warming and reports on the latest developments.

Avensys Medical offers a comprehensive maintenance, repair, and equipment audit services as well as a tailored training portfolio for electro-biomedical (EBME) engineers to enable them to get the best out of such equipment, improve patient safety, optimise service life, and save money. JONATHAN BAILLIE reports.

Hospitals have been slow to adopt effective screen and treat approaches, despite clear NICE recommendations to do so and clear evidence for cost savings. SUZANNE CALLANDER reports on the latest data-gathering tool which brings together all the elements needed to achieve these goals.

KATE WOODHEAD RGN DMS provides an overview of new models of care being devised by NHS leaders, which aim to create a more sustainable and integrated service.

A national audit report has identified the need for significant improvement in the delivery of care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The ‘Sepsis Unplugged’ conference takes place at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham on 21-22 May 2015. Organised by The UK Sepsis Trust, this new conference will bring together all healthcare professions and patient groups as equals and will ask the questions which will help shape better care for patients with sepsis.

Discussion on how the health service can deliver safe, patient centred, compassionate care was the central theme of a recent conference held at The Mermaid, London. High on the agenda was the need for culture change, effective leadership and safe staffing levels. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

Every year, on 5 May, healthcare providers across the globe join together to celebrate the World Health Organization’s Save Lives: Clean Your Hands campaign. The 2015 campaign focuses on ‘strengthening healthcare systems and delivery – with hand hygiene as the entrance door’, as MIKE SULLIVAN explains.

Researchers at Dundee University and Scottish Diabetes Research Network found that people with type 1 diabetes die significantly younger than the general population. However, it also identified an improvement in the life expectancy figures of this sector.